Maverick Research unveils Mapela.io to transform retail mapping in emerging markets
A new artificial intelligence platform aimed at transforming market intelligence in emerging economies has been launched by Maverick Research, marking a shift in how businesses track and understand informal retail sectors.
The platform, Mapela.io, is designed to help companies rapidly map and analyse retail ecosystems that have traditionally been difficult to capture due to their fragmented and informal nature. Built on technology acquired from Lengo AI, the system uses computer vision and machine learning to identify, classify and geolocate retail outlets within days, rather than the months typically required through conventional fieldwork.
In many emerging markets, a large proportion of trade takes place through kiosks, open-air stalls and small neighbourhood shops, where data collection has often been slow, costly and incomplete. Mapela.io seeks to close this gap by drawing on datasets covering more than 1.5 million retail outlets across 80 markets, enabling businesses to gain a clearer and more structured understanding of where commerce actually occurs.
Speaking on the launch, Managing Principal of Maverick Research, Ato Micah, described the development as a turning point in the company’s evolution into a technology-driven intelligence platform. “Mapela.io represents a defining milestone in Maverick’s evolution into a technology-enabled intelligence platform,” he said. “We are fundamentally changing how markets are mapped and understood. What once required months of fieldwork can now be delivered in days—at significantly lower cost and with greater accuracy.”
The platform is expected to be particularly valuable for industries such as fast-moving consumer goods, telecommunications and financial services, where efficient distribution networks and route-to-market strategies are critical to growth. By offering real-time visibility into both formal and informal retail channels, the system enables companies to make more informed decisions on expansion and market entry.
Maverick Research said early deployments of the platform indicate that it can deliver retail census exercises up to 70 per cent faster and at costs reduced by as much as 40 per cent. The company believes this will provide businesses with deeper insights into underserved and previously overlooked markets.
The launch also strengthens Maverick’s existing operations across West and Central Africa, where it already tracks thousands of products across multiple consumer categories each month through its retail audit systems. With the addition of Mapela.io, the firm aims to move beyond traditional data collection to offering end-to-end market intelligence solutions that support business growth.
The platform is now available to clients, with pilot deployments already underway as the company seeks to scale its reach across emerging economies.