On behalf of the Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) consortium, Siemens Stiftung announced the names of the selected enterprises of the “SESA Call for Entrepreneurs 2022”. The call for small and medium-sized enterprises focused on the Productive Use of Energy solutions in Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, and South Africa, resulting in over 30% of the total applications from female founders.
The four selected enterprises include Ghana’s Econexus Ventures and Nastech Power Solutions. Econexus Ventures is a female-led enterprise co-founded by Patience Alifo, which provides affordable, reliable, and clean-burning bioethanol and cookstoves as alternatives to polluting cooking fuels. Nastech Power Solutions, founded by Samuel Asare, develops affordable, reliable and durable solar energy solutions from electronic waste and recycled plastics.
Malaawi’s Smart Energy Enterprise and South Africa’s GREEN Solar Academy are the other enterprises. The selected enterprises have received sub-contracts ranging from €50,000 to €70,000 per business over 18 months to validate proof of concepts and business models for up-scaling. At the end of February 2023, they will join the SESA Incubator Programme: receiving mentoring and tailored growth support and capacity-building programmes to prepare them for follow-on funding and strengthen their enterprises’ financial sustainability. They will also benefit from the consortium partners’ diverse expertise, experience, and networks.
Source: Siemens-Stiftung
