OSACO Group
OSACO Group is a New Zealand–based, Māori-owned professional services firm that delivers global investigations, certified training and AI-enabled (EchoMind) interview training for safeguarding, PSEAH, fraud, anti-corruption and ethics, serving humanitarian, commercial and government clients in 40+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersChristchurch, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What OSACO Group does
OSACO Group Limited is a privately held, Māori-owned professional services firm founded in 2013 and headquartered in Blenheim, New Zealand. It specialises in workplace misconduct investigations, safeguarding and PSEAH (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment), fraud and anti-corruption, compliance, governance and ethics advisory, deploying a global network of more than 40 consultants across more than 40 countries with operational hubs in Blenheim, Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire, established September 2023) and Geneva. Its client base spans international humanitarian and development organisations (including UNICEF, World Vision International, Norwegian Refugee Council, Mercy Corps and Danish Refugee Council), commercial enterprises and government bodies.
The company's core technology asset is EchoMind, an AI-based avatar interview training platform that uses generative AI and autonomous avatar agents to simulate witnesses, suspects and victim/survivors across video, audio and text modalities. EchoMind embeds the ORBIT (Observing Rapport Based Interpersonal Techniques) methodology, developed by Prof. Laurence Alison and Emily Alison and grounded in a unique dataset of thousands of hours of real-world interviews. Adjacent offerings include a four-level Certified Investigations Training Programme with 18-month re-certification, safeguarding audits, OSACO Integrity Unit services, leadership programmes (OSACO Act, Evolve and Connect), and bespoke investigations engagements delivered globally in person and online.
OSACO generates revenue through multiple streams: professional investigation services, training workshops and certified programmes, safeguarding and PSEAH services, organisational integrity support, and a recurring subscription tier for the EchoMind platform. Pricing is predominantly quote-based, with workshops charged per participant and corporate training on a custom basis. The company is licensed by the New Zealand Ministry of Justice, was the first Australasian/South Pacific consultancy listed on the UK Aid/FCDO Resource and Support Hub directory, and is a member of the UN Global Compact. It was co-founded by current Managing Director Jaydene Buckley (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai) and Global Director of Operations Sean Buckley.
OSACO Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OSACO Group
- Legal name
- OSACO Group Ltd
- Website
- https://osacogroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- OSACO Group is a New Zealand–based, Māori-owned professional services firm that delivers global investigations, certified training and AI-enabled (EchoMind) interview training for safeguarding, PSEAH, fraud, anti-corruption and ethics, serving humanitarian, commercial and government clients in 40+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OSACO Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Compliance and Investigations Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting (BPAHACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fraud Risk & Financial Crime Controls Advisory (BPAKADAL), HR Policy, Governance, Compliance & Risk Advisory (BPACAJAF)
Keywords
Where OSACO Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Christchurch
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
OSACO Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Investigation Services: Expert investigators deployed to predict, prevent and respond to human risk factors including fraud, corruption, safeguarding failures, sexual exploitation and abuse, bullying and harassment.
- Training Services and Workshops: Certified workplace misconduct investigation training, open training events, and custom training programmes delivered globally in person and online. Training includes participation, course materials, refreshments and lunch for full-day events.
- Safeguarding and PSEAH Services: Safeguarding audits, PSEAH policy development, training and investigation services for humanitarian and commercial organisations.
- Organisational Integrity Support: OSACO Integrity Unit services to bridge the gap between organisational aims, values, and stated intentions and actual behaviour of people within the organisation.
- AI-Based Interview Training (EchoMind): AI-powered interview training platform with avatar-based scenarios, available by subscription for law enforcement, military, intelligence agencies, humanitarian organisations and private sector companies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Open Training Events - per participant rate |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
OSACO Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OSACO Group provides professional consulting, training, and investigation services focused on human risk factors including safeguarding, PSEAH (prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment), fraud, anti-corruption, compliance, governance, and ethics. The firm deploys expert investigators and specialists to predict, prevent, and respond to workplace misconduct globally, and offers a certified multi-level training programme plus EchoMind, an AI-based avatar interview training platform incorporating ORBIT methodology.
Product overview
OSACO Group offers a portfolio of professional services centred on human risk management, investigations, and training. The core offerings include EchoMind (AI-based avatar interview training platform), certified workplace misconduct investigation training programmes (Levels 1-4), investigations services, safeguarding audits, and organisational integrity support. The company also provides leadership development programmes (OSACO Act, OSACO Evolve, OSACO Connect) and delivers training globally through open training events. EchoMind integrates the ORBIT interviewing model principles and is positioned as a technology-enabled training solution, while the certified training programme includes re-certification requirements and is available in multiple languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EchoMind: AI-based avatar training platform for investigative interviewing, providing scalable, repeatable, and effective interview training. EchoMind incorporates ORBIT (Observing Rapport Based Interpersonal Techniques) principles for enhanced interview effectiveness.
Quantifiable outcome
- Training evaluation scores: 100% clearly defined training objectives, 99% knowledgeable trainers, 99% well-organised content, 99% well-prepared trainers, 99% interaction encouraged, 96% training objectives met (average across five delivery locations in 2023)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use OSACO Group
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
OSACO Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature3 records
OSACO Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FaceUpcoreFaceUp and OSACO partnered to close the investigation gap. FaceUp is a platform that enables anonymous reporting and secure communication for investigations.
