Mid-Market Momentum: Why Global Capability Centres Are No Longer Just for Big Corporations

A Shift in the Centre of Excellence Landscape

The traditional model of large corporations dominating the Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Recent data shows that mid-sized firms—especially those in the US$100M–US$1B revenue range—are increasingly building strategic centers of excellence across emerging talent hubs, led by a wave of innovation and operational flexibility.

Global hiring among these mid-market GCCs is outpacing larger peers, with 10–12% growth in headcount in the first half of 2025—compared to 4–6% growth among large GCCs. This shift signals a broader trend: global capability building is no longer gated by enterprise scale or capital intensity. Many firms are now exploring models highlighted in Ralent’s own insights on the India GCC ecosystem and broader global expansion strategies.

Blog Summary 

Purpose: Shows how mid-sized companies are increasingly accessing Global Capability Centres through flexible models that avoid the cost and rigidity of traditional BOT structures.

Structure: Market trend → Drivers → Model overview → Strategic framework → Examples → Recommendations

Use Cases: For COOs, founders, and hiring leads in mid-sized firms exploring global expansion, especially across product, ops, or support functions.

Key Takeaways:

• Mid-sized GCCs outpacing large peers in growth
  
• Dedicated pods and EOR models offer agile alternatives
  
• BOT is no longer the default path
  
• Phased scale-up models enable strategic control
  
• Secondary cities and emerging hubs are now viable
  

Formatting & Readability Features: Clear headings, strategy table, data citations, no jargon or fluff

What’s Driving This Shift?

Access to Specialized Talent

Cities like Bengaluru, Krakow, and Bogotá are becoming global magnets for domain expertise beyond engineering—product development, data science, legal ops, and customer experience. This trend aligns strongly with the evolution outlined in India’s GCC transformation from cost centers to core systems.

For mid-sized firms, this opens doors to specialized functions that once required in-house teams in expensive HQ locations.

Agile Scale Without Heavy OPEX

By leveraging GCCs and alternative hiring models, mid-market companies gain access to full-time global talent without setting up entities or committing to legacy fixed costs. Ralent’s global talent services show how organizations can scale quickly while remaining compliant.

Rising Strategic Value

Today’s global teams don’t just execute—they own functions, innovate locally, and drive transformation. Smaller GCCs are often more agile, aligned with business goals, and capable of operating as global product or service hubs. This shift is echoed in the rise of cross-functional GCC pods that enhance ownership and autonomy.

Policy & Infrastructure Tailwinds

Countries investing in digital infrastructure, startup ecosystems, and flexible work regulations make it easier than ever to scale lean global teams. Secondary cities are also coming online, reducing dependency on metro hubs—reinforced by research into India’s next GCC cities beyond Bengaluru.

A Phased Approach to Building Global Capability

While legacy Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models remain in circulation, they’re increasingly being sidelined in favor of more modular strategies. These include hiring through Employer of Record (EOR) providers to quickly build compliant teams, and assembling dedicated pods that operate under the company’s direct oversight but with external operational support.

This blend of control and flexibility is proving well-suited for high-growth firms that want to experiment, adapt, and scale incrementally. Companies exploring this pathway often begin with capability centre services to test and validate functions before scaling into full GCC ownership.

How to Decide: A Framework for Mid-Sized Firms

Why this matters:

• You scale incrementally, based on business needs
  
• You avoid capital lock-in via BOT models
  
• You maintain control and cultural alignment throughout
  

Real-World Signals

Recent data shows:

• Mid-sized firms are 1.3x more likely to own global platforms than large GCCs
  
• Dedicated pods are seeing 20–30% productivity boosts over traditional outsourced models
  
• EOR adoption has doubled among US startups entering global markets since 2024, reflecting broader shifts toward Employer of Record models
  

These signals show that leaner, more targeted models are outperforming legacy approaches in speed, agility, and outcomes.

Strategic Recommendations

• Don’t wait to go global: You don’t need a $1B valuation to build a GCC. You need product-market fit and global intent. The GCC hiring trends for 2025 highlight how even small teams are scaling globally.
  
• Avoid BOT deadweight: BOT can work for massive scale-outs, but it’s a mismatch for high-growth firms.
  
• Build for ownership: Whether you start with EOR or pods, plan to transition into global capability ownership gradually.
  
• Focus on leadership: Mid-level leaders are critical. Invest early in developing or attracting global team leads.
  

Global Capability Centres are no longer the exclusive playbook of Fortune 500s. With the right structure and strategy, even a 50-person startup can spin up a high-impact team that drives product, support, or operations globally. Modular expansion models allow growing firms to step into global capability building without overextending.

Sources: Zinnov, Economic Times, Deloitte, NASSCOM

Additional Questions Leaders Often Ask

1. How do I know if my company is ready for a GCC?

Most mid-sized firms begin exploring GCCs once they have consistent product-market fit and recurring global delivery needs. For a deeper view on emerging readiness indicators, explore the India GCC ecosystem overview.

2. How fast can we hire and onboard a global team without setting up an entity?

If you need speed, Employer of Record solutions can help you build compliant teams within days. Learn more through Ralent’s EOR services.

3. What roles should a mid-sized firm offshore first?

Most companies begin with product, engineering, data, finance, or customer support pods. See how high-autonomy pods are formed in our guide to cross-functional GCC pods.

4. Are secondary cities as effective as major hubs like Bengaluru?

Yes—talent depth in Tier-2 and emerging innovation cities is rising rapidly. Explore insights on the next GCC cities in India.

5. What’s the difference between EOR, contractors, and full-time global teams?

Each model offers distinct cost, compliance, and ownership dynamics. Our breakdown on fractional executives vs contractors vs full-time hiring clarifies the trade-offs.

6. How do we ensure compliance when scaling global teams?

Compliance complexity varies by geography and function. Learn what’s new—and what remains unchanged—through GCC Compliance 2025.

Recommended Further Reading

International Business Expansion Guide
India’s GCCs: The Strategic Nexus for U.S. Innovation in 2025
Beyond Boundaries: Scaling Global Teams

Cross-Functional Pods That Deliver Autonomy
Skill-First Hiring Even on Lean Teams Hire Global Talent
Why EOR Is the Future of Workforce Management