Research and Funding Specialists

We help mission-driven startups and SMEs validate market needs through research and secure grant funding to scale viable solutions.

We work with organisations, big and small

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How we support businesses

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We help you demonstrate market demand and secure government grants that align with social, environmental and economic priorities, giving you the resources to scale solutions that work.

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Through customer research, user insights, and market validation, we help you understand what drives behaviours so you build solutions people actually adopt, with social, environmental and economic factors in mind.

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Using employee research, workshops and people-first AI implementation, we help you optimise operations while staying true to your sustainability mission.

We deliver this support through expert consultancy, hands-on training, and online courses. Whatever works best for your team, budget and timeline.

Through user testing, impact evaluation, SROI and social value measurement, we help you demonstrate real environmental and social outcomes.

What clients say

  • “Moses, a last-mile EV solution, hadn’t used user research before this project to develop one of our in-house projects. I was really surprised and intrigued by the insights that Dr Chloe Sharp had found for us. She really challenged our assumptions and gave us something concrete to work with when iterating the Alpha product, based on evidence. We felt reassured that the iterations of the product are in line with user needs and our future product roadmap is based on evidence rather than assumptions. In the future, we’ll certainly do user research again as we gained so much from it.”

    — Terry, Founder of Moses

  • “Chloe has a razor-sharp mind, a heart of gold, and oodles of experience. A true startup wizard, she is steeped in the counterintuitive research findings and practical methods that drive exceptional business results. She has consistently challenged by business strategy and priorities with clearly-reasoned insight, creativity, candour, kindness, and humility”

    — Oliver Bramford, Founder

  • “We collaborated with Dr Chloe Sharp and worked together on observing and researching the premium estate and letting agents in London. She was able to help us with a survey ahead of the observation and structure the insights to ensure that the research focused on the company’s repositioning exercise.”

    — Laura, Account Manager, BEAR London

  • “Chloe conducted research with Islington residents for us to explore how linking datasets would be perceived. I was impressed with how they took a complex project and distilled it into an easy-to-use card-sorting activity that generated relevant and interesting insights. They were flexible and adaptable throughout the project and worked well as part of our team.”

    — Mubasshir Ajaz, Programme Manager, Islington Council

  • “Through her work on our advisory board, Chloe has guided and supported Nightingale's growth, providing ideas, advice and constructive criticism of our methods and processes. She has helped to open up new avenues for development and kept our team accountable, ensuring that we stay on track and achieve our goals.”

    — Frances Brown, Nightingale

  • “Chloe conducted research with Islington residents for us to explore how linking datasets would be perceived. I was impressed with how they took a complex project and distilled it into an easy-to-use card-sorting activity that generated relevant and interesting insights. They were flexible and adaptable throughout the project and worked well as part of our team.”

    — Mubasshir Ajaz, Islington Council

  • “We deployed Dr Chloe Sharp to undertake two major research projects for our group of businesses. The team managed to glean insights that have been instrumental in steering our direction on a path that is wholly differentiated and giving us the edge on our competition, hands down. The complexity of our industry was captured and crystallised into bite-sized chunks that were easy to digest across a number of key functions, meaning that we were able to proactively take the critical recommendations and integrate them into our business model seamlessly. If you are looking for a fresh approach to market research that delivers real value, then I would thoroughly recommend choosing Sharp Insight.”

    — Jonathon Crosby, Redstone Connect

  • “As part of any digital marketing and branding exercise, it’s always insightful to get real input from a client’s existing or potential customers. Dr Chloe Sharp delivered a set of well-run, professional focus groups with an impossibly short amount of prep time, they were invaluable throughout the project.”

    — Account Manager, Brand Consultancy

  • “It’s rare that you come across standout talent like Chloe. I had the pleasure of working with her in the London startup ecosystem through the joint projects carried out by our companies. I was particularly impressed by Chloe's capacity to deliver expert advice and get people on board with ideas. Look forward to working further with Chloe in future projects. I'd recommend her and her company without a doubt.”

    — Francesco Perticarari, VC and Angel Investor

  • “My mentoring session with Chloe was incredibly enlightening. Her depth of knowledge in UX research, combined with her practical experience provided me with actionable insights that I could immediately apply to my job search. Chloe was not only generous with her advice but also skillfully guided me to identify opportunities for growth and innovation within my work.”

    — Martynas Verbusaitis, UX Researcher

  • “Chloe has mentored me for the past four months around growing my business digitally and structurally. She has provided me with the time and space to discuss critical business changes and processes that would otherwise have not happened due to dealing with the day-to-day business needs. Her faith in me and the tools, ideas and processes she has introduced me to has led to me having greater confidence in myself, greater knowledge of how to physically implement necessary changes and introducing new and innovative leadership practices to my company.”

