Support

EEP Africa financing is supplemented by technical support, investment facilitation, and knowledge sharing. EEP Africa improves the investment readiness of its portfolio companies through Investor Forums and targeted business development support. The extraordinary learning happening inside the portfolio is shared through Knowledge Exchange Forums and other events, a wide range of knowledge products, and proactive networking with partners. Through these activities, EEP Africa aims to help build an inclusive, innovative and resilient clean energy sector.

Investor Forum

The EEP Africa Investor Forum brings global and regional investors together with clean energy businesses operating in Southern and East Africa. These events offer select investors access to a pre-screened pipeline of projects and provide developers with a unique opportunity to secure follow-on financing for successful projects and innovative business models. EEP Africa supports developers through customized coaching sessions and one-on-one meetings with representatives of venture capital, impact finance, private equity and development finance institutions.

Recent Investor Events

Investor Workshops

In 2021, EEP Africa launched a new series of Investor Workshops, with each event customised for a single investor. The format allowed for practical discussions on challenges in the clean energy sector, and improved understanding of the needs and priorities of both the investor and the companies. Twelve portfolio companies were invited to present their work at Investor Workshops for Charm Impact, SunFunder, Camco Clean Energy and Lendahand.

Investor Forums

In 2020, EEP Africa hosted a virtual Clean Energy Investment Forum in cooperation with GET.invest . More than 50 global and regional investors and 25 innovative clean energy companies participated in online matchmaking sessions. In 2019, EEP Africa, Shell Foundation and Factor[e] Ventures co-hosted an East Africa Investor Forum in Nairobi in September 2019. More than 50 investors met with a curated group of over 20 leading innovation and impact-oriented companies.

Investment Facilitation

EEP Africa aims to build a pipeline of investment-ready clean energy projects. Portfolio companies are offered targeted and demand-driven business development support to build capacity, credibility and investment readiness. When a company is ready, EEP Africa facilitates linkages with the investor community through coaching, networking events and tailored matchmaking.

EEP Africa Awards

Project of The Year Award

This award celebrates outstanding achievement by an EEP Africa portfolio company. The winner is selected by an international jury panel and offered a speaking slot at a sector event. Since 2021, the award has been split into two categories, Start Up and Scale Up, to recognize innovation and impact by companies in different stages of maturity. In 2023, Sokofresh was awarded for the Scale Up Project of the year, and Baridi for the Start Up Project of the year. In 2022 the award for Scale up went to Mobility for Africa and for Start Up to Millennium Engineers. The 2021 awards went to Powerlive Zimbabwe and Jaza Energy. Past winners include: Gigawatt Global, SunCulture, Vitalite, Green Bio Energy, iSmart Kenya, and Eco-Fuel Africa, Devergy.

Rising Energy Leader Award

EEP Africa recognises young professionals who are leading the clean energy transition in Africa. Awardees are featured in individual profiles about their career path and shared via social media and the EEP Africa website. Read the stories of our 2023 awardee: Precious Vuma, and our 2022 awardees: Rethabile Mafura and Felix Boldt. Read about the 2021 awardees: Admore Chiumia, Aman Baboolal, Madrin Maina, Tracy Kimathi and Ziwa Hillington. And read profiles of our 2020 winners: Cleophas Ahishakiye, Esther Altorfer, Maya Khonje-Stewart, Elana Laichena and Priscilla Sani-Chimwele.

Knowledge Exchange Forum (KEF)

The EEP Africa Knowledge Exchange Forum (KEF) is a dynamic event for project developers and other key players in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector to discuss key topics in the field, share experiences, and build new business relationships. The event includes speakers, panels and roundtable discussions that offer participants valuable opportunities to share their own successes and challenges.

Recent Knowledge Events

Knowledge Weeks

In recent years, EEP Africa has organised virtual Knowledge Weeks featuring a series of events on evolving themes and innovative projects in the clean energy sector in Africa. Knowledge Week 2023 included sessions on Investor Readiness, the upcoming EEP Africa Call for Proposals and the Clean Cooking Ecosystem. In 2021, Knowledge Week focused on the agriculture-energy nexus, with sessions on cold chain and agro-processing, as well as inclusive leadership and early-stage financing. Energy and climate was the focus of Knowledge Week 2020, with the launch of an EEP Africa study on climate co-benefits from clean energy projects, Energising Resilience, and an analysis of productive use and circular economy, 2020 Market Report.

Regional Forums

EEP Africa has been hosting knowledge forums in Africa since 2014, with events held in Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The 2019 Forum in Arusha, Tanzania had a theme of Clean Energy for Productive Use and Green Growth. It featured the launch of new EEP Africa publications looking at productive use of energy, Powering Productivity, and opportunities for youth, Profiles of Change. The 2018 Forum in Kigali was part of Rwanda Energy Week and saw the launch of an EEP Africa in-depth study on Opportunities and Challenges in the Mini-grid Sector in Africa.