Proximity International

Name

Proximity International

Legal name

Proximity International

Website

https://proximityinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts - USAID: Prime and subcontractor positions on USAID-funded monitoring, evaluation, and implementation programs (e.g., Syria Livelihoods Program, SHMPIII, ART project)
2. Government Contracts - FCDO: Research contracts funded by UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office through partnerships like BASIC with IDS
3. Government Contracts - GIZ: Research and knowledge product development for German development agency GIZ's Yemen programming
4. Multi-Donor Fund Monitoring: Third-party monitoring services for pooled funding mechanisms like Aid Fund for Syria and Syria Recovery Trust Fund
5. U.S. Department of State Contracts: Implementation contracts for stabilization and community security programming (Al Rashad III)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Proximity International is a women-led applied research group that provides Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) services to government donors and foundations operating in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The firm delivers remote and in-person research, third-party monitoring, and learning-centered implementation support across the Middle East, Africa, and other conflict-affected regions.

Product overview

Proximity International is a professional services firm offering Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) services rather than a traditional software product company. The firm provides four core service lines: Monitoring Services (including third-party monitoring for humanitarian programs), Evaluation Services (impact and performance assessments), Research Services (qualitative and quantitative research in fragile contexts), and Learning-Centered Implementation (dynamic program delivery with iterative adjustment). The company also operates a Proximity Lab innovation center for self-funded research and pilot programs. Projects span multiple geographies including Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan, and Libya, with major programs including Al Rashad III (community security), Syria Livelihoods Program, Syria Recovery Trust Fund monitoring, Aid Fund for Syria monitoring, Accountability and Research Team (ART), BASIC research partnership, Syria Humanitarian Monitoring Program III, and Supporting Good Governance in Yemen. All services leverage a network of locally trained researchers deployed in conflict-affected regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monitoring Services
• Evaluation Services
• Research Services
• Learning-Centered Implementation
• Proximity Lab

Quantifiable outcome

• $900m in funding monitored, evaluated, or implemented
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institute of Development Studies (IDS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Proximity partners with IDS on the FCDO-funded BASIC project conducting in-depth qualitative research on social assistance in Syria and Iraq. Proximity contributes field research capabilities including ethnographic methods with local governance officials, civil society actors, and social protection beneficiaries.
• GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Proximity provides research contributing to GIZ's Supporting Good Governance in Yemen (SGGY) program, producing knowledge products with strategic recommendations for evidence-based local governance approaches.
• Syria Recovery Trust FundcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Proximity served as Independent Monitoring Agent for SRTF, a multi-donor support fund providing essential services to Syrian civilians. Proximity provided third-party monitoring across humanitarian and development programs from 2019-2023.
• EncompasscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProximity works alongside Encompass as prime contractor on the Syria Humanitarian Monitoring Program III (SHMPIII), delivering monitoring and evaluation activities in support of USAID/BHA's humanitarian portfolio across Syria.
• Aid Fund for Syria Steering BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProximity provides third-party monitoring and research services for the Aid Fund for Syria, a multi-donor humanitarian assistance fund governed by an independently chaired Steering Board including international donors and Syrian/international NGOs.
• Adam Smith InternationalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdam Smith International serves as the Fund Management Agent for Aid Fund for Syria; Proximity's TPM services operate within this governance structure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Encompass: Encompass is a prime contractor on USAID humanitarian programs in Syria alongside Proximity (e.g., SHMPIII). Both firms deliver third-party monitoring and evaluation in fragile contexts to the same donor base, making them direct operational peers.
• IMC Worldwide: IMC Worldwide is an international development consultancy that delivers monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning services to bilateral and multilateral donors. Its service portfolio, donor mix, and conflict-zone focus closely mirror Proximity's.
• Adam Smith International: Adam Smith International is an international development consultancy that also serves as Fund Management Agent for the Aid Fund for Syria, where Proximity provides TPM. Both firms work on economic governance and fragile-state programming across MENA and beyond.

Broad incumbents

• DT Global: DT Global is a large international development consulting firm offering a broad portfolio across MERL, infrastructure, governance, and humanitarian response. It competes with Proximity for USAID and DFAT awards but at greater scale and with a wider service breadth.
• Palladium: Palladium is a global development consulting firm with a sizable monitoring, evaluation, and learning practice serving USAID, FCDO, and foundations. It overlaps with Proximity on MERL service lines but operates at a significantly larger scale.
• Tetra Tech (International Development Services): Tetra Tech's international development practice delivers monitoring, evaluation, and consulting services to USAID and other donors globally. It competes with Proximity on M&E bids but at a much larger scale and broader service mix.
• Cardno International Development: Cardno's international development division (now part of Stantec) provides MERL and infrastructure advisory services to bilateral donors. It overlaps with Proximity on USAID-funded M&E and evaluation engagements in fragile states.
• Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is a large humanitarian and development organization that both implements programs and conducts monitoring, evaluation, and learning in fragile states. It competes with Proximity for similar donor funding pools, though at substantially greater scale.

Emerging players

• Search for Common Ground: Search for Common Ground is a conflict-transformation organization that conducts applied research and programming in fragile states, including MENA. It overlaps with Proximity in conflict-zone research and peacebuilding, though it operates as an NGO rather than a for-profit consultancy.
• International Alert: International Alert is a peacebuilding NGO that conducts research, policy, and program work in conflict-affected countries. Its thematic focus on conflict dynamics and donor-funded research parallels Proximity's work in fragile contexts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ProximityInter1
• Facebookfacebook.com/proximityintl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/proximity-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Proximity International