Systemic Innovation

What Systemic Innovation does

Systemic Innovation is a London-based, founder-led consulting practice that designs and reforms innovation and development systems for governments, multilaterals, foundations, and select enterprises. The firm operates through four interconnected service modules sequenced across the engagement lifecycle: Diagnostics & Roadmaps (research and ecosystem diagnostics), Strategic Advisory (frameworks and decision support), Designing Solutions (systems and service design of interventions and platforms), and Creating Impact (hands-on delivery translating strategy into measurable institutional outcomes). Underlying these are four interlocking disciplines: Systems & Service Design, Scaling Markets & Investment, Data Research & Evidence, and Policy Governance & Public Systems. Notable proprietary assets include the African Scalecraft diagnostic framework (examining conditions limiting African venture scale across firm capability, support infrastructure, capital, markets, and ecosystem coordination), national Dealroom data platforms implemented in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda through the FCDO's RISA Fund, and a Diagnostic Discipline Framework centered on real constraint, additionality, absorption, and firm-and-system outcomes.

The business model is professional services revenue from custom-scoped, quote-based engagements with a multi-year contract cadence. The firm takes on "a small number of engagements each year," explicitly targeting situations where reform is hard, evidence is fragmented, or delivery has stalled. Customer segments are governments and public institutions, foundations and catalytic capital, and multilaterals and donors; named clients include HM Government, UNDP, Innovate UK, NESTA, Columbia University, MTN, Naspers, the International Growth Centre (IGC) Ethiopia, Generation Unlimited (UNICEF), and Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda governments. Founder Scott Walker (Executive MPA, Columbia SIPA, over two decades of applied work) leads delivery, supported by a curated bench of senior specialists matched per engagement rather than a listed roster, with strategy, quality, learning, and client accountability retained within the core practice. Marketing is content-led via a Substack publication, a website insights section, the founder's LinkedIn presence, and co-authored research papers with partners including sistemaFutura, i4Policy, and Sendemo.

Name

Systemic Innovation

Legal name

Systemic Innovation Ltd

Website

https://systemicinnovation.work

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Systemic Innovation is a London-based, founder-led consulting practice that designs and reforms innovation and development systems for governments, multilaterals, foundations, and select enterprises through Diagnostics & Roadmaps, Strategic Advisory, Designing Solutions, and Creating Impact services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation and Development Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Change Management & Transformation Consulting (BPAHAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK), Innovation Leadership & Leading Growth (EDABAAAO)

Keywords

• Innovation system design
• Development consulting
• Policy reform advisory
• Ecosystem diagnostics
• Systems service design

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Professional services engagements for governments, multilaterals, and foundations on innovation system design, policy reform, and institutional capability building. engagements are tailored and scoped per client need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Systemic Innovation is a founder-led consulting practice that designs and reforms innovation and development systems for governments, multilaterals, foundations, and select private-sector organisations. The practice delivers four interlocking service modules—Diagnostics & Roadmaps, Strategic Advisory, Designing Solutions, and Creating Impact—that move from problem diagnosis through to hands-on delivery of institutional reform. Engagements are custom-scoped per client need and centred on systemic architecture rather than incremental improvement.

Product overview

Systemic Innovation is a founder-led consulting practice offering four interconnected service modules—Diagnostics & Roadmaps, Strategic Advisory, Designing Solutions, and Creating Impact—that sequence from problem diagnosis through to delivery of institutional reform in innovation and development systems. The core offering combines these services to help governments, multilaterals, and foundations move from analysis to implementation in complex, high-stakes environments. Additional research outputs include the African Scalecraft thesis and a Substack publication series for independent analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diagnostics & Roadmaps
• Strategic Advisory
• Designing Solutions
• Creating Impact

Quantifiable outcome

• Established national Dealroom platforms for startup ecosystem data in Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda, improving visibility of venture activity for governments, ESOs and capital providers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• sistemaFuturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored a paper on AI policymaking examining how AI is used around government decision-making and the gap between faster evidence processing and institutional judgement needed to turn analysis into policy impact.
• i4PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored a white paper diagnosing systemic absorption failures behind Africa's challenge programmes. Also co-authored work on AI policymaking and decision-making in government.
• SendemominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored a discussion paper examining patterns, structures, and incentives behind African startup offshoring, providing practical guidance for founders, early investors, and policymakers.
• RISA Fund (FCDO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered through the RISA Fund (FCDO) to work with government partners in Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda establishing national Dealroom platforms for startup ecosystem data.
• Generation Unlimited (UNICEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned applied research on youth livelihoods beyond jobs, currently in development and launching at UNGA September 2026.
• Youth Business InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on applied research on youth livelihoods, working with the Generation Unlimited network.
• International Growth Centre (IGC) EthiopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped a diagnostic framework connecting firm-level startup data with wider ecosystem conditions, introducing growth metrics for scale-up conversion, capital leverage and firm progression.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Public Sector Practice: Global incumbent with public-sector and innovation-system engagements, including development-focused mandates. Overlaps as a broader, scaled alternative for similar buyer mandates.
• McKinsey Public Sector Practice: Global incumbent with significant public-sector, innovation-economy and state capability reform practices. Overlaps with Systemic Innovation's reform mandates at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• The Palladium Group: International development consultancy delivering policy reform and programme implementation for governments and donors. Comparable in multi-year, donor-funded reform engagements and Africa footprint.
• Adam Smith International: Economic and governance reform consultancy working with governments and donors, including FCDO-funded programmes. Directly comparable in donor-funded economic reform mandates.
• Global Development Incubator (GDI): Incubator and advisory building partnerships for development innovation with funders and governments. Comparable in designing system-level innovation interventions and applied research.
• Dalberg Advisors: Global boutique advisory firm focused on international development, social impact, and emerging markets. Closely comparable in mission, client base (governments, foundations, multilaterals) and reform-oriented engagement model.
• Tony Blair Institute for Global Change: Boutique advisory supporting political leaders on policy reform and state capability, with strong emerging-markets focus. Comparable as a high-profile, senior-led government reform practice.
• Results for Development (R4D): Non-profit advisory working with governments and foundations on health, education, and economic policy reform. Comparable in targeting system-level institutional reform with public-sector and donor clients.

Emerging players

• Convergence: Network and advisory focused on blended finance and catalytic capital for development. Comparable in serving foundations and catalytic capital providers on systems-change measurement and design.
• Briter Bridges: African data and insights firm mapping startup ecosystems and venture activity. Comparable in producing Africa-focused ecosystem data products (overlapping with Dealroom platform work).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/systemic-innovation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Systemic Innovation