- ORBITcoreORBIT and OSACO Group partnered to incorporate the principles of ORBIT (Observing Rapport Based Interpersonal Techniques) into EchoMind, OSACO's AI-powered investigative interview training platform. ORBIT was developed by Prof. Laurence Alison and Emily Alison using a globally unique dataset from thousands of hours of real-world interviews. The principles have been proven to increase investigative yield, increase engagement, and reduce resistance in interview settings.
- CAGI (Centre d'Accueil de la Genève Internationale)minorOSACO Group runs open training sessions at CAGI facilities in Geneva, Switzerland for its Essential Investigations and Certified Training Programme.
- Resource and Support HubcoreOSACO Group is listed as a quality assured service provider on the global Resource and Support Hub directory for safeguarding. The Hub is funded by UK Aid and the UK Government's FCDO to help organisations strengthen safeguarding policy and practice. OSACO underwent a rigorous six-month quality assurance process.
- DignaminorDigna specialises in training, safeguarding, investigations, complaints and reporting mechanisms. OSACO is listed as a PSEAH service provider on the Digna platform.
- Bond UKminorOSACO Group is registered as an accredited supplier to Bond UK's network of civil society organisations working to eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
- Sustainable Business NetworkminorMember of Sustainable Business Network in New Zealand.
- Council for International Development Aotearoa (CID)minorAffiliated member of the Council for International Development Aotearoa (CID) in New Zealand.
- Critical Path ProtectionminorCritical Path Protection partnered with OSACO NZ to provide Critical Incident Management training, helping businesses prepare teams for crisis situations before they occur.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
OSACO Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kroll: Global investigations, corporate intelligence and risk advisory firm serving corporations, law firms and governments. Comparable to OSACO in fraud and misconduct investigations services, though far broader in scope and reach.
- Pinkerton: Long-standing global investigations, security and corporate risk firm offering workplace, fraud and background investigations. Overlaps with OSACO’s investigations and human-risk services, especially for multinational clients.
- Control Risks: Global risk and integrity consultancy delivering investigations, fraud, compliance and crisis-response services to multinationals and institutions. Overlaps with OSACO in workplace investigations, fraud and integrity advisory, but operates at much larger scale across corporate clients.
- Alvarez & Marsal: Global professional services firm with a Disputes and Investigations practice covering forensic accounting, fraud and compliance investigations. Comparable to OSACO’s investigations and governance/risk advisory work for large enterprises.
- FTI Consulting: International advisory firm with a dedicated Forensic & Litigation Consulting segment providing investigations, compliance and dispute-advisory services. Highly comparable to OSACO in fraud, corruption and workplace-misconduct investigations.
Emerging players
- LRN Corporation: Provider of ethics, compliance and conduct training and advisory, including E&C programme design and investigations guidance. Closely comparable to OSACO’s training, conduct and compliance programme offerings.
- EQS Group (including Integrity Line): Listed compliance, whistleblower and integrity-services provider offering case-management, training and investigations-support tools. Comparable to OSACO’s organisational integrity support and the FaceUp-type reporting integration OSACO has partnered into.
- Transparency International Defence & Security: Specialised NGO addressing corruption in defence and security with training, investigations-adjacent and integrity advisory services. Comparable niche overlap with OSACO’s fraud/anti-corruption and ethics training offerings.
Direct peers
- Verité: International research and advisory organisation focused on labour rights, human trafficking and ethical supply chains, serving government, corporate and NGO clients. Overlaps with OSACO in safeguarding, modern slavery prevention and ethical workplace risk work.
- Integrity (Global anti-corruption NGO consultancy): UK-based consultancy specialising in anti-corruption, governance, anti-fraud and safeguarding work for governments, donors and development agencies. The closest direct functional peer to OSACO’s humanitarian/INGO safeguarding and fraud investigations practice.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
OSACO Group social profiles
Digital presenceOSACO Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
OSACO Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OSACO Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
OSACO Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
OSACO Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OSACO Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OSACO Group
What does OSACO Group do?
OSACO Group provides professional consulting, training, and investigation services focused on human risk factors including safeguarding, PSEAH (prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment), fraud, anti-corruption, compliance, governance, and ethics. The firm deploys expert investigators and specialists to predict, prevent, and respond to workplace misconduct globally, and offers a certified multi-level training programme plus EchoMind, an AI-based avatar interview training platform incorporating ORBIT methodology.
Is OSACO Group a public or private company?
OSACO Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was OSACO Group founded?
OSACO Group was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is OSACO Group based?
OSACO Group is headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does OSACO Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Professional Investigation Services are the primary driver. The others are training Services and Workshops, safeguarding and PSEAH Services, organisational Integrity Support and AI-Based Interview Training (EchoMind).
Who are OSACO Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kroll, Pinkerton, Control Risks, Alvarez & Marsal and FTI Consulting. Emerging players are LRN Corporation, EQS Group (including Integrity Line) and Transparency International Defence & Security. Direct peers are Verité and Integrity (Global anti-corruption NGO consultancy).
Does OSACO Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for OSACO Group.
What industry is OSACO Group in?
OSACO Group's product category is Compliance and Investigations Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAJ, Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAKADAL, Fraud Risk & Financial Crime Controls Advisory. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.