GRID3

What GRID3 does

GRID3 (Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development) is a US-incorporated nonprofit, headquartered in New York, that generates, validates, and disseminates high-resolution geospatial data to support development and humanitarian work in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 2017, the organisation produces five core solution areas: high-resolution population estimates, settlement mapping (settlement extents and point locations), subnational administrative boundary harmonisation, infrastructure and points-of-interest mapping, and capacity strengthening delivered through workshops, Training of Trainers programmes, and an online Learning Management System at learn.grid3.org managed by Flowminder. Its technology stack combines satellite imagery (Maxar-powered Ecopia Landbase Africa building footprints), GIS tooling (Esri ArcGIS), statistical and Bayesian modelling in R/RStudio, and open-source components such as OpenStreetMap, Open Data Kit, and GridSample, with a proprietary Geospatial Microplanning Toolkit (GMT) mobile app piloted in Nigeria.

GRID3 distributes its outputs through three main channels: a self-serve Data Hub (data.grid3.org) hosting 250+ openly accessible datasets, direct in-country partnerships with national ministries and statistical agencies, and implementation partners (Flowminder, CIESIN, ICAP, Akros, Bluesquare, Clinton Health Access Initiative, PATH, IOM, UNHCR, WFP, UNOPS and others) who embed GRID3 data into health, education, and humanitarian programs. Country programs span 14+ sub-Saharan African countries, with deep engagement in Nigeria (National Steering and Technical Committees chaired by the Minister of Finance), the DRC (Mapping for Health project, zero-dose vaccination work), Sierra Leone (first open health facilities dataset, MoU signed 23 May 2021), and Zambia (ZamStats partnership, boundary harmonisation). Notable outcomes include 15M+ mapped settlements across 50+ countries, 9,308 ward-level microplanning maps for Nigeria's Non-Polio Supplementary Immunisation Activities campaign, 121 DRC health-zone maps produced in four days for a measles response, and a UBEC school-placement optimisation model identifying 20,000 additional primary schools that could bring 99.1% of Nigerian children within 2km of a school.

GRID3 is grant-funded rather than commercially monetised; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (USD 20.3M Phase 2 grant, announced August 13, 2023), Gavi/UNOPS (USD 3M for DRC zero-dose vaccination, February 2024), UK Aid, and UNICEF are the disclosed financial backers. The Gates Phase 2 grant ushered GRID3 into a new multi-year cycle after a 2017-2022 Phase 1, with Nigeria and the DRC as lead geographies and broader sub-Saharan Africa as the long-run footprint. Country governments are progressively taking over hosting of GRID3 data (e.g., Nigeria's NASRDA in October 2020), positioning the datasets as government-endorsed reference layers for census, health microplanning, education planning, and disaster response.

Name

GRID3

Legal name

GRID3 Inc

Website

https://grid3.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GRID3 is a US-registered nonprofit that produces and disseminates high-resolution geospatial datasets on population, settlements, boundaries, and infrastructure across 50+ sub-Saharan African countries, serving national governments, multilaterals, and humanitarian organisations engaged in vaccination, education, and disaster response.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geospatial Data Analytics

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mapping & Basemap Platforms (Tiles/SDKs) (BPAMANAB)

Keywords

• Geospatial data solutions
• Population estimates
• Settlement mapping
• Administrative boundary harmonisation
• Capacity strengthening

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant funding (philanthropic foundations and multilateral agencies): GRID3 is grant-funded by philanthropic foundations and multilateral partners. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded USD 20.3 million for Phase 2 (announced August 13, 2023). UNOPS, funded by Gavi's Equity Accelerator Fund, awarded USD 3 million for the DRC zero-dose vaccination project (February 10, 2024). UK Aid and UNICEF also appear as supporters on the homepage.
2. Open/free access to core spatial datasets and training: GRID3's core spatial datasets, the Data Hub (250+ datasets), and the Learning Management System (learn.grid3.org) are openly and freely accessible; there is no published commercial price list. The model is funded externally via grants rather than paid customer subscriptions.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

GRID3 (Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development) generates, validates, and distributes open geospatial data solutions covering population, settlements, administrative boundaries, and infrastructure across 50+ sub-Saharan African countries. Its offerings include high-resolution gridded population estimates, settlement extents, boundary harmonisation, infrastructure/points-of-interest mapping, and capacity strengthening delivered through an online Learning Management System and country-embedded training programs.

Product overview

GRID3 (Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development) is a platform-plus-modules geospatial data solution organized around five core solutions: High-resolution population estimates, Mapping subnational boundaries, Settlement mapping, Infrastructure mapping, and Capacity strengthening. These core solutions are complemented by additional products including the GRID3 Data Hub (a data repository with 250+ datasets), the Geospatial Microplanning Toolkit (GMT) mobile application, an online Learning Management System (LMS), the GRID3 Mapping for Health (M4H) project, and country-specific programs (Nigeria and DRC). Together, the solutions enable governments in sub-Saharan Africa to generate, validate, and use geospatial data on population, settlements, infrastructure, and boundaries for development interventions including vaccination microplanning, education access, malaria control, and disaster response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High-resolution population estimates Provides high-resolution modelled population estimates featuring size, age, density, and location of populations, enabling improved population data for development and humanitarian interventions in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Settlement mapping Creates improved, comprehensive settlement datasets including settlement extents and point locations across sub-Saharan Africa, with multiple versions covering 50+ countries and more than 15 million settlements.
• Mapping subnational boundaries Facilitates harmonisation of subnational administrative boundaries through coordination among government agencies, producing government-endorsed administrative boundary datasets and an ArcGIS model builder tool for topology analysis.
• Infrastructure mapping Maps critical infrastructure and points of interest (health facilities, schools, warehouses, wells, religious centres) to support needs assessments, planning of new interventions, and monitoring of results.
• Capacity strengthening Provides tailored technical assistance and training programmes to strengthen individual and institutional capacities in census/survey planning, GIS, and Remote Sensing, delivered through workshops, courses, mentoring, and the online Learning Management System at learn.grid3.org.
• GRID3 Data Hub Online data repository offering 250+ openly accessible geospatial datasets for visualisation, analysis, and download, supporting GIS practitioners, humanitarians, researchers, and governments.
• Geospatial Microplanning Toolkit (GMT) Mobile application that allows health staff to record, edit, and visualize key spatial data and features via an interactive user interface, developed to address issues affecting health planning and microplanning.
• GRID3 Learning Management System (LMS) Secure online environment for delivering courses and material to groups of learners, offering a range of learning media, assessment and collaborative activities, and learner management/tracking on topics including spatial data, GIS, census support, and gridded population surveys.
• GRID3 Mapping for Health (M4H) DRC Ministry of Health initiative aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and equity of vaccination interventions, delivered in partnership with Flowminder, CIESIN, WorldPop, Kinshasa School of Public Health, UNFPA, WFP, and UNOPS.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15 million settlements mapped across 50+ sub-Saharan African countries (settlement extents dataset).
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core and minor.

• UNOPSmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 August 2023UNOPS administers the USD 3 million grant (February 2024) from Gavi's Equity Accelerator Fund that supports the GRID3 zero-dose vaccination project in DRC. UNOPS is also listed as a Mapping for Health partner in DRC.
• FlowminderflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlowminder leads the GRID3 Capacity Strengthening programme, manages the GRID3 Learning Management System (learn.grid3.org), and implements the GRID3 Mapping for Health project in DRC together with CIESIN. Graeme Hornby, Training Specialist at Flowminder, is quoted on GRID3's capacity-strengthening approach.
• Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIESIN at Columbia University is a core GRID3 academic partner; CIESIN's settlement extents (built on Ecopia Landbase Africa building footprints powered by Maxar imagery) underpin GRID3 sub-Saharan Africa settlement datasets covering 52 countries. CIESIN co-delivers the GRID3 Mapping for Health project with Flowminder and is the source author for GRID3 datasets in Columbia Academic Commons. Hasim Engin, GIS Specialist at CIESIN, is quoted on GRID3 infrastructure mapping.
• WorldPop, University of SouthamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorldPop at the University of Southampton is a GRID3 partner on the Mapping for Health project in DRC and contributes to GRID3 population modelling work.
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNFPA is a GRID3 partner and the main organiser of the 2019 Nairobi Summit (ICPD+25) where GRID3 participated. UNFPA Country Offices in Zambia and elsewhere co-propose and co-finance GRID3 boundary harmonisation and census support work.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRID3 supports WHO with the coordination and implementation of the Geolocated Health Facilities Data (GHFD) initiative in the Africa Region, including needs assessments and work plans for countries' health facility master lists. WHO also co-funded Sierra Leone's HPV vaccination campaign with GRID3 maps.
• Ecopia Landbase Africa powered by MaxarcoreTechnology or IntegrationGRID3 uses building footprint data extracted from Ecopia Landbase Africa, powered by Maxar satellite imagery, to map settlement extents at scale. This collaboration enabled GRID3 to fast-track COVID-19 response mapping and produced 250+ settlement datasets across sub-Saharan Africa.
• EsricoreTechnology or IntegrationEsri provides imagery basemaps, ArcGIS technology and GIS tooling underpinning GRID3 workflows, including the ArcGIS model builder tool for administrative boundary topology analysis in Zambia. Esri also co-built Sierra Leone's COVID-19 geospatial data systems with GRID3.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCHAI co-implemented the Sierra Leone HPV vaccination campaign and partnered with GRID3 and the DRC National Program for the Elimination of Cholera to use GRID3 geospatial data to assess access to healthcare in DRC.
• PATHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPATH partnered with GRID3 in Zambia on malaria control (with Akros, NMEP, PMI) and collaborated with GRID3 and Bluesquare to support DRC's ANICiiS COVID-19 response with consolidated health facility, boundary, and settlement layers.
• BluesquarecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBluesquare partnered with GRID3 to support DRC's Ministry of Public Health measles vaccination mapping (121 maps in 4 days) and DRC's ANICiiS COVID-19 response, providing technical expertise on health information systems.
• AkroscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAkros partnered with GRID3 Zambia, NMEP, PATH and PMI to develop maps for malaria control, including field-mapped health facility catchment boundaries and updated residential structure counts for the 2021 indoor residual spraying campaign.
• Amref Health AfricacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAmref Health Africa uses 133 GRID3 maps of Ethiopian Somali and Afar regions to identify where mobile health/outreach services are most needed.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIOM uses GRID3 data in Zambia to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the country's migrant population and partners with GRID3 in South Sudan via its Displacement Tracking Matrix to inform GRID3 high-resolution population estimates.
• UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUNHCR provided field-collected displacement data incorporated into GRID3's updated high-resolution gridded population estimates for South Sudan.
• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWFP is listed as a partner on the GRID3 Mapping for Health project in DRC, alongside Flowminder, CIESIN, WorldPop, UNFPA, the Kinshasa School of Public Health and UNOPS.
• Kinshasa School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kinshasa School of Public Health is an academic partner on the GRID3 Mapping for Health project in DRC, supporting research and capacity strengthening.
• University of Zambia (UNZA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNZA participated in the May 2018 meeting that led to GRID3 supporting Zambia's administrative boundary harmonisation and codes work.
• ICAPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerICAP co-convened a map template transfer workshop with GRID3 and Mozambique's Ministry of Health, Expanded Programme on Immunization, and National Agency for Spatial Development in Maputo (April 2023).
• Fab Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFab Inc. collaborated with GRID3 on school catchment mapping in Sierra Leone, supporting the Government of Sierra Leone's new School Infrastructure and Catchment Area Planning policy.
• Development Media International (DMI)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDMI used GRID3 risk data (in collaboration with Fraym) to refine a Social and Behaviour Change Communication strategy, including targeted radio campaigns addressing barriers to contraceptive uptake in Zambia.
• OpenStreetMap and Open Data Kit (ODK)coreTechnology or IntegrationGRID3 uses OpenStreetMap for preparing field maps and Open Data Kit (ODK) for digital household listing during gridded population survey training and fieldwork in Nigeria; surveyors update OpenStreetMap with newly ground-truthed features.
• GridSamplecoreTechnology or IntegrationGridSample is the methodology/platform GRID3 references for gridded population survey sampling, used to design sampling frames and delineate enumeration areas for gridded population surveys.
• University College London (UCL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCL researchers partnered with the Government of Nigeria to study SARS-CoV-2 transmission using GRID3 Nigeria's gridded population estimates, with results published in BMJ Global Health.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WorldPop (University of Southampton): WorldPop produces high-resolution gridded population estimates using similar bottom-up modelling and geospatial covariates. It is both a GRID3 partner and a near-direct peer competing in sub-Saharan Africa population datasets, with overlapping donor relationships (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF).
• LandScan (Oak Ridge National Laboratory): LandScan produces global ambient population distribution datasets at ~1km resolution. It is a long-standing peer in high-resolution gridded population estimation and serves overlapping government, humanitarian, and multilateral customers.
• Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT): HOT applies community-driven open mapping and satellite-based mapping to humanitarian and development challenges, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia. Comparable to GRID3's settlement mapping and boundary harmonisation work, and serves overlapping humanitarian and government customers.
• Flowminder Foundation: Flowminder leads GRID3's Capacity Strengthening programme, manages the GRID3 LMS, and co-implements the Mapping for Health project in DRC. It is a peer in applying mobile, survey, and geospatial data to public health and development in low- and middle-income countries.
• Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL), EU JRC: GHSL produces global built-up, population, and settlement datasets using satellite imagery and is a direct competitor in the open, continental-scale settlement and population mapping space GRID3 occupies for sub-Saharan Africa.
• Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University: CIESIN co-produces GRID3 settlement extents from Ecopia/Maxar building footprints and publishes its datasets via Columbia Academic Commons. It is both a flagship partner and a peer institution producing open geospatial population and settlement layers used in development and humanitarian contexts.

Emerging players

• Bluesquare: Bluesquare partners with GRID3 on DRC measles vaccination mapping and ANICiiS COVID-19 response. As a health information systems specialist with growing DHIS2 and geospatial analytics capabilities, it is an emerging peer with partially overlapping health-geospatial delivery.
• Akros: Akros partners with GRID3 on Zambia malaria microplanning and is itself a niche health-systems implementer in sub-Saharan Africa. Its data-driven community health and malaria programs make it an emerging peer in health microplanning that increasingly overlaps with GRID3's health use cases.

Broad incumbents

• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): UNFPA is a GRID3 partner and funder on census and boundary harmonisation work, but operates a much broader mandate on population data, reproductive health, and ICPD follow-up. It is a broader incumbent shaping the policy and funding landscape in which GRID3 operates.
• UNICEF Data and Analytics: UNICEF is a GRID3 supporter and partner on the Mashako Plan and COVAX-related microplanning, while also being a much larger multilateral producing its own child population estimates, SDG indicator data, and country-level analytics that overlap with GRID3's outputs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/grid3global
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6b8ibqqv3ls10PtkF0J7Iw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grid3global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about GRID3