Solving for the “stuck system”: a structured path to impact at scale

We excel at solving for the “stuck system”—where progress is held back by misaligned rules, resource scarcity, or a dependency on grant cycles. We identify where external interventions can have the greatest impact. We work to mobilise and deploy the capital, data, insights, or coalitions required to unleash chain effects for impact at scale.

Drawing on two decades of results, we have honed a rigorous, quantitative methodology to identify high-potential leverage points. We act as a catalyst, moving beyond intuition to apply a structured framework that pinpoints exactly where an external catalytic action can produce outsized results.

Here is our approach to diagnosing issues and delivering interventions that drive scale.

Identifying the catalyser

We begin by establishing a baseline of capacity to ensure the foundation for scale exists. We look for initiatives that have moved beyond theory into actionable, geography-specific planning. By focusing on teams at the precise stage of implementation where acceleration is most viable, we identify where external support acts not merely as funding, but as a critical lever to amplify existing momentum.

Mapping levers and constraints

To achieve impact at scale, we must understand the friction in the system. Our framework analyses alignment with government and public priorities—critical levers that, when pulled, significantly reduce the complexity of change. We rigorously map the specific constraints—whether political, normative, or financial—to ensure that a targeted, simple action can effectively overcome the barriers preventing systemic flow.

Ensuring chain effects

Finally, we test for the potential to create cascading change. We assess “investment readiness” and the feasibility of achieving tangible outcomes within a tight timeframe. We prioritise scenarios where the external impetus we provide is met with active engagement and resource commitment. This ensures that our intervention unlocks a chain effect that continues to deliver value long after the initial investment, driving sustainable impact at scale.

Putting this into practice: mobilising for financial inclusion

This methodology is not theoretical; it is the engine behind our work on the ground. A clear example is our work to remove barriers to financial inclusion in Nigeria.

The system was stuck: despite goals for inclusion, regulatory hurdles and a lack of coordination prevented access for marginalised communities. We identified that the necessary lever was not just funding, but “partnership-powered advocacy.” By translating complex data into actionable insights and mapping the stakeholder ecosystem, we helped coordinate a coalition of regulators, service providers, and civil society.

This catalytic action helped shift financial inclusion from a siloed initiative to a national development priority, embedding it within Nigeria’s Economic Growth and Recovery Plan. By solving for the stuck system rather than just treating the symptoms, we helped unlock a chain effect of policy shifts that enabled access at scale.

From diagnosis to outsized impact

This structured path moves us from subjective assessment to a quantifiable science of intervention. By methodically selecting the right leverage points, we ensure that every action is calculated to unlock the system and unleash impact at scale.