Welcome to Data Under Glass

Forensic intelligence for operators navigating emerging markets
Real numbers | Real trade-offs | Real consequences

Latest

Stop relying on the grid; build a 2.7x moat.

Feb 3, 2026

Stop relying on the grid; build a 2.7x moat. In Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African markets where grid collapses and power outages cripple production, energy independence becomes infrastructure arbitrage. This Data Under Glass analysis shows why solar + battery storage beats diesel costs ($0.31/kWh), unlocks 91% uptime, and delivers a 2.7x production advantage that turns power into market dominance.

The Invisible Veto: Why B2B Sales Cycles Stretch 6.2x In Volatile Markets

Jan 27, 2026

Selling B2B in volatile market breaks most Western sales assumptions. This piece unpacks why B2B sales cycles stretch 6.2x when decisions are made by committees, families, and informal trust networks rather than the name on your pipeline. If your CRM shows interest but deals stall for months, the problem isn’t ROI. It’s the invisible veto shaping consensus, capital risk, and who actually says yes.

Institutional Trust: Why Fintechs Partnering Traditional Banks Scale 4.3x Faster

Jan 20, 2026

Fintech founders keep chasing banking licenses to look legitimate, but the data says that instinct is slowing them down. In the Canada–Africa corridor, fintechs that partner with traditional banks are scaling 4.3x faster and commanding up to 3x higher valuations than direct challengers. This issue breaks down why borrowing institutional trust beats owning a license and how partnerships became the real growth engine.

The Cold Chain Mirage: Why $340M in Agritech Funding Evaporated in 36 Months

Jan 13, 2026

Until 2025, VCs sold the “Digitization of African Agriculture” dream. Instead, $340M evaporated as cold storage units failed under unreliable power, high diesel costs, and inaccessible maintenance. Then the shipping containers full of cold storage units started rotting in the sun. This issue of DUG Weekly breaks down why cold chain economics collapsed, how infrastructure assumptions killed margins, and why ignoring physics turned agritech’s biggest promise into its most expensive mistake.

The Venture Debt Trap: Why 73% of African Scale-Ups Defaulted in 24 Months

Jan 6, 2026

Venture debt was sold to African scale-ups as non-dilutive capital, a smarter alternative to down-rounds. Two years later, the results are brutal. This issue breaks down why 73% of African startups that raised USD venture debt defaulted within 24 months, why currency volatility quietly turns debt into a trap, and why interest rates were never the real cost. If you operate in emerging markets, this is the reality behind the pitch.