PREO awards €4.26M to 22 clean tech startups driving Africa’s green future

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By Simon Okitela

The Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) programme has announced the winners of its sixth funding round—an ambitious initiative supporting clean technology entrepreneurs across sub-Saharan Africa.

Backed by the Carbon Trust and Energy 4 Impact through Mercy Corps’ energy innovation platform, this year’s round will distribute €4.26 million in grants to 22 companies advancing sustainable energy solutions that enhance livelihoods, boost incomes, and build climate resilience.

From solar-powered food processing to e-mobility and clean cooking, the selected ventures are tackling real-world challenges through clean energy innovations. Each grant—ranging from €100,000 to nearly €300,000—will help scale up pioneering projects across sectors like agriculture, water, digital infrastructure, and transportation.

PREO is funded by UK aid through the UK Government’s Transforming Energy Access platform and the IKEA Foundation. Its mission: to promote the productive use of renewable energy (PURE) in Africa and the Pacific, fostering inclusive economic development.

“The clean energy transition is the greatest economic opportunity of our time,” said Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate.

“Through PREO, we’re backing innovators providing the clean solutions their communities urgently need.”

Record-breaking demand for funding

This latest round saw a record 613 eligible applications—150% more than the previous call—demonstrating soaring interest in clean tech solutions across Africa. Entrepreneurs sought over €115 million in total, offering €73 million in co-financing. The massive response reflects a maturing ecosystem ready to deliver on Africa’s green growth potential.

“At the IKEA Foundation, we believe access to reliable renewable energy is key to building resilient communities,” said Richa Goyal, Programme Manager. “PREO is empowering local innovators with climate-smart solutions to improve incomes and support a sustainable future.”

Among the selected companies, several are focused on reducing food loss and boosting agricultural productivity through solar-powered technology.

Two women-led ventures are at the forefront of solar-powered cold storage innovation; Novel Farm (Uganda) is introducing PAYGO solar milk cooling systems with GPS tracking.

Green Eden Farms (Nigeria) will build affordable solar cold hubs, connected to a digital platform linking farmers with buyers.

Other ventures include Munakyalo Agrofresh (Uganda), which will offer ‘pay-as-you-store’ IoT cooling hubs with market access services, and Consistent Energy (Nigeria), providing locally assembled freezers via a cooling-as-a-service model.

Agsol Kenya will deploy solar-compatible grain mills using pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) financing, enabling small rural processors to shift away from diesel power.

Synnefa Green is launching solar-powered smart dryers with IoT tracking and digital traceability for smallholder farmers.

Samaking plans to expand a solar-powered cold chain and logistics network for fish aggregation across East Africa.

Solar Works Energy in Malawi is developing a ‘pay-as-you-catch’ model for night fishing lights to support deep-water fishing on Lake Malawi.

The selection process, led by Carbon Trust, Energy 4 Impact, and an independent expert investment committee, prioritized proposals aligned with PREO’s vision: high-impact, scalable solutions with long-term climate and economic benefits.

While only a fraction of applicants could be funded, the sheer volume and quality of submissions point to a thriving innovation landscape. With continued investment and support, clean energy entrepreneurs are set to play a defining role in Africa’s transition to a sustainable, climate-resilient future.