Daniels Bondars

De-Risking Your Expansion into Emerging Markets

LinkedIn · Instagram · X (Twitter)

🌍 Currently: Riga, Latvia | Book a Call

About

For founders and companies expanding into Africa and APAC, I am the on-the-ground operator who validates your business. With 3 years living in Cape Town, a Law and Diplomacy background including diplomatic experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Latvia in the USA, a track record from greenfield to a 100+ MW energy project exit, and experience taking a startup from employee #2-3 to an 8-figure acquisition, I navigate market complexity to get you to your first revenue.

Currently co-founding FactoryDB and open to advisory roles in emerging market expansion, fintech partnerships, and early-stage ventures.

I thrive at the intersection of "let's try this" and "this might actually work".

Beyond Startups

When I'm not validating business ideas: tackling ultra-marathons and endurance running (check my Strava), organizing adventures through PCK (my non-profit travel club), and building tech projects without any formal dev background.

How I Solve Your Problem

I specialize in testing and validating business ideas in emerging markets—specifically Africa (Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Nigeria) and APAC (Vietnam, Philippines). My focus is de-risking your expansion by taking ideas from hypothesis to first revenue through strategic partnerships and on-the-ground execution.

Services

Market Entry Validation

You have an idea but don't know if it will work in Nigeria, Vietnam, or Philippines. I run a systematic validation process to give you a data-backed 'go/no-go' decision before you invest significant capital. From desk research to on-ground customer conversations to micro-pilots, I de-risk your market entry.

Strategic Partnership Building

You need to secure banking partners in Vietnam, institutional relationships in the Philippines, or distribution partners in Africa. I leverage my on-ground network and 3 years of living in Cape Town to build the institutional relationships that unlock your growth. Especially strong in fintech, renewable energy, and B2B partnerships.

0-to-1 Strategy & Execution

You're an early-stage founder who needs more than just advice—you need someone to act as your interim BD lead. I take your product from concept to first customers, building the strategy and executing the partnerships that prove your business model works in challenging markets.

Where I Deliver the Most Value

My expertise is laser-focused on validating and scaling businesses in the complex, relationship-driven markets of Africa and APAC. If you need a specialist for 0-to-1 growth in these regions—someone who's lived in the markets, built partnerships from scratch, and has cross-industry experience (fintech, renewable energy, adtech, SaaS, manufacturing)—we're a great fit.

For mature US/EU market optimization, traditional growth hacking, or full-time employee roles, other experts would be a better choice. I work best on advisory or project-based engagements where strategic thinking and on-the-ground execution drive results.

Where I've Worked

🌍

Africa

🇿🇦 South Africa
Cape Town • 3 years (2016-2019)
Market development, consulting practice, on-ground relationships
🇳🇬 Nigeria
Lagos • Several months on-ground
Commodities consulting, operational audits
🌏

Asia Pacific

🇻🇳 Vietnam
Several months on-ground
Banking partnerships, fintech expansion, product development
🇵🇭 Philippines
Several months on-ground
Financial institution relationships, market entry strategy
🇪🇺

Europe

🇱🇻 Latvia
Riga • Home base
Renewable energy project, AdTech scaling, FactoryDB
🇪🇸 Spain
Remote work location
Managing emerging market partnerships remotely
On-ground credibility: Not just remote consulting. With a Law and Diplomacy background and experience interning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Latvia in the USA, I've lived and worked in these markets, built relationships in person, and understand both the cultural nuances and institutional frameworks that make or break partnerships in emerging markets.

Work Experience

2025.08 — Present

Co-Founder @ FactoryDB

Getting FactoryDB.io rolling—landing first clients & validating we're solving real problems. Connecting manufacturers with their trapped data so they can actually use analytics and ML. Bootstrapped and hands-on.

Locations: Latvia & Switzerland

2024.07 — 2025.08

Regional Business Development Manager @ Jeff

(jeff-app.com)

• Established relationships with banks and financial institutions in Vietnam & the Philippines

• Created and managed lead generation partnerships (Grab, local newspapers, agencies)

• Guided product development & PPC channels for the Vietnam market

• Explored growth initiatives including influencer marketing, call centers, and referral programs

Locations: Latvia, Vietnam & the Philippines

2022.04 — 2024.08

Founder @ DXB Energy

Seized the opportunity of solar being underdeveloped in Latvia by green-fielding a renewable energy project (100+ MW). Successfully exited in 2024.

