Energy

NeedEnergy is a Zimbabwean company that positions itself as a virtual power plant operator. To achieve this, NeedEnergy is deploying smart meters connected to its Memeza.ai platform. The platform monitors production, demand and prices for each decentralised energy source in real time, while anticipating market fluctuations.  

The entrepreneur

NeedEnergy was founded in 2019 by Leroy Nyangani, a young Zimbabwean entrepreneur with entrepreneurial experience in the delivery/restaurant sector.

Partnership with I&P and Gaia Impact

NeedEnergy is supported by I&P Digital Energy, a €4.8 million program to finance and support a dozen start-ups and SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa offering digital solutions for access to affordable energy, backed by the Agence Française de Développement and the European Union. In Zimbabwe, this programme is being implemented by Gaia Impact.

This partnership will enable the start-up to :

• Finance the purchase of smart meters to develop its operations, meet strong customer demand, and provide essential data to drive its Memeza.ai intelligent platform
• Improving its software to refine its assumptions, particularly on electricity trading and demand forecasts 
• Strengthen its team, mainly on the digital dimension of its solution, but also on the commercial side.

TC Solutions is a key energy player in Burkina Faso, specialised in solar and electrical solutions installation and distribution. Drawing on its expertise in renewable energies, it develops customised equipment, such as the Solar Box, a hybrid cabinet guaranteeing a reliable and sustainable power supply.

With an ambition for regional growth, TC Solutions is committed to offering high-performance, economical and ecological solutions to meet local energy challenges and accelerate the transition to more accessible and sustainable energy.

The entrepreneur

Assane Kafando is an electrical engineering and business management expert with over 25 years' experience in the energy sector. After a career with TIERI and ENGIE Africa, he founded TC Solutions to bring innovative and sustainable energy solutions to Burkina Faso. Visionary and committed, he is focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energies to transform access to electricity in the region.

Partnership with I&P and Sinergi Burkina

TC Solutions is supported by CATAL1.5°T program through Sinergi Burkina. Through its expertise and financial support, Sinergi Burkina is helping TC Solutions to strengthen its position in the renewable energy market and accelerate its development. This strategic partnership aims to promote the solutions developed by the company to meet local energy challenges and foster responsible and sustainable growth.

This partnership will enable TC Solutions to:  

• Accelerate the deployment of the Solar Box by setting up a hybrid cabinet assembly workshop and strengthening TC Solutions' sales strategy to position itself as a key supplier of this product in France. 
• Develop the solar energy business by developing partnerships with solar component manufacturers, raising customer awareness of solar solutions and facilitating access to renewable energy. 
• Strengthen the company's structure and organisation, by better formalising internal procedures and building team skills to improve operational efficiency

Based in Senegal, Senfrais is a refrigeration company specialized in the production of solar-powered refrigeration units that can be adapted to various types of vehicle (lorries, tricycles). This young company has added a digital dimension to its model, making it possible to track the temperature of refrigerated boxes in real time, in addition to vehicle tracking.

The entrepreneur

Senfrais was founded in 2023 by Seydina SECK, a Senegalese entrepreneur with experience in creating transport and preservation solutions for products in the cold chain.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

Senfrais is supported by I&P Digital Energy, a €4.8 million program to finance and support a dozen start-ups and SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa offering digital solutions for access to affordable energy, backed by AFD and the European Union. In Senegal, this program is implemented by Teranga Capital.

This partnership will enable this start-up to:

• Boost production in line with the development of its customer portfolio and the production unit by building up a stock of refrigerated tricycles, which will also enable it to meet the needs of individual and informal players under the cash-on-delivery model
• Boost the sales function by creating a dedicated unit whose mission will be to implement targeted strategies tailored to the profiles of the various prospects in order to achieve good sales traction
• Strengthen its digital component by adding additional functionalities such as remote control/adjustment of the temperature in the refrigerated cases, in order to ultimately achieve a product that is easy to use and adapted to the needs of local customers, and to strengthen its competitive advantage
• Strengthen its differentiation from traditional refrigerated vehicles (trucks) by adapting its offer based on the needs expressed by customers
• Identify the conditions needed to move the product from a niche market to a mainstream market.

Solarbox is a small Senegalese company that began operations in 2022. The company operates in the electric mobility sector, more specifically in the production of 2- and 3-wheel electric vehicles for transporting goods or people. Solarbox's electric vehicles feature a digital component for tracking and data collection. The offer is easily accessible thanks to a monthly leasing model.

