Guiding innovation to its most profitable destinations.

We help AI-driven software companies enter and expand in high-growth markets by providing strategic, localized and hands-on advisory that turns innovation into customers, revenue and long-term success.

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Based in Istanbul. Working across Türkiye, the Gulf, the Turkic and CIS corridor, Southeast Asia, Western Europe and North America.

What we do

From the first market study to the first signed customer, we bring the strategy and the hands-on execution.

  • Open new markets with confidence

    We help AI-driven software innovators break into markets such as Türkiye, the Gulf and ASEAN with precision. From market intelligence to strategic entry plans, we make sure your launch is targeted, compliant and primed for success.

  • Turn innovation into revenue

    Our commercialization strategies turn your product’s potential into sustainable growth. We build strong pipelines, forge valuable partnerships and position your brand to stand out in competitive markets.

  • Local insight, global impact

    We adapt your product and messaging to resonate with local audiences while meeting regulatory standards. With our cross-cultural expertise, you connect authentically and win customer trust from day one.

  • Fast-track growth without full-time overheads

    For companies seeking quick wins, we provide agile, interim leadership to validate markets and close deals faster. Recent successes include lighthouse customers and investors in TravelTech, AdTech and conversational AI.

Core areas of expertise: GTM strategy, strategy workshops, market research, company and office setup, recruitment, sales negotiations and partnership development.

Where we take you

Markets where we know the buyers, the partners and the paperwork.

  • Türkiye

    A large, digitally ambitious market and a natural base for the regions around it.

  • The Gulf

    From Dubai to Riyadh, buyers moving fast on national digital transformation agendas.

  • Turkic & CIS corridor

    Shared language and business culture from the Caucasus to Central Asia.

  • Southeast Asia

    ASEAN’s fastest-growing tech economies, with a focus on Indonesia and Malaysia.

  • Western Europe

    For companies from growth markets taking their first steps into Europe, guided by Paris-educated, French-speaking experience of its business culture.

  • North America

    The world’s largest software market, approached with years of hands-on experience leading sales there.

How we do it

In global expansion there is no one-size-fits-all. Every company has its own dynamics, challenges and character, so every go-to-market strategy is built for the company in front of us.

  1. Listen

    An in-depth discovery session with top management and your sales, marketing and partnership leads. Past successes and failures, aspirations and vision all shape the right approach.

  2. Design

    A workshop that sets the dos and don’ts, priorities, target markets, SWOT analysis and the ideal GTM strategy.

  3. Plan

    An implementation budget, P&L projections, timelines and a clear roadmap you can take to your board.

  4. Execute

    We either monitor and report on your progress, or join your team to implement the strategy with you.

Flexible engagement. Fixed fee, retainer, milestone-based, success fee or a combination, depending on the project. We work under fixed-term contracts with NDAs, on an “exclusively non-exclusive” basis.

Case study: Project Sphynx

A scalable UAE market entry for a French AI marketing SaaS company

A growth-stage MarTech provider from Levallois-Perret, France, with an AI-driven marketing platform for luxury brands. Leading at home, the company needed international growth to keep its edge and meet investor expectations. The Gulf was the target, but the region was new to the leadership team.

6 months
from first workshop to an operating subsidiary
12
lighthouse accounts shortlisted
8
target accounts met face to face in Dubai
2 years
flagship contract with a leading UAE luxury retail group

  • Accelerated revenue

    A flagship two-year contract with a major luxury retail group, delivering immediate return on the expansion.

  • Formal market presence

    A fully compliant LLC in the DMCC free zone with 100% foreign ownership, a permanent hub for regional operations.

  • Local expertise

    A seasoned Country Manager with deep roots in the local ecosystem, hired to bring market intelligence and networks into the business.

  • Strategic clarity

    A validated, data-driven three-year GCC roadmap, moving leadership from uncertainty to confident execution.

Read the full case study

The challenges

Where. The goal of entering “the Gulf” was commercially vague. Without a prioritized market list, sales and marketing lacked focus and resources risked being spread too thin.

Who. The value proposition was strong in Europe but unproven in the GCC. The client needed to know which segments, whether luxury retail, hospitality or family conglomerates, would see value fastest and act as a first reference.

How. Setting up a legal entity, navigating UAE corporate law and hiring credible local talent looked like a complex, time-consuming barrier that would distract leadership from the business in France.

Phase 1: Diagnostic and prioritization

25 hours of video workshops and two meetings in Paris. A deep dive into the macroeconomic, competitive and regulatory landscape of the key GCC markets, using data on digital ad spend, luxury market growth and where target brands are headquartered. The result was a unanimous, data-backed decision to launch in the UAE, with a focus on Dubai. The choice may look obvious to anyone who knows the region, but the board needed numbers, not a hunch.

