Solar Startups in Africa
Overview Powered by AI
Off-grid solar market is seeing intense competition, with established players like d.light and Bboxx facing challenges from emerging local companies. Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model remains dominant, but concerns over customer acquisition costs and profitability persist. Local business leaders express cautious optimism, recognizing the potential but also acknowledging the challenges in reaching rural and low-income customers.
Cummulative Funding
$1.7B+
Total # of Companies
47
Total Deal Count
198
Total M&A Count
2
Total # of Investors
362
List of Solar startups in Africa
Add Startup| Startuparrow_upward | Overviewarrow_upward | Last roundarrow_upward | Total raisedarrow_upward | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
d.light is an international Energy startup that serves people without access to reliable electricity. | Funding Round | $ 815,200,000 | 2007 | |
Bboxx is an African-focused next generation utility startup which provides access to affordable clean energy. | Convertible Note | $ 161,374,625 | 2010 | |
SunFunder is unlocking debt capital for solar energy access & climate change | Grant | $ 81,320,000 | 2012 | |
Mawingu uses high-performance low-cost wireless technology and solar power to build fast internet networks in rural areas. | Venture | $ 69,300,000 | 2013 | |
SunCulture is a Kenyan startup that empowers smallholder farmers with solar irrigation | Debt Financing | $ 59,300,000 | 2013 | |
PEG is the leader in deploying and financing solar to households and SMEs in West Africa | Debt Financing | $ 56,500,000 | 2013 | |
Solarise Africa owns and leases captive rooftop and ground mounted solar projects for commercial and industrial clients in Africa. | Venture | $ 55,600,000 | 2017 | |
OnePower operates solar mini‑grids, powering households and businesses while enabling productive‑use services. | Debt Financing | $ 51,000,000 | 2015 | |
Azuri is a leading commercial provider of PayGo Solar Home Systems for rural off-grid homes. | Corporate | $ 51,000,000 | 2012 | |
Nuru is a renewable and environment company that specializes in the fields of storage micro-grids and solar energy. | Series B | $ 47,381,000 | 2015 | |
Sturdee Energy is a pan-African Independent Power Producer focused on renewable energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. | Funding Round | $ 44,000,000 | 2010 | |
Powerhive is a Kenyan startup that provides resilient energy infrastructure for off-grid communities. | Series B | $ 43,800,000 | 2011 | |
Nithio is a venture-backed energy finance platform that provides services to stakeholders in the distributed solar sector in Africa. | Debt Financing | $ 32,700,000 | 2018 | |
OneWattSolar is a Nigerian FinTech startup that delivers Tokenized Digital 24/7 Electricity. | Funding Round | $ 24,400,000 | 2017 | |
Altech is a Congolese energy startup which provides renewable energy for the off-grid | Debt Financing | $ 22,300,000 | 2013 | |
Starsight Energy is a Nigerian independent energy efficiency startup delivering sustainable solar power and cooling services. | Debt Financing | $ 20,000,000 | 2008 | |
Grid Africa is a leader in solar energy solutions, dedicated to advancing the adoption of renewable energy across Africa. | Funding Round | $ 16,800,000 | 2015 | |
Oolu's mission is to provide off-grid households with high quality products at an affordable price. | Venture | $ 14,200,000 | 2015 | |
Qotto sells solar home systems to rural households in West Africa with a pay-as-you-go model. | Series A | $ 14,000,000 | 2016 | |
WATT aims to design, build, own, and operate (DBOOM) renewable energy (RE) projects through solar, wind, and biomass generation. | Venture | $ 13,000,000 | 2016 |
Founded
2007
Overview
d.light is an international Energy startup that serves people without access to reliable electricity.
Last round
Funding Round
Total raised
$ 815,200,000
Employee
201-500
Founded
2010
Overview
Bboxx is an African-focused next generation utility startup which provides access to affordable clean energy.
Last round
Convertible Note
Total raised
$ 161,374,625
Employee
501-1,000
Founded
2012
Overview
SunFunder is unlocking debt capital for solar energy access & climate change
Last round
Grant
Total raised
$ 81,320,000
Employee
11-50
Founded
2013
Overview
Mawingu uses high-performance low-cost wireless technology and solar power to build fast internet networks in rural areas.
Last round
Venture
Total raised
$ 69,300,000
Employee
51-200
Founded
2013
Overview
SunCulture is a Kenyan startup that empowers smallholder farmers with solar irrigation
Last round
Debt Financing
Total raised
$ 59,300,000
Employee
201-500
Founded
2013
Overview
PEG is the leader in deploying and financing solar to households and SMEs in West Africa
Last round
Debt Financing
Total raised
$ 56,500,000
Employee
101-250
Founded
2017
Overview
Solarise Africa owns and leases captive rooftop and ground mounted solar projects for commercial and industrial clients in Africa.
Last round
Venture
Total raised
$ 55,600,000
Employee
1-10
Founded
2015
Overview
OnePower operates solar mini‑grids, powering households and businesses while enabling productive‑use services.
Last round
Debt Financing
Total raised
$ 51,000,000
Employee
51-200
Founded
2012
Overview
Azuri is a leading commercial provider of PayGo Solar Home Systems for rural off-grid homes.
Last round
Corporate
Total raised
$ 51,000,000
Employee
201-500
Founded
2015
Overview
Nuru is a renewable and environment company that specializes in the fields of storage micro-grids and solar energy.
Last round
Series B
Total raised
$ 47,381,000
Employee
11-50
Founded
2010
Overview
Sturdee Energy is a pan-African Independent Power Producer focused on renewable energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Last round
Funding Round
Total raised
$ 44,000,000
Employee
11-50
Founded
2011
Overview
Powerhive is a Kenyan startup that provides resilient energy infrastructure for off-grid communities.
Last round
Series B
Total raised
$ 43,800,000
Employee
51-200
Founded
2018
Overview
Nithio is a venture-backed energy finance platform that provides services to stakeholders in the distributed solar sector in Africa.
Last round
Debt Financing
Total raised
$ 32,700,000
Employee
2-10
Founded
2017
Overview
OneWattSolar is a Nigerian FinTech startup that delivers Tokenized Digital 24/7 Electricity.
Last round
Funding Round
Total raised
$ 24,400,000
Employee
501-1,000
Founded
2013
Overview
Altech is a Congolese energy startup which provides renewable energy for the off-grid
Last round
Debt Financing
Total raised
$ 22,300,000
Employee
201-500
Founded
2008
Overview
Starsight Energy is a Nigerian independent energy efficiency startup delivering sustainable solar power and cooling services.
Last round
Debt Financing
Total raised
$ 20,000,000
Employee
51-200
Founded
2015
Overview
Grid Africa is a leader in solar energy solutions, dedicated to advancing the adoption of renewable energy across Africa.
Last round
Funding Round
Total raised
$ 16,800,000
Employee
11-50
Founded
2015
Overview
Oolu's mission is to provide off-grid households with high quality products at an affordable price.
Last round
Venture
Total raised
$ 14,200,000
Employee
51-200
Founded
2016
Overview
Qotto sells solar home systems to rural households in West Africa with a pay-as-you-go model.
Last round
Series A
Total raised
$ 14,000,000
Employee
201-500
Founded
2016
Overview
WATT aims to design, build, own, and operate (DBOOM) renewable energy (RE) projects through solar, wind, and biomass generation.
Last round
Venture
Total raised
$ 13,000,000
Employee
51-200