Venture Building
TEA supports and builds pioneering “lead firms” delivering new clean energy access technologies and business models, capable of leveraging private capital, achieving impact at scale, and shifting whole markets. It provides patient capital (equity and grants), as well as hands on advice to entrepreneurs supporting their business growth and maximising impact. To date, TEA’s Venture Building portfolio partners have made 132 investments worth over £107 million and tested 464 innovative business models.
Supported Projects
Market Building
TEA develops the market infrastructure required for clean energy access innovations by creating favourable conditions for the energy transition in developing countries. This includes establishing new, or supporting existing, market institutions—such as specialist funds, regulatory bodies, and crowdfunding platforms.
In addition, TEA’s Leave No One Behind portfolio provides the data and evidence needed to address systemic barriers that hinder the widespread deployment of quality energy solutions in contexts where market-based approaches are limited, such as displacement and humanitarian settings, health facilities, and among communities and individuals living in extreme poverty.
Supported Projects
IMPACT STORIES HIGHLIGHTS
Bringing power to people, one charge at a time
After developing a battery rental service that replaces fossil fuel with solar-generated power, MOPO received TEA support to validate its technology, and enter new markets. MOPO has now passed 28 million battery rentals across sub-Saharan Africa and raised more than £21 million in further investment.
Reducing post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers through accessible cold storage
Solar-powered cold storage supports resilient food systems and limits post-harvest crop losses. With TEA funding, SokoFresh piloted a business model to bring these technologies straight to Kenya’s rural and often off-grid smallholder farmers, reducing spoilage to just 2%.
Powering up the leading lights in Kenya’s renewables market
It was one of those experiences that I will never forget!” says Moses, the General Manager for East Africa at off-grid solar system provider SUNami Solar.
Amplifying women’s voices through research to improve clean energy access solutions
Surveys and data collection across the TEA platform incorporate the perspectives of women who participate in, and benefit from, energy access initiatives and products.
The catalytic impact of grant funding to stimulate wider investment
Securing sufficient finance for energy access projects in Africa has been a real challenge, but TEA partners are demonstrating how grant funding, coupled with commercialisation and incubation support can be a catalyst to stimulate wider investment.
Maxing out mini-grids – more power to more people, for less
Mini-grids are anything but small-scale in the energy market – and their popularity looks set to surge. The TEA programme is helping unlock their powerful potential for customers and investors alike.
Local women leading the way on clean energy innovation
Reduction in managed teams’ turnover, improved personnel performance, pay rises and promotions are just some of the benefits reported by the 85 clean energy companies whose middle management received training through the OGTi.
