Calgary AI Startup Cashew to Compete for $150K in Prizes at Nationwide DMZ Pitch Event in March

Cashew is a startup based in Calgary with an aim to simplify market research for businesses through a human-supported, automated platform.

The Alberta firm, launched in 2018 by chief executive officer Addy Graves and Rose Wong, leverages artificial intelligence among other technologies to improve the end-to-end process of conducting market research.

Compared to traditional market research firms, Cashew offers a more accessible and scalable solution, particularly for smaller enterprises, including a self-serve model and mobile app. The tech has been utilized by major players such as Ottawa fintech titan Shopify.

Last year, Cashew secured a $1 million pre-seed round of funding led by Metiquity Ventures.

Metiquity spearheaded the investment round with $450,000 in capital, which Cashew has been using to advance tech and bolster market presence.

“Leading this funding round for Cashew aligns with our strategy to nurture transformative technologies within Alberta and the Canadian Prairies,” stated Bryan Slauko, Partner at Metiquity Ventures, in June. “Cashew’s potential to influence the industry is substantial, and we anticipate great achievements through their expanded capabilities.”

At the time, Graves said the investment would “accelerate our mission to empower businesses with accessible, cutting-edge market research tools.”

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Metiquity Ventures,” she stated. “Their expertise and strategic support are invaluable as we scale our operations.”

This year, Cashew is among the female-powered firms slated to be honoured at DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit on March 6th, which is positioned as part of the International Women’s Day on March 8th.

DMZ’s Summit will incorporate events throughout the day, from breakfast in the morning to afternoon roundtables and an evening pitch competition.

Alongside other females, Graves will pitch on-stage, competing for a grand total of up to $150,000 in prizes.

Selected from more than 200 applications nationwide, Cashew is the only entity from Alberta competing.