LS Digital Expands into the USA with a JV with .fearless

Mumbai: LS Digital, an Indian integrated digital business transformation firm, has entered into a 60:40 joint venture with the US-based .fearless, a full-service marketing consultancy, to serve companies in the North American market.

In the first six months, the joint venture .fear-LS aims to deliver 5-6 digital transformation products valued at $1.2-$1.7 million, with plans to rapidly scale up its presence and market share in the US, Prasad Shejale, founder and CEO of the Gurugram-based LS Digital, told Mint.

"Partnering with .fearless, a leader in marketing consultancy and industry veterans in the US market, aligns perfectly with our global ambitions. Through this joint venture, we are excited to bring our innovative DBT (digital business transformation) model, developed in India, to the world. Under the banner of .fear-LS, this partnership offers American businesses cutting-edge solutions to overcome digital friction and achieve sustainable growth," Shejale added.

Also Read: LS Digital restructures operations, set to expand into US

Mike Head, partner at .fearless, who will serve as CEO of the new joint venture, emphasized the importance of domestic expertise to improve credibility in the US market. He noted that while the US appears open to new ideas, it often responds slowly due to the complexity and size of its businesses.

Digital business transformation entails integrating digital technologies across a company's operations to help it scale rapidly and better serve its customers.

The joint venture combines the strengths of both companies to address the industry challenge of digital friction—an operational disconnect in a customer's journey—and help businesses optimize their systems and processes, drive growth, and increase return on investment.

Initially, the JV will target companies in the gaming, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and automotive sectors for digital transformation. Head said these sectors were chosen based on existing relationships and deep industry experience, positioning .fear-LS to effectively address specific challenges like new customer acquisition and digital friction.

Also Read: LS Digital enters UK, eyes Europe and US markets

Head brings over 29 years of leadership and operational experience at Johnson & Johnson, where he managed six companies in five countries. In his most recent role, he oversaw the $2.5 billion Johnson’s Baby's global franchise.

“We were impressed with the capabilities LS Digital had, and their seriousness about entering the US market,” Head told Mint. “The DBT category is growing rapidly in the US. The market is enormous, and the potential for client acquisition is substantial. However, the US market is somewhat conservative. We agreed it’s crucial to have domestic expertise as part of the LS offering in the US to not only improve our credibility but also make it easier for companies to engage with us.”

.fear-LS will initially operate out of Colorado, with resources to service a wide geographical area, including the Northeast, the New York Metro Area, the Tri-State region, Connecticut, and the Canadian market. With a strong presence on the West Coast, .fear-LS is well-positioned to cover diverse markets across North America.

Head also mentioned that the JV will adopt a measured approach to scaling, with initial efforts focused on understanding market needs and fine-tuning service offerings. The JV is already working on a soft launch and has begun engaging with potential clients, which is expected to lead to non-linear growth.

Commenting on the expansion, Shejale said, “From a larger perspective, we are on our dream of becoming a global company, the most respected one, and trying to solve a very difficult problem, one that perhaps has not yet been solved properly by anyone. I think we are on that path. The skill sets are being assembled well, and I’m confident we have the right capabilities. We have defined use cases clearly and have been selling them effectively. We have numerous case studies across various industries. I am very excited about Mike and his team joining us, believing in our dream, and being part of it. I look forward to growing this business and making a significant contribution to the world of digital business transformation in the years to come.”