The Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) consortium is delighted to announce the winners of the 2nd SESA Call for Entrepreneurs 2023. After a rigorous selection process led by SESA partner Siemens Stiftung, eight local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) from Cote D’Ivoire, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania have been chosen to drive forward access to sustainable energy solutions across Africa.
Meet the selected entrepreneurs:
- Cool Lions Energies from Abidjan, Côte d‘Ivoire
- Dritoven Engineering CC from Windhoek, Namibia
- Ohengo Investments CC from Windhoek, Namibia
- Havenhill Synergy Limited from Abuja, Nigeria
- Powerstove Energy from Abuja, Nigeria
- EcoGreen Solutions Ltd from Kigali, Rwanda
- SLS Energy from Kigali, Rwanda
- Simusolar Limited from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
The SESA project, funded by the European Commission, operates across nine African countries with local and international partners. The initiative aims to test and validate sustainable energy solutions and business models that can be replicated and generate local opportunities for economic development on the African continent.
The selected SMEs demonstrated expertise in addressing Africa’s energy access challenges, particularly in rural and off-grid communities. Their initiatives encompass a range of technologies, including innovative solar home systems, solar irrigation solutions for small-holder farmers, waste-to-energy solutions for clean cooking, and solar cold chain technologies.
Each enterprise has received between €50,000 and €100,000 in service agreements to boost the replication and take up of the most promising business models and technologies developed throughout the SESA project and its livings labs. The SESA project’s initial Call for Entrepreneurs in 2022 validated several business models and technologies. Now with the 2nd Call for Entrepreneurs 2023, the aim is to build upon these validated results and outcomes to boost replication of the SESA concepts more widely across Africa.
Additionally, the selected companies will have the opportunity to participate in the SESA Incubator/Accelerator Programme run by SESA partner Smart Innovation Norway (SIN), which includes mentorship, coaching, and access to networks of industry experts.
The eight selected SMEs will be presented during the SESA Rwanda Regional Event at Kigali (Rwanda) on 24th April 2024, at the ‘SESA Procurement & Venture Summit’ where they will have the opportunity to present their ventures to investors and engage with stakeholders from across the energy sector.