Ishtirak was formed in 2002 by Drs. Ethan Chorin and David Gutelius, with the goal of addressing what they saw as a glaring need for highly-informed, tailored, holistic business development support in the region. Over the course of the past 10 years, they have expanded their reach to a number of countries in Sub Saharan Africa.

Since its start, Ishtirak has worked for a variety of high-profile multinational companies in the consumer goods, pharmaceutical and transport sectors. About a third of their work is for government agencies and foundations. Their specialty is working across sector lines, to design and implement high-impact projects that are both profitable and sustainable.

Business Development & Strategy: Ishtirak offers a range of market-entry and product development services, from market sizing and siting studies, to competitive analysis, to advice on branding, packaging and product placement.

Market Research & Business Intelligence: We provide rapid assessments of the market for specific goods and services, perform reliable due diligence on competitors and identify prospective partners and investors.

Translation and Local Media Monitoring: Ishtirak’s principals are all Arabic speakers, and speak a range of other regional languages between them. Through our partners, Ishtirak can produce large scale translations as needed.

Technology Support: Many of Ishtirak’s engagements have a technolog or data collection component. We have designed interactive applications for a wide variety of clients.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Ishtirak excels in creating reputation-enhancing community engagements tailored to local conditions and active concerns.