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How we're different
Our country leads live where your customers are. They speak the languages, know the regulators, and follow up in person — long after the workshop ends.
A new model for market entry · Africa & Asia
GSD provides fractional country leadership for deep-tech and impact ventures. We open markets, navigate regulators, and build partnerships on the ground — then hand it off when you're ready to hire your own.
On the call: we pressure-test your target markets, tell you whether GSD is the right fit, and suggest the first country to validate.
Tomorrow.io
JDC ImpactWell
Rescue.co
ILRI · CGIAR
The argument
Our country leads live where your customers are. They speak the languages, know the regulators, and follow up in person — long after the workshop ends.
Start with a fixed-scope Discovery: 6–12 weeks, one team, one country. When the work proves out, expand into ongoing country support — modular, by the month, by the geography. Scale up when programs land. Wind down on your timeline.
A country team yourself: 18 months, seven figures. A fixer: tactical wins, no strategy. GSD is the bridge — operator-led, network-leveraged, accountable.
Where we go deep
Who we serve
Climate-tech and weather-intelligence ventures — including TIME100 honorees — landing programs with ministries, national meteorological services, and pan-African research bodies.
What we solve
Country entry, regulator navigation, and partner development where relationships determine whether the work moves.
Outcomes we've delivered
Featured client
Tomorrow.io
Also working with
Who we serve
Health-tech ventures and humanitarian funders working from diagnostics to surgical training to neonatal care across sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia.
What we solve
Standing up in-country delivery — from Ministry of Health relationships to district-hospital partnerships — so hardware, software, and clinical programs actually run.
Outcomes we've delivered
Featured client
JDC ImpactWell
Also working with
Who we serve
EMS operators, air-evacuation companies, and mobility ventures scaling time-critical services across new geographies.
What we solve
Connecting the dots between operators, embassies, MoH, and global funders — so dispatch infrastructure and air-evac networks scale fast and stay grounded.
Outcomes we've delivered
Featured client
Rescue.co
Also working with
Who we serve
Research institutes, multilaterals, and policy bodies working on climate finance, carbon markets, and the agriculture-climate intersection across Africa.
What we solve
Synthesizing complex sector data into actionable strategy and policy briefs that ministries, donors, and CGIAR-affiliated bodies can act on.
Outcomes we've delivered
Featured client
ILRI · CGIAR
Also working with
What clients say
Three sectors. Three hard-to-enter markets. One operating model.
GSD played a pivotal role in enhancing our market knowledge, needs and opportunities within the healthcare ecosystem in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia.
Caitlin Dolkart
Managing Director, Rescue.co
GSD's knowledge of the niches of African private sector — and the intersection of business and development — is unmatched.
Hannah Friedland
Health Programs Manager, JDC ImpactWell
Strong expertise in synthesizing complex data… I recommend GSD for research, strategy, or advisory work with great confidence.
Dr. Todd Crane
Principal Scientist, ILRI · CGIAR
How we work
In-country interviews with ministries, operators, funders. We come back with a sharper version of your problem than you arrived with.
Fixed-scope, fixed-fee. Country playbook, regulatory map, partner shortlist, pricing framework. One country at a time.
Modular monthly retainer: a country lead, BD support, weekly TAG syncs. Flex up when programs land. Wind down when you hire your own.
We help you hire the in-house team that replaces us — interview panels, comp benchmarks, the warm intros. The exit is the point.
Who we work with
Connect with us
For ventures
Book a 30-min discovery call. We'll tell you whether GSD is the right fit — and if we're not, who is.
Engagements typically start with a 6–12 week Discovery sprint, then move into monthly country support. Best fit for venture-backed teams entering 1–3 priority markets.
Book a 30-min discovery call →For funders
We help funders design and implement evidence-driven market entry across portfolios.
Partner with us →For operators
CoMEC is GSD's network of verified country-entry operators across Africa and Asia. We route relevant country-entry work to verified operators. Apply to join.
Apply to CoMEC →Or write directly — [email protected]