Services

Analytics

We combine established evaluation methods with the latest advances in econometrics and predictive AI.

Why Laterite

At the forefront

We are continuously investing in our capabilities to find new solutions to socio-economic development problems.

AI for social impact

As a tech-enabled firm with expertise in data and AI, we are positioned to lead on AI for social impact.

Laterite Labs

We have a team of dedicated individuals testing out innovative data-driven solutions in the field of development.

Intelligent knowledge hubs

One of the key challenges faced by decision-makers in the development sector is the difficulty in accessing a complete understanding of the landscape on a topic or portfolio of work.

We are researching ways to use knowledge graphs and LLMs to distill program or policy information into a searchable chat format for easy access, collaboration, and better-than-human insights through intelligent knowledge hubs.

Read about our work here.

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Predictive AI and modeling

We use predictive analytic and modeling techniques to, for example, define target populations, extract insights from unseen data, extrapolate findings, or plan ahead.

Some of the techniques we have used include: machine vision techniques to estimate coffee tree yields, Markov chain models to predict the evolution of education systems, gravity models to identify infrastructure gaps in Rwanda’s economic geography, and economic complexity models to study the latent trajectory of economies.

From hard copy to dataset

We build systems to transform information locked in hard copy into datasets ready for analysis and visualization.

Laterite deploys optical recognition techniques that can be used for example to grade student assessments, monitor attendance sheets, or extract information from administrative data. In our experience, optical recognition can generate high-quality data for relative low cost.

Read about our work here.

Optimizing work streams

Optimization algorithms are emerging as a game changer for the way organizations conduct day-to-day work. When carefully used, LLMs can be used to enhance internal processes and streamline routine tasks.

We can tailor large language models to address specific needs of social impact organizations.

Geospatial data

Social research is geographically situated. Laterite has a large database of geospatial data from the countries where we work. Indicators include, for example, terrain, climate, population composition and density, nightlights, distances from roads and urban centers, and a vegetation index.

We use geospatial statistics to strengthen econometric analysis and ground our findings in their geographical context. This allows us to enhance our analysis and build powerful maps & tools to visualize development-related indicators.

Tools to accelerate research

Designing and conducting survey research takes a lot of time. Some of that time is spent on technical and repetitive tasks, like coding a survey, cleaning data or coding qualitative data. Laterite has developed a set of tools for our work to answer these challenges, using the latest AI technologies.