The entrepreneur

Tijan WATT, co-founder and Managing Partner of Wuri Ventures since 2017, is the CEO of Solarbox. A dual Senegalese and American national, he graduated from the prestigious Harvard Business School in 2007 with an MBA. He has more than 15 years of professional/entrepreneurial experience to his credit, as well as solid fund-raising skills.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

Solarbox is supported by I&P Digital Energy, a 4.8 million euro program to finance and support a dozen start-ups and SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa offering digital solutions for access to affordable energy, backed by AFD and the EU.

 In Senegal, this program is implemented by Teranga Capital.

The objectives for this start-up are to :

• Support the company in strengthening its production of electric vehicles to effectively meet the needs of its market 
• Help the company to develop its B2B portfolio as a priority, by boosting the sales function. 
• Support the company in strengthening its R&D in order to develop its offer. 
• Help the company move its product from a niche market to the mass market

Founded in 2020, IBRIZ is a company operating in the renewable energy sector and more specifically in the AgriTech sub-sector with a focus on the productive use of solar energy in agriculture. Its aim is to support small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa by leveraging technology with an innovative business model. IBRIZ uses proven technologies to build an ecosystem that will impact the lives of small-scale farmers by enabling access to solar water irrigation systems.

Entrepreneurs

The company's vision is driven by two entrepreneurs, Bou Diarra and Serigne Sam Ndao, co-founders of IBRIZ. They have over 15 years of professional entrepreneurial experience to their credit.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

IBRIZ is supported by I&P Digital Energy, a 4.8 million euro program to finance and support a dozen start-ups and SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa offering digital solutions for access to affordable energy, backed by AFD and the EU. In Senegal, this program is implemented by Teranga Capital.

The objectives of this SME are

• Optimizing the supply of materials (to improve profitability and operational efficiency)
• Improving distribution (to reduce costs associated with damage to equipment and ensure safe delivery) 
• Developing the digital component
• Strengthening its offering 

Founded in 2016, Solarly is a Cameroonian company supplying off-grid solar energy solutions (not connected to the traditional electricity grid): it offers its solutions in rural and urban areas with a focus on energy needs for productive use (health centers, schools, small industries) but also for basic household electrical needs.

Its leading products are :

-The SolarlyBox, a stand-alone off-grid solar system that supplies continuous energy by connecting solar panels, batteries and various equipment (fridge, television, telephone charging cable). The SolarlyBox is a connected object (Internet of Things), enabling :

• Performance monitoring, to anticipate and solve problems
• Data collection on usage
• Remote control and activation based on user payments

-AC Kits, combinations of components, integrated and marketed in a standardized way to meet the most frequent needs, such as :

• Powering the most popular basic appliances: lamps, cell phones, radios and TVs
• Powering a water pump for irrigation and/or a water tower
• Powering a fridge or freezer for food preservation
• Power an incubator for chick rearing

Today, it is estimated that more than 20,000 people are impacted by the Solarly product, either directly (households) or indirectly (hotels, health centers and schools).

The entrepreneur

Julien Riat is 31 years old and originally from Belgium. After graduating in Economics and Business Administration from the Université Catholique de Louvain (2012) and in International Business from EPHEC (2014) in Belgium, he joined an association that assists disabled children. He then joined Travis and Lloyd as a Business Developer. At a very young age, he embarked on the Solarly adventure with two of his friends. The three of them formed the basis of the project, later joined by other partners.

Partnership with I&P

Solarly is supported by I&P through I&P Digital Energy. The aim of the funding is to :

• Support the implementation of the company's new commercial and operational strategy to accelerate growth 
• Roll out the new research and development phase 
• Contribute to the opening and development of new hubs
• Strengthen WCR

Expected impacts

• Access to energy for vulnerable populations
• Improving the provision of health and education services through the electrification of health centers and schools that have benefited from Solarly's solar installations.
• Improving the agricultural and craft production capacities of small rural and informal production units 
• Improving the quality of service for small and medium-sized businesses in urban areas, thanks to a continuous supply of energy.

Innovex is a Ugandan company that has developed a smart meter coupled with an IoT solution that bridges the gap between solar energy providers/distributors and their last mile customers by giving the ability to remotely monitor, manage and turn on/off installed solar systems. This solution can be deployed in a variety of solar energy systems such as home systems, water pumps, cold chain storage and transportation systems, etc.

The entrepreneurs

Hi-Tech Solutions is a start-up that operates in the solar energy sector (distribution of solar panels, photovoltaic system components, modules, inverters, mounting systems and accessories), in rural and peri-urban communities in Niger. 