Phase 2: Modeling and lighthouse targeting

15 hours of video sessions. A detailed TAM/SAM/SOM model turned “massive potential” into achievable, investor-grade targets, alongside a shortlist of 12 prestigious UAE groups whose public adoption would send a strong market signal.

Phase 3: In-field immersion

A one-week trip to Dubai with the client’s CEO and CRO: face-to-face meetings with 8 target accounts, validation sessions with local experts and potential channel partners, and site visits to business districts and free zones including DMCC. The trip turned target accounts into real relationships and gave leadership the confidence to green-light the investment.

Phase 4: Execution and entity setup

20 hours of video sessions and a second field trip. Negotiation support as the client’s sales leadership closed a foundational two-year contract with a leading UAE luxury retail group, where cultural intelligence made the difference in bridging French and Emirati expectations. Together with a trusted local consultant, we managed the full setup of the DMCC subsidiary, and final-round interviews led to the hiring of a Country Manager who started in November 2025.

“Kerim’s ‘Recipe for Expansion’ workshop was a masterclass in turning global growth into a well-orchestrated performance. With a perfect balance of success stories, candid lessons, and actionable GTM strategies, he inspired our team to align product, people, and vision for sustainable international success. We’re grateful for his clarity, energy, and passion.”

Şahin Çağlayan, CEO, Faradai (London, UK)

“Kerim played a key role in our entry into the Turkish market, connecting ExpertEase AI with potential lighthouse customers, strategic partners, and TRAI. His network and insights have been invaluable in building our presence and recognition.”

Deniz Subaşı, Founder & CEO, ExpertEase AI (Adelaide, Australia)

“Kerim’s support was pivotal in helping b2metric secure its first local partnership in Malaysia, a key milestone in our Southeast Asia expansion. His extensive network and deep connections in the region are a tremendous asset for any company aiming to grow in Asia.”

Murat Hacıoğlu, CEO, b2metric (San Jose, USA)

“As Enqura accelerates its expansion into Southeast Asia, I want to take a moment to publicly recognize someone who has been absolutely instrumental in making this journey a success: Kerim.

From the very beginning, Kerim has represented Enqura with outstanding professionalism and dedication. Thanks to him, we have had the privilege of sitting at the table with key stakeholders, strategic partners and high-potential clients across the region — conversations that are shaping Enqura’s future in Southeast Asia.

What truly sets Kerim apart is his rare combination of talents. He is, without question, THE specialist of Southeast Asia. His deep knowledge of local business practices, cultural nuances, and — critically for us — the Banking and Insurance ecosystem across the region, has given Enqura a genuine competitive edge.

But beyond his expertise, it is Kerim’s cultural intelligence, his authentic relationships and his remarkable network that make him an irreplaceable partner. He does not just open doors — he builds bridges.

Kerim’s contribution to Enqura’s growth has been substantial, and he is today our de facto key partner for growth in this dynamic and exciting region.

Thank you, Kerim. We are proud to have you by our side.”

Metin Karabiber, CEO, Enqura (London, UK)

Trainings

Workshops for founders, sales teams and leaders who work across borders.

  • Beyond Borders

    Scaling a startup and taking it into new markets, step by step.

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  • Selling Beyond Borders

    Cultural intelligence for cross-border sales: reading buyers whose expectations differ from your own.

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  • Body Language in Sales

    Reading and using non-verbal signals in meetings and negotiations.

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  • Global Expansion Readiness

    A hands-on exercise that shows how prepared your company really is to expand, and what to fix first.

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Delivered in English, Turkish or French, in person or online.

Kerim Alain Bertrand, founder of Mind Cookery

Kerim Alain Bertrand

Founder

  • Nearly 30 years in SaaS and fintech
  • Worked on 3 continents, sold into 5
  • Lived in 5 countries
  • Works in Turkish, French, English and Spanish

Mind Cookery is where strategy is forged through intense collaboration to launch and scale growth in new geographies. Its founder, Kerim Alain Bertrand, is a global SaaS leader who has scaled revenues and built high-performing teams across EMEA, APAC and the Americas.

He built a PLC’s Turkish subsidiary from scratch, served as sales director in North America, as Country Manager in Turkey and Regional Director for MEA at a SaaS company he worked with for almost 14 years. He led multi-country sales teams at a Martech. His path runs through various technology companies, in Fintech, Martech and Proptech. Educated in Paris at Panthéon-Assas and Dauphine, he is based in Istanbul and advises and invests in AI-Driven SaaS Companies.

Current engagements span Fintech, Procure-Tech, AdTech and conversational AI, guiding clients to their first lighthouse customers, strategic investors and a sustainable market presence.

Some mind cookery from Kerim

Stories and lessons from three decades of selling across borders.

Let’s talk about your next market

Thinking about entering a new market but not sure where to start or how to set your priorities? Get in touch to schedule a call and receive a free assessment.

info@mindcookery.com
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