Systemic Innovation
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
Systemic Innovation firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Systemic Innovation industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Systemic Innovation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Systemic Innovation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom scoped engagements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Systemic Innovation product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Systemic Innovation
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Systemic Innovation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Systemic Innovation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- sistemaFuturacoreCo-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.
- i4PolicycoreCo-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.
- SendemominorCo-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)corePartnered 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)coreCommissioned applied research on youth livelihoods beyond jobs, currently in development and launching at UNGA September 2026.
- Youth Business InternationalminorCollaborated on applied research on youth livelihoods, working with the Generation Unlimited network.
- International Growth Centre (IGC) EthiopiacoreDeveloped 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
Systemic Innovation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Systemic Innovation social profiles
Digital presenceSystemic Innovation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Systemic Innovation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Systemic Innovation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Systemic Innovation 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 Systemic Innovation
What does Systemic Innovation do?
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.
Is Systemic Innovation a public or private company?
Systemic Innovation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Systemic Innovation founded?
Systemic Innovation was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Systemic Innovation based?
Systemic Innovation is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Systemic Innovation make money?
One revenue line is on record: consulting and Advisory Services.
Who are Systemic Innovation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Public Sector Practice and McKinsey Public Sector Practice. Direct peers are The Palladium Group, Adam Smith International, Global Development Incubator (GDI), Dalberg Advisors, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and Results for Development (R4D). Emerging players are Convergence and Briter Bridges.
Does Systemic Innovation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Systemic Innovation.
What industry is Systemic Innovation in?
Systemic Innovation's product category is Innovation and Development Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAGAC, Change Management & Transformation Consulting, with a secondary code of BPADAEAL, Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance. Its NAICS code is 541611 and its SIC code is 8742.