90% of startups fail. Most of them didn't have to.

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The most common reason isn't the bad execution of an idea. It's building something the market didn't need. We help you make sure your founders and learners don't make this mistake.

Our Path: Journey Towards Product Market Fit

Explore
Customer Discovery
Problem-solution fit
Validate
Demand Validation
Value-market fit
Build
Product Testing IRL
Product-solution fit
Acquire
GTM / Distribution
Channel-product fit
Grow
Product-Market Fit
Business-Model Fit

Whether you're running an accelerator, managing a portfolio, or teaching the next generation of founders, the commercial foundations matter more than anything else.

We embed the evidence-based thinking that turns promising ideas into fundable, scalable businesses. Not as a bolt-on. As a core part of how your founders and learners develop.

How we work with you

AI Agents &
Courses
Self-serve validation tools
Tools and short courses your founders can work through independently, available on demand alongside your programme.
1:1 Founder
Clinics
Find the gaps, fast
Structured sessions with individual founders. We assess their evidence, find the gaps, and give them a clear view of what to do next.
Commercial
Workshops
Answer the hard commercial questions
Hands-on cohort sessions covering customer segmentation, demand validation, willingness to pay and distribution strategy.
Programme
Module
Delivery
Built into your programme
Modules integrated into your accelerator, educational or innovation programme. Built around your timeline and outcomes.
Validate
Startup
Signals
Know what's worth backing
Is this startup building something people will buy? Commercial risk assessments and market validation across your portfolio.

Curriculum and Licensing

Want to teach founders how to think commercially? Our framework is designed to be taught. We work with colleges and universities looking to embed commercial validation methodology into their curriculum, whether that's a standalone module, a programme strand, or a licensed framework your team delivers independently.

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Independent Learning + Coaching

Learn at your own pace

Our five-stage framework methodology in your hands. Online courses and AI agents built around our framework, with templates, resources, and prompts that guide you through each stage. Supported by coaching, so you don't lose momentum or focus.

Meet Juno, our Market Validation Agent

Currently in Private Beta, Juno has been designed to use multiple AI agents to guide you through key stages of your customer discovery journey, the first part of our Validation Framework.

Based on 25 years of academic work and combined with the latest commercial strategies, our Framework will help you on an end-to-end journey to understand and measure market signals.

With Juno, you will define your hypothesis and ICP, complete a market analysis and design interview questions. You will analyse your interview transcripts and receive a report on signal strength, hypothesis validation, a go/no-go recommendation and commercial insights for your product roadmap, grant applications and pitch decks.

All you need to do are the interviews.

Sign up to the beta →

The Book

Make Products That Matter is a practical guide for entrepreneurs and product teams on how design thinking, lean startup, UX, and Agile fit together, bridging research, validation, and implementation into one coherent approach.

This gives you all the tools you need from idea to post-launch to test your concept with customers and users. The Lemonade Van is a case study that runs through the book, so you can see how the tools can be applied.

Learn more →

Online Courses

Grant Funding Fundamentals gets you ready to apply before the right opportunity appears, so you're not scrambling when it does.

Design Thinking for Deep Tech adapts the Double Diamond for the realities of high capital costs and long R&D cycles, covering customer empathy, systems thinking, and how to translate complex science into something non-technical audiences can act on.

Courses start from £95
Grant Funding Fundamentals → Design Thinking for Deep Tech →
Trusted by founders and innovation ecosystems
Growth Studio Enterprise Nation Replica Biomaterials NatWest Carbon13 Cranfield University The Health Foundation AIX Live LeafyColl ScienceCreates

What our clients say

“
Moses 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 Yoell
Founder, FLOCK
“
Chloe helped us find messaging that genuinely connected with our customers, enabling them to understand our complex fintech infrastructure. She listened deeply to what our audience needed and translated technical payment concepts into clear, human narratives. Her rigorous approach to message testing meant we knew what resonated. She also fostered strong team collaboration and consistently brought out the best in everyone. Working with Chloe, you can expect someone who humanises technology, tests rigorously, and delivers messaging that truly connects with your audience.
Richard Bell
CEO & Co-founder, Fourdotzero
“
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 Niles
Founder, TOME
“
The quality and quantity of information was incredible, backed up with practical templates to follow along with and implement ourselves. This made the whole workshop very engaging and very very useful!
Benn Klewpatinond
Inond
“
I found the tips in the Grant Funding Fundamentals online course and workshops to be incredibly practical. The guidance was immediately applicable, helping me feel far more prepared to build a grant strategy. I now have a clear understanding of what is needed for opportunities like the Smart Grant, which had previously felt overwhelming. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone looking to strengthen their approach to grant writing and boost their confidence in navigating funding applications.
Ana Silva
Replica Biomaterials
“
Grant Funding Fundamentals was a game-changer for me. The course offered clear, actionable insights that took the mystery out of the grant application process. Each session was packed with practical advice, examples, and resources that made the complex world of grant writing feel accessible and manageable. I left feeling confident and equipped with the tools needed to approach grant funding strategically. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their grant writing skills and maximise their chances of success!
Saba Riaz
LeafyColl
“
One of the key aims of the project was to conduct a market assessment discovery phase through secondary and primary research. Sharp Insight were part of the team to deliver the research alongside other providers in South Africa. Dr Chloe Sharp's research was detailed and in-depth and created a solid base of understanding the market that Moses want to enter.
Terry Yoell
Founder, Moses
“
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
Co-Founder and CEO, Nightingale
“
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
“
Chloe has mentored me for the past four months on 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 not have 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'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
“
Chloe has been an amazing guide for me during a transitional point in my career. Through a range of practical tools, she helped me see beyond the job itself and focus on what truly moves me, allowing my actions to align more closely with my heart. As a result, I feel more fulfilled in my professional life and clearer about pursuing goals that matter deeply to me.
Thorranze Cheung
Designer and Brand Strategist
“
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 my business strategy and priorities with clearly-reasoned insight, creativity, candour, kindness, and humility.
Oliver Bramford
Founder
“
As an entrepreneur in the early stages of establishing my business, I found Chloe's guidance and resources invaluable. From the outset, Chloe's structured brainstorming sessions were a game-changer. She skilfully facilitated discussions that helped me refine my business idea, identify key goals, and develop a clear, actionable plan. Her approach ensured that every brainstorming session was not just productive but also inspiring, pushing me to think creatively and strategically about my business. Chloe's advice on establishing a newly formed business was both practical and insightful. She emphasised the importance of a strong business plan, effective marketing strategies, and building a reliable network. Overall, the mentoring program with Chloe Sharp was a pivotal experience in my entrepreneurial journey. I wholeheartedly recommend coaching sessions with Chloe to any aspiring entrepreneur looking to turn their vision into reality!
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.
Ana Silva
Founder, Replica Biomaterials