The entrepreneur

Hi-Tech Solutions was created in 2013 by Edmond Doudou Amadou Moctar. Working in the fields of energy and finance in Niger for more than 9 years, he started his professional career in 2005, where he worked in several structures such as BOA Niger, Care International as a Financier and Accountant. He has been several times leader and member of the Nigerian delegation of business leaders for the trade mission and business opportunities at the level of exhibitions dedicated to solar and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Burkina Faso, Turkey, England, Tunisia and France.

Partnership with I&P and Sinergi

Hi-Tech Solutions is supported by Sinergi and I&P through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. This partnership aims at strengthening the supply chain of solar kits and providing its existing customer base with solar equipment. 

Kouran Jabo, literally "they brought back the light" in local Arabic is a solar energy distributor in Chad. Founded in 2017, this company aims to make solar energy accessible to all social strata in Chad through the sale of solar lamps and kits to households, businesses and also training in installation and maintenance of solar equipment. More than 1118 households and small businesses have already been connected to solar energy, and 60 young people trained in the installation and maintenance of solar solutions.

The entrepreneur

Kouran Jabo was founded by Youssouf Mbodou Ali, a young 32 year old Chadian. Graduated in Management and Business from Lille1-Villeneuve d'Ascq France and Master specialized in Economic and Sociological Analysis of the Euro-Mediterranean zone delivered by ISCA group - Casablanca in Morocco and passionate about the community of his country, he held the position of Marketing and Project Manager of "We Share Property" in Dubai. When he launched Kouran Jabo, he hoped to make solar energy accessible and affordable to 110,000 households and support 600,000 people economically.

Partnership with I&P

Kouran Jabo is supported by I&P through I&P Acceleration in Sahel, funded by the European Union. The funding and support aims to :

• Restructure the administrative, financial, inventory and cash management systems
• Support the opening of 6 new points of sale
• Implement a new marketing and communication strategy
• Formalize 7 existing jobs and create 11 new regular and 11 seasonal jobs by 2023 
• Acquire 1,930 units of solar kits for sale 
• Support the company in raising more funds for the expansion of its activities
• Support the company in the implementation of the waste recycling process

Expected impacts

• Reduction  of polluting fuels (wood, charcoal, animal dung) and deforestation 
• Reinforcement of continuous access to energy in remote areas  
• Improvement of household income through the creation of related activities (telephone booth, battery charging station) 

Created in 2012, HERi Madagascar is a company that specializes in the distribution and financing of solar energy solutions in rural areas of Madagascar.

HERi is a socially committed company that acts on the sustainable economic and social development of rural populations in Madagascar by distributing innovative products and services through a network of energy kiosks managed by women entrepreneurs.

HERi's activity consist of:

• A network of kiosks and distribution points managed by franchised women entrepreneurs who develop the activity of renting solar lamps to populations without electricity in rural areas;
• A network of Microfinance Institutions that offer a credit purchase of HERi products to their clients;
• A PAY-As-You-Go (PAYGo) financing model for people living in peri-urban and rural areas.

HERi is the exclusive representative in Madagascar of two suppliers of solar-powered lighting systems for domestic use: Fosera and d.light. The company currently owns about 100 kiosks and rents an average of 26,000 solar lamps per day.

The entrepreneurs

Samy CHALIER holds an MBA from IE Business School and has 12 years of experience in international management. He has been supervising the restructuring and growth of HERi since 2016.

Ando RANDRIAMALALAHARISON holds a master's degree in finance and is an alumnus of AFD's Lead Campus program. She was an auditor in an accounting firm for 3 years before joining HERi in 2015 where she was first an internal auditor and then Administrative and Financial Director. Since 2017, Ando has been HERi's Deputy Managing Director.

Partnership with I&P

Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) has committed to HERi in order to:

• Develop a model for purchasing solar lighting systems on credit and at an affordable price for households through Pay-as-you-go;
• Enable energy inclusion for many families through a door-to-door approach;
• Fight climate change by providing clean, quality energy to the user;
• Create jobs in the most remote areas of Madagascar through its network of agents and franchisees.

Expected impacts

The company's mission is to bring a better quality of life to the population of rural Madagascar by providing an affordable way to access clean energy essential to their daily activities.

HERi's expansion into the less developed island's regions will create jobs, which is a pillar of development and a source of income for households.

It will allow households to switch to quality, clean and safe energy and away from traditional light sources such as candles and oil lamps commonly used by the rural population.

Learn more about HERi