Empowering decision-makers with precision data
Ascend Spatial Labs is a youth-led geospatial intelligence company bridging Africa's data poverty gap.
Closing the data poverty gap
We provide audit-grade geospatial intelligence to governments, development partners, and private-sector clients across the SADC region, enabling bankable infrastructure projects and climate-resilient development.
Why we exist
Africa is the fastest-urbanising continent, yet critical infrastructure decisions are still made using outdated, low-resolution satellite imagery. This data gap has led to losses in failed projects, delayed development finance, and preventable disaster-related deaths. Ascend Spatial Labs exists to close it with high-precision LiDAR and drone mapping.
What drives us
Precision first
We don't compromise on data quality. Every deliverable meets audit-grade standards.
Youth-led
Empowering young African professionals to lead the geospatial field.
Excellence
DCA certified and committed to international best practice on every project.
Innovation
Applying current technology to Africa's specific challenges.
Impact-driven
Every project contributes to sustainable development and climate resilience.
Agility
Rapid deployment and flexible solutions tailored to client needs.
Our team
Meet our expert team
A multidisciplinary team of young African professionals with expertise across geospatial analysis, civil engineering, and data science.
Nathaniel Phiri
Founder & CEO
Nathaniel is the Founder and CEO of Ascend Spatial Labs, turning data into actionable insight. With a background in environmental studies, he works at the intersection of GIS, climate resilience, and infrastructure planning.
Jimmy Matewere
Chief Technology Officer
Jimmy Matewere is CTO at Ascend Spatial Labs and a climate data analyst at DCCMS, building geospatial and climate decision-support tools across the SADC region.
Atupiye Pemphero Sichinga
Chief Operations Officer
Atupiye is an energy specialist and engineer focused on sustainable energy development and climate resilience in Malawi.
Gerald Kachilele
Chief Data Officer
Gerald serves as Chief Data Officer at Ascend Spatial Labs, where he leads data strategy and oversees the development of secure, scalable systems that support LiDAR and drone-based geospatial solutions.
JaneMarie Ndovie
Chief Transformation Officer
JaneMarie is a land surveying graduate and geospatial practitioner driving ASL's transformation agenda. With hands-on experience in GIS, spatial data collection, and community mapping, she brings field credibility to ASL's work
Join the lab
Be the bridge for Africa’s data future
We’re always looking for precision-obsessed professionals ready to solve the SADC region’s most critical development challenges.
Precision
Calibration is our discipline. We don't guess; we measure to sub-centimeter certainty.
Impact
Turning raw data into resilient cities and safer communities for the people who need it most.
Scale
Operating across the SADC region — from urban Lilongwe to the remote catchments of the Shire River basin. We map where it matters most.