Location: Latvia

2023.01 — 2023.05

Consultant @ Lionpro (LINEN)

• Conducted comprehensive audits of operational processes

• Streamlined and optimized operations for enhanced efficiency

• Assessed performance and capabilities of staff members

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

2020.11 – 2023.01

Business Development @ Roibox

• Joined as employee #1 at 7-figure valuation and helped scale to 8-figure exit

• Led hyperlocalization strategy for Google & Facebook Ads, handling marketing, client retention, and product development support

• Scaled from zero to managing millions EUR/month in ad spend for global brands

Location: Riga, Latvia

2020.03 – 2020.12

Sales Manager @ SPH Engineering

• Developed and implemented global sales strategies for UgCS drone software

• Executed end-to-end sales activities across USA, Europe, and Asia

• Facilitated communication between technical teams and clients

Location: Remote / Riga, Latvia

2016 – 2019

Consultant & Business Development @ Cape Town, South Africa

• Consulted companies on market entry strategies and business development in South Africa

• Built on-the-ground relationships and market knowledge across Southern African markets

• Hands-on experience with sales activities including engine oil distribution and various business ventures

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Education

2014

BA in Law and Diplomacy

Riga Graduate School of Law

2011

International Baccalaureate

International School of Latvia

Languages

Native: Latvian

Fluent: English

Basic: Russian, German

Skills & Expertise

Regions: Eastern Africa • Southern Africa • Nigeria • Vietnam • Philippines • Latvia

Industries: Fintech • Renewable Energy • AdTech • SaaS • Manufacturing • Early-Stage Ventures

Skills: Market Entry Strategy • Strategic Partnerships • Business Development • Revenue Growth • Market Validation • 0-to-1 Strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enter the African market without local connections?

Start by spending time on the ground—even 2-3 weeks initially. I spent 3 years in Cape Town plus several months in Lagos, Nigeria, and learned that relationships are everything in African markets. Begin with industry events, local business associations, and introductions through your network. Focus on one city/country first rather than trying to tackle all of Africa. Partner with local advisors who understand the regulatory environment and business culture. Most importantly, be patient—building trust takes time, but once established, partnerships in Africa tend to be more loyal than in Western markets.

Should I move to the country or hire locally for market entry?

It depends on your stage and commitment level. For initial validation (3-6 months), frequent trips (2-3 weeks per month) work better than full relocation. You maintain your base while testing if the market is worth deeper investment.

Consider relocating if: (1) You've validated the opportunity, (2) You need to build deep relationships, (3) Time zones are critical for your business.

For specific projects, extended stays work well—I've spent a couple months on-ground in Nigeria for commodities consulting, and a couple months in Vietnam and Philippines for banking partnerships. I've also worked remotely from Spain while managing partnerships across multiple markets. The key is matching your presence to the relationship-building intensity required.

Hiring locally works when you have clear processes to hand off, but for early-stage validation and partnership building, nothing replaces being there yourself. Hybrid approach: Start with visits, hire a local BD person to maintain relationships, relocate if traction warrants it.

What's the realistic timeline for getting first revenue in an emerging market?

For B2B: 6-12 months is realistic if you're well-prepared. This includes 2-3 months for market research and initial meetings, 2-4 months for pilot/proof of concept, and 2-5 months for contract negotiation and first payment.

For B2C: Can be faster (3-6 months) if you have a clear product-market fit and can navigate digital marketing channels, but expect longer if you need physical distribution or regulatory approvals.

The key is starting with smaller, faster deals to build credibility while pursuing larger partnerships in parallel. Don't wait for the "perfect" big deal—get early wins that prove your model works.

How do you validate if a business idea will work in an emerging market?

My framework: (1) Desk research - Understand market size, regulations, competitors (1-2 weeks). (2) In-market conversations - Talk to 20-30 potential customers, partners, and industry experts (2-4 weeks on the ground). (3) Micro-pilot - Test the smallest viable version with 3-5 customers (1-2 months). (4) Partnership validation - Can you get a local partner or distributor interested? (Ongoing during pilot).

Red flags to drop the idea: No one will pay even a small amount for it, regulatory barriers are insurmountable without 12+ months of effort, you can't find any local partners who believe in it.

Green lights to scale: Multiple customers asking "when can I get this?", local partners proactively reaching out, you're solving a pain point people are currently paying for (even if with an inferior solution).

What are the biggest mistakes companies make when entering emerging markets?

1. Assuming their Western model will work unchanged. What works in US/EU rarely works the same way in emerging markets. Be ready to adapt your product, pricing, and go-to-market strategy.

2. Underestimating relationship-building time. Deals take longer than you expect. Budget 2x the time and money you initially think.

3. Hiring the wrong local team. Don't just hire based on resume—look for people with genuine networks and hustle. The best local BD person is worth 10 expensive consultants.

4. Giving up too early. Many companies run a 3-month "test" and quit when it doesn't work. Emerging markets require patience and persistence.

5. Trying to do everything remotely. You need boots on the ground. Zoom calls don't build the trust needed for partnerships in these markets.