We would like to announce that we have received an investment of US$1,100,000 from Factor E as the lead investor and Investisseurs & Partenaires - I&P (led by Gaia Impact). The investment will allow us to prove that virtual power plants and energy trading platforms can positively impact the sustainable use of renewable energy from distributed energy resources while reducing the ever rising cost of power and minimizing blackouts especially in Zimbabwe. Africa: The Big Deal Startuplab Creative Destruction Lab Techstars Startupbootcamp Australia Google Startups for Sustainable Development Start Up Energy Transition (SET) ZERA Energy Regulator Agence Française de Développement
⚡ NeedEnergy: Scaling Smart Energy Solutions in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 Gaia Impact recently led an investment from the I&P Digital Energy Facility into NeedEnergy (Techstars'23), a Zimbabwean company pioneering virtual power plants. By aggregating decentralized energy sources and managing them as a single optimized unit, NeedEnergy enhances energy efficiency and accessibility in Zimbabwe. Founded in 2019 by Leroy T. Nyangani, NeedEnergy leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning 🤖 to address Africa’s growing energy demands. Leroy and his team are relentlessly transforming the region’s energy landscape. NeedEnergy's smart meters, connected to its Memeza.ai platform, enable real-time monitoring of production, demand, and pricing, while anticipating market fluctuations. This data-driven approach helps optimize energy usage for grid resale, battery storage, or direct consumption. 📊⚡ This investment is part of I&P Digital Energy, a €4.8 million program funded by the European Union 🇪🇺 and implemented by the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) and managed by Investisseurs & Partenaires - I&P and Gaia Impact to support African startups and SMEs developing innovative digital energy solutions. 💡 By working with NeedEnergy, the facility aims to accelerate the deployment of smart energy technologies, strengthening Africa’s transition to sustainable and efficient power systems. 🌱 Special thanks to Leroy T. Nyangani, Raphael Dumont, Caty Diokhané, Erwan Le Minier, Guilhem Dupuy, Cyril Renault for making this happen!