London-based PunkMRX, founded by former YouGov head of innovation Graeme Ford last year, focuses on integrating research technology into clients’ systems.

The company has set up the WhatsApp shared group to offer a space where researchers can ask questions, share ideas and support each other.

The group has over 100 members to date and is free to join.

PunkMRX said it is planning to develop a ‘grassroots’ research conference in the UK that will be informed by the people in the group and not shaped by ‘sponsorships or speaker fees’.

The event will aim to ‘reflect the people doing the work, including those just starting out and those whose voices are rarely heard’, the company said.

Founder 0 Ford said: “We’re trying to build something with a bit more heart. The WhatsApp group is for anyone in research who wants to talk honestly, help each other, and create something new. It is especially for people who feel like they do not fit into the usual mould. And we are making sure it includes voices from outside the UK and US, because great thinking comes from everywhere.”