Pertama Partners
Alternatives Guide

Intersect AI Alternatives

Intersect AI excels at bridging AI strategy to delivery with ROI measurement. But their global enterprise focus may not fit SEA SMBs. Here are alternatives with regional expertise.

Why Look for Intersect AI Alternatives?

You need SEA-specific AI expertise and market knowledge
You want government funding to offset AI costs
Intersect AI's enterprise pricing exceeds your budget
You need dedicated AI training (not just strategy-to-delivery bridge)
You're a first-time AI adopter (not recovering a stalled initiative)
You prefer transparent pricing over custom enterprise quotes

What to Consider When Switching from Intersect AI

When evaluating alternatives to Intersect AI, it's important to look beyond surface-level comparisons. The right AI consulting partner should align with your organisation's size, budget, timeline, and strategic objectives. Many companies initially gravitate toward large-name consultancies for their brand recognition and global reach. However, this often means higher costs, slower engagement timelines, and frameworks designed for Fortune 500 enterprises — not the agile, results-oriented approach that mid-market companies need. Key pain points that drive companies to seek alternatives include opaque pricing structures, lack of hands-on implementation support, generic recommendations that don't account for Asia-Pacific regulatory environments, and consultant dependency that never leads to internal capability building. The ideal partner combines strategic advisory with practical implementation, offers transparent pricing, provides genuine knowledge transfer to your team, and has deep expertise in your specific industry and geographic context.
Pricing Transparency

How clearly the firm communicates costs upfront. Look for fixed-fee engagements vs open-ended time-and-materials billing.

SMB Focus

Whether the firm genuinely serves small-to-mid-size companies or treats them as secondary to enterprise accounts.

Local Presence in Asia-Pacific

On-the-ground teams who understand regional regulations, languages, and business culture — not just a regional office.

Implementation vs Strategy Only

Does the firm help you build and deploy AI, or just hand over a slide deck? Execution capability separates advisors from consultants.

Team Training & Enablement

Post-engagement knowledge transfer ensures your team can maintain and extend AI initiatives without ongoing consultant dependency.

Industry-Specific AI Expertise

Generic AI knowledge is insufficient. Look for firms with deep domain expertise in your specific industry vertical.

Best Intersect AI Alternatives

Pertama Partners
Top Pick
AI Training & Advisory for SMB in Southeast Asia

SEA-focused with practical ROI tracking, government funding expertise, and training programs for first-time adopters.

Key Strengths:

  • Practical ROI tracking included
  • Government funding expertise
  • Dedicated training for first-time adopters
  • Deep SEA market knowledge
  • Transparent, accessible pricing

Best for: SEA SMBs wanting practical AI with clear ROI

YCP Group
Premier AI consultant in Singapore

Regional APAC presence with enterprise capabilities. Good for mid-market companies wanting regional coverage.

Key Strengths:

  • 21 offices across APAC
  • 2000+ enterprise clients
  • Regional delivery capability

Best for: Mid-market companies wanting APAC AI consulting

ABeam Consulting
Japanese consulting, social impact & ESG focus

40+ year consulting firm with structured methodology and ESG integration.

Key Strengths:

  • Proven enterprise methodology
  • ESG and social impact integration
  • Strong Asia presence

Best for: Companies wanting structured consulting with ESG focus

Side-by-Side Comparison

FirmTarget MarketPrice PointGeographyBest For
Intersect AIEnterprisePremiumGlobalPlanning + delivery bridge, ROI-focused
Pertama PartnersTop PickSMBMid-MarketSingapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, VietnamSEA SMBs wanting practical AI with clear ROI
YCP GroupEnterprisePremiumSingapore, Asia-PacificMid-market companies wanting APAC AI consulting
ABeam ConsultingEnterprisePremiumSingapore, Asia-Pacific, GlobalCompanies wanting structured consulting with ESG focus

Frequently Asked Questions

Do other firms offer ROI measurement like Intersect AI?

Most AI consultants track ROI to some degree. Intersect AI's methodology is more formal and detailed. For SMBs, Pertama includes practical ROI tracking without the enterprise complexity — measuring outcomes that matter to smaller businesses.

Can alternatives help with stalled AI initiatives?

Yes. While Intersect AI specializes in recovering stalled enterprise AI programs, firms like Pertama can assess and course-correct SMB AI initiatives. The approach differs — SMB recovery focuses on simplification and quick wins rather than complex program restructuring.

Which alternative is best for Southeast Asia specifically?

Pertama offers the deepest SEA expertise with government funding knowledge across 5 countries. YCP has broader APAC coverage. ABeam brings Asian consulting methodology. For SMBs specifically in SEA, Pertama is the strongest fit.

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