Startups for Sustainable Development

"Our objective is to connect and empower 100 million of the most vulnerable people to life-changing infrastructure technologies by 2030." 

Ignite Power, the Zayed Sustainability Prize winner at COP28, is building the next generation of clean utility services for the Global South. They deliver decarbonised, distributed, digitized solutions for all - changing the lives of unserved communities at scale, and addressing their most essential infrastructure needs. They aim to empower 100 million people by 2030 with their green growth technologies.  

At Ignite Power, we are building the future of utility services, for everyone, and everywhere. Our objective is to connect and empower 100 million of the most vulnerable people to life-changing infrastructure technologies by 2030 in the most sustainable, clean, and affordable way. Our mission is rooted in the belief that Ignite's next-gen infra will not only transform lives at scale, but also build an inclusive, green and resilient system.

Thanks to our fully digitized, distributed, and decarbonised model and by building a suite of cutting-edge, last-mile platform technologies, we manage effectively operations in some of the most remote and challenging environments on Earth. Our work goes beyond providing basic services—by delivering access to electricity and digital connectivity, we unlock new possibilities for access to education, better health, economic opportunity, especially for women and youth. The stakes couldn’t be higher: without clean energy access, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past, condemning billions to poverty and contributing to environmental degradation. At Ignite, we are determined to help Africa leapfrog once more, laying the groundwork for a better, more inclusive world.

After years experimenting with different impacts and investment models, we wanted to unlock what could truly create the deepest possible social and environmental impact, sustainably and at large scale - and nothing is more humbling than working to build a 100% clean and safe future, that leaves no one behind.

Today, access to basic infrastructure—electricity, internet, water— can be considered at the bottom of the Maslow's pyramid. Every individual in the global south without access to these basic services is locked out of opportunity and will seek any means to remedy this, however dangerous it may be. At the macro scale, we need to make sure the next billion people find it more beneficial to choose a green growth path, or this will have dire consequences on climate change. If we fail at this, it will be a failure in human health and planetary health - and our founding team of Avengers saw what the right Tech and Innovation would be to take on that huge challenge heads-on, at scale and with deep sense of urgency.

Scaling a mission of this magnitude—connecting 100 million people—is not without its challenges. From reaching some of the most remote, off-grid areas of Africa to overcoming logistical barriers, the journey is complex. But technology is the solution.

Our approach is driven by data and innovation, using digital tools to manage everything from deployment verification to fleet management in real time. This tech-forward approach enables us to scale more efficiently, reducing costs while increasing reach. Despite the difficulties of working in environments without basic infrastructure or even cellular connectivity, our digital platform allows us to break through these barriers and deliver life-changing solutions where they are needed most.

To date, we’ve improved the lives of over 3 million people in nine countries across Africa, creating more than 3,500 jobs, more than a third of which are held by women.

We’ve also eliminated more than 800,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions by replacing dirty, polluting fuels with clean energy solutions.

But our impact goes far beyond numbers. We’ve seen children able to study after dark, families breathe cleaner air, and women gain economic independence through access to energy. The ripple effects are profound: access to clean and safe electricity transforms education, improves health, fosters financial growth, and empowers entire communities. At its core, our work is about changing lives and building a more inclusive, resilient and safe future.

Google is truly a world-class partner, which is providing us with essential tools to achieve our next phase of growth. Joining the Startups for Sustainable Development program allowed us to tap into an incredible tech power-house, powered with driven, helpful and very skilled advisors, across very complex and diverse verticals. They are bringing us cutting-edge expertise in AI, optimisation, automation that has significantly enhanced our operations, as well as concrete support in areas such as M&A, monetisation and marketing.

Since joining the program, we’ve been able to take on the next level of ambitions for our tech roadmap improve our systems and accelerate our scale-up efforts. The value we’ve gained from this partnership extends beyond the immediate benefits; it has also positioned us to lead in the creation of a strong tech toolkit that will shape the future of energy and internet access.

Our ambitions for the next year are nothing short of transformative. We’re expanding rapidly, having recently entered five new markets across across the continent, more than doubling our user base every year - and our goal is to establish a presence in at least five more countries in the coming months, but also to accelerate our reach beyond past performance, both on a carbon and impacted lives level. Each milestone brings us closer to our ultimate vision: a world where every person, no matter how remote, has access to clean energy and the opportunities it creates.

AI is reshaping the critical element of energy access: how we deliver energy solutions to underserved regions. AI can help predict localized energy needs, tailor solar installations to specific environments, use optimisation for better operations, and reduce costs through automated maintenance forecasting. By learning from real-time data, AI helps us leap over traditional barriers, empowers us to reach more people faster, transforming lives through climatech on an unprecedented scale.

Thank you to Angela and Ignite for sharing with us their incredible vision and their experiences participating in the Startups for Sustainable Development program.

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"To date, we've improved the lives of over 3 million people in nine countries in Africa. We've also eliminated more than 800,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions."