The mobility service sector has been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 crisis, with extended lockdowns preventing businesses providing transport of people and goods. A new article published on The City Fix website however, demonstrates the opportunities contained within mobility start-ups’ business pivots and highlights the increased understanding of the value of more resilient, cleaner,…
SF partner S4S Technologies has been recognised by the prestigious Ashden Awards 2020. India based organisation S4S was presented with the Energy and Livelihoods Award for its innovative solar dryers which cut food waste and support women entrepreneurs. The patented solar conduction dryers can dehydrate a wide range of harvested crops, including fruit, vegetables, grains and spices, with minimal…
SMV Green Solutions (SMV) has been an SF partner since 2015 and works to provide safe, clean and affordable sustainable mobility solutions. Through its “Project Vahini” programme – supported by the UK Government – SMV also promotes gender inclusion and has so far helped over 70 women e-rickshaw drivers become owners of their own vehicle.…
840 million people worldwide still lack access to energy, the majority of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. Off-grid solar is playing a key role in helping to lower this number — by end 2019, 280 million people had enjoyed an improved electricity access thanks to an off-grid solar source.[1] To do this, we commissioned Altai…
In August 2019 we promoted early pilot findings on the launch of HelloSolar, a new enterprise established with co-funding with the UK government and USAID that sought to integrate a new Pay-As-You-Go solar business with an existing mobile money operator in Ethiopia. Early positive business results and high satisfaction levels among new customers saw us…
SF partner Easy Matatu, one of the earliest stage companies in our portfolio, has eagerly risen to the Covid-19 relief effort challenge. Easy Matatu is reforming the existing, informal minibus-taxis (known as “matatus”) industry by building a community of trusted matatu drivers and a fleet of clean and safe vehicles to provide first-rate transportation to…
The current global pandemic has significantly reduced access to basic necessities. In rural India there is daily pressure to find reliable food supplies. S4S Technologies installs solar powered dehydrators at farm level to convert fruit and vegetables into dehydrated products. Operating across the entire value chain, S4S significantly reduces post-harvest loss and assures that revenue…
Achieving energy access (SDG7) while tackling climate change (SDG13): Learnings and next steps post a proof-of-concept implementation It is a global responsibility to end energy poverty through access to clean, affordable and sustainable energy, whilst tackling climate change. Energy access acts as a catalyst for the growth of developing societies and economies. Yet, clean energy…
In early 2019, we supported Greenlight Planet (GLP), with co-funding from the UK government, to seek a sustainable partnership model with commercial financial institutions to provide financing for modern energy solutions for women in Nigeria. If successful, this model would have far-reaching positive implications on both energy access and financial inclusion throughout the continent. Scalable…
India-based logistics organisation Tusker joins the growing list of SF partners who are coming to people’s aid during the Covid-19 pandemic. Getting essential items to people in remote areas of India can be very challenging. Tusker uses its logistics system to enable rural crowd-sourced freight transportation to deliver to outlying towns and villages and address…