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What we are
GSD is your in-country leadership team — fractional, by the month, in your priority markets. Our country leads live where your customers are. They speak the languages, know the regulators, and follow up in person.
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.
Nigeria · Kenya · Tanzania · Uganda · Ghana · Côte d'Ivoire · Rwanda
Ghana · Malawi
Indonesia · Philippines · Thailand · Tanzania · Rwanda
Kenya · Tanzania · Zimbabwe · Zambia · South Africa · Nigeria · Ghana · Rwanda · Uganda · Ethiopia
The argument
GSD is your in-country leadership team — fractional, by the month, in your priority markets. Our country leads live where your customers are. They speak the languages, know the regulators, and follow up in person.
We start with a fixed-scope Discovery — typically 6–12 weeks, scoped to one to three priority markets. When the work proves out, we expand into ongoing country support: modular, by the month, by the geography. We scale up when programs land, and wind down on your timeline.
You have three options for entering a new market. Build a country team yourself — 18 months and seven figures. Hire a fixer — one deal landed, no strategy. Or work with GSD: a senior operator who already lives there, working under you, by the month.
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
In the press
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
In the press
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
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
In the press
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
We run in-country interviews with ministries, operators, and funders. We come back with a sharper version of your problem than you arrived with.
A fixed-scope, fixed-fee engagement that delivers your country playbook, regulatory map, partner shortlist, and pricing framework — typically scoped to one to three priority markets.
A modular monthly retainer with a senior country lead and business-development support. You flex up when programs land, and wind down when you're ready to hire your own team.
We help you hire the in-house team that replaces us, running the interview panels, sharing comp benchmarks, and making the warm introductions. 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 — hello@gsdglobal.io