    — Leanne Martin, Company Director

  • “I had the incredible privilege of being mentored by Chloe, a great depth of leadership and empowerment. As a female leader, she exemplified grace, resilience, and unwavering determination in breaking barriers. Her wisdom, coupled with genuine care and support, empowered me to navigate challenges and embrace opportunities fearlessly. Under her mentorship, I not only honed my skills but also cultivated the confidence to lead with authenticity and empathy. I am forever grateful for her mentorship, which has shaped me into the leader I am today.”

    — Ella Kirk, Learning and Development Manager

  • “I am thrilled to share my transformative experience with the Help to Grow mentoring initiative led by Chloe Sharp. As an entrepreneur in the early stages of establishing my business, I found Chloe's guidance and resources invaluable.

    Overall, the mentoring program with Chloe Sharp was a pivotal experience in my entrepreneurial journey. The structured brainstorming, access to resources, and invaluable advice provided a solid foundation for starting my business. I wholeheartedly recommend coaching sessions with Chloe to any aspiring entrepreneur looking to turn their vision into reality! 

    Thank you, Chloe, for your unwavering support and dedication to helping upcoming entrepreneurs thrive 😊”

    — Marilena Christodoulou, Academic and Early-Stage Founder

  • “Dr Chloe Sharp has mentored me for 12 months through the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award. Her advice, time, and support have been instrumental in helping both me and my company achieve significant milestones. With her expert insights, extensive network, and practical frameworks, I reached the finals of various competitions and awards, secured additional funding, and learned to balance my workload effectively. Chloe has consistently adapted to my needs during our sessions, whether as an advisor, sparring partner, silent listener, or friend.”

    — Natalie Kerres, Founder

  • “Dr Chloe and I worked together on my project to create a new programme for Female Techpreneur. She added so much value and support in kicking off the programme and we got it off the ground with her help. Dr Chloe is not only providing her expertise she helps to get the job done too! I recommend her 100%”

    — Bukky M. Babajide, Founder

  • “Working with Chloe has been an absolute pleasure. As the project nears completion, I'm left wishing she were a permanent member of my team! Her expertise and contributions have been invaluable, and she has greatly enhanced the project's quality and progress. I highly recommend Chloe to anyone looking for a skilled and dedicated professional who is also fun to work with."

    — Trevor Beale, Operations & Quality Director

  • “Right from the very beginning Chloe has been amazing and listened to my business and personal needs. She quickly identified areas for improvement and we put together an action plan. I also found that Chloe has so much experience and was able to mentor me in many different areas. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Chloe and hope to use her again in the future!”

    — Matt Smith, Sales Director

  • “I've had the privilege of being mentored by Chloe for the TechUp Women scheme. She has been incredibly generous with her time and knowledge. She has always ensured that I could learn at my own pace and ask questions about anything (including what to wear for a networking event!). Whether explaining complex concepts in layman's terms or providing invaluable life advice, her authenticity and commitment to helping me grow has made a lasting impact. She has been an advocate as well as a mentor and I feel empowered to start my new role (which is far from where I started when I first met Chloe). I feel truly lucky to have had Chloe as a mentor and can't thank her enough.”

    — Grace McDade, TechUp Women

  • “Dr Chloe Sharp worked with us to deliver discovery and research on our value proposition to digitise training offerings. She worked well with our team and delivered a report and overview for the participants to read to summarise the results. Speaking to busy NHS managers and leaders isn’t an easy task.”

    — Head of Digital, NHS Leadership Academy

  • “It was an amazing session where you got lots of stories from students talking about their life, work and experience. It’s great to hear how you tell stories in different contexts bringing emotions into it. Look forward to having you more. 200% recommended. After, I saw students use the techniques and effectively share their stories throughout your session.”

    — Lecturer, Cranfield University

  • “Dr Chloe Sharp’s work has been invaluable in helping us assess and understand our market opportunity better and provided a level of professional support that we could never have imagined receiving in advance. I very much look forward to their continued support and expertise as we develop new products and widen our market.”

    — Calvin, Founder, TOME

  • “She really challenged our assumptions and gave us something concrete to work with…We felt reassured that the iterations of the product are in line with user needs and our future product roadmap is based on evidence rather than assumptions.”

    — Terry, Founder, Moses

  • “Data and ethics is a very important topic to us and as technology progresses, councils want to keep up but there is more responsibility and accountability and having a considered approach, that accounts for ethics and information governance toward predictive analytics for the older population, and one that is growing, was the key focus of the project. Chloe spoke to our Adult Social Care service users to explore their views toward unstructured data and supported workshops ran by LSE. She brought together the primary data and analysed this alongside the brief evidence review, which is secondary research, to bring us actionable and relevant recommendations.”

    — Mubasshir Ajaz, Islington Council

  • "Implementing AI into our marketing function has been a game-changer. Through AI training and working together under Chloe's guidance, we co-developed a CustomGPT tailored to support the content generation and re-purposing process. This has transformed how we work as a team, increasing our capacity to meet the demands of a growing business by offsetting lower-level tasks to AI. What used to take hours can now takes minutes, allowing our marketing team to focus on other higher-impact activities and creativity rather than repetitive content drafting. The CustomGPT maintains brand consistency, aligns with our voice and messaging, and has significantly improved prompt efficiency. It was easier to implement than I thought. We've increased productivity, reduced time spent on tasks and now have an AI assistant that empowers our team. We’re very happy with the outcome"

    - Group Marketing Manager, MPA

Case studies

Low Carbon Transport User Testing

We evaluated travel behaviour for shared mobility for the last mile on a DfID Low Carbon Mobility Services project in South Africa

Read more

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Sustainable Business Product Market Fit Training

We upskilled sustainable business owners on the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator on how to do their own customer and product research

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Net Zero Product User Testing

We evaluated user behaviour for electric vehicle charging infrastructure to inform parking and charging services

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Employee-Led AI Implementation

We identified use cases for AI through employee research and introduced an experimental approach to testing AI, resulting in significant time savings

Read more

How we help businesses make confident decisions

Research and Strategy Consulting

Get evidence-based insights that drive results.

Work directly with our research specialists to understand what drives sustainable behaviour change, validate market demand, and secure grant funding for your validated opportunities.

  • Customer and user research for product validation

  • Market research for expansion decisions

  • Employee research for AI adoption strategies

  • Grant writing and funding applications

What you get: Deep research insights, validated market opportunities, successful funding applications, and confidence in your next steps.

Team training and workshops

Build internal research and grant capabilities

Equip your team with practical research skills and grant writing frameworks so you can validate ideas and secure funding independently.

  • User research training for product teams

  • Market validation workshops

  • Grant writing masterclasses

  • Sustainable behaviour change frameworks

What you get: Hands-on research skills, proven frameworks, ongoing coaching, and a team that can validate opportunities in-house.

Online courses and resources

Learn research and funding skills at your own pace

Access our expertise through focused courses on customer research, market validation, and grant writing specifically for sustainability businesses.

What you get: Self-paced learning, downloadable templates, sustainability-focused case studies, and lifetime access to updates.

We'll help you choose the right combination for your goals, timeline, and budget. Many of our clients start with one approach and expand to others as their needs evolve.

Ready to explore your options?

Dr. Chloe Sharp, Founder and Research and Funding Consultant

What happens when you combine rigorous research training with sustainability passion? You get Chloe, someone who can uncover what drives real behaviour change and secure the funding to scale sustainable solutions.

She specialises in:

  • Customer and user research that reveals why people adopt (or reject) sustainable solutions

  • Market validation for sustainable startups and SMEs

  • Grant writing and innovation funding for sustainability projects

  • Impact measurement and social value evaluation to evaluate social, environmental and economic impact

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Simon Sharp, Co-Founder and Implementation Specialist

Simon brings enterprise-scale experience to sustainability challenges.

From managing multi-million pound projects to implementing people-first digital solutions, he knows how to turn research insights into operational reality.

He brings:

  • Proven experience delivering complex projects for major enterprises

  • Employee research and AI adoption strategies

  • Process optimisation that maintains sustainability values

  • Digital transformation expertise for growing businesses

Meet your research and funding specialists

Author of Make Products That Matter. Available on Amazon in the EU and US.

Sharing thoughts on product research

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Rosenfeld Media’s Design in Product

Using Evidence and Collaboration for Setting and Defending Priorities

Tired of having your research ignored by stakeholders? Learn the proven framework for turning user insights into strategic decisions that everyone buys into. Discover how to build evidence-based arguments that actually change minds and drive action.

Perfect for product teams struggling to get research heard at the leadership level.

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Helio

Slow and Fast Research in Product Development

Not all research needs to take weeks. Learn when to use rapid validation techniques versus deep, thorough research, and how to choose the right approach for your timeline and budget. A practical guide to balancing speed with insight quality.

Essential reading for teams under pressure to move fast without sacrificing user understanding.

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Book cover of 'Make Products That Matter' by Dr. Chloe Sharp

UXTweak Podcast

Making Products That Matter

Book

Make Products That Matter

The comprehensive playbook for building products that create real value for people and businesses. From initial idea validation to post-launch optimisation, this book shows you how to put human insight at the centre of every decision.

Your roadmap to sustainable, people-led product success.

What's the difference between products people use and products people love? In this conversation, we explore how to build solutions that create genuine value for users while driving sustainable business growth.

A deep dive into people-first product development that resonates with both users and stakeholders.

The Institute of Creativity

How to Make Products That Matter

Can creativity and rigorous methodology coexist? This talk explores how structured research and creative thinking work together to produce breakthrough products that genuinely improve people's lives.

For teams who want to innovate without losing sight of real human needs.

Ready to start your journey with us?

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