Deadline:16th January, 2026
The ClimaFii Alliance is a five-year initiative accelerating climate innovation and inclusive finance for microenterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. We support early-stage startups delivering clean energy and electric mobility solutions that raise productivity, increase incomes, and build resilience for small business owners—while reducing emissions and local pollution.
Launched by Shell Foundation and Accion, and delivered in partnership with BFA Global (Sub-Saharan Africa) and Upaya Social Ventures (India), ClimaFii focuses on the “missing middle”: microentrepreneurs who power local economies but are underserved by climate finance and technology.
Sectors and solutions that we support:
1. Energy & Energy Storage
Solutions that provide reliable, affordable clean power for micro and small enterprises. Includes solar energy-as-a-service, battery leasing, shared energy hubs, biofuel-powered systems, and hybrid mini-energy solutions. Must directly enable ME productivity (e.g., powering shops, tools, market stalls, workshops).
2. Productive Use & Post-Harvest Energy Solutions
Energy-enabled tools that increase ME productivity or reduce post-harvest losses. Includes mills, grinders, dryers, cold chain, solar fridges, community kitchens, clean cooking for food vendors, and small agri-processing. Must involve transformation, preservation, processing, or value-addition (not primary production).
3. Electric Mobility
Affordable electric mobility solutions for small logistics providers, riders, traders, and delivery operators. IIncludes electric 2–3 wheelers, battery swapping, charging hubs, EV retrofits, PAYGo mobility, and logistics platforms tied to EV adoption.
4. Circular Economy & Waste-to-Energy
Technologies that turn waste into usable energy or materials, or enable small enterprises to monetize circular activities. Includes briquette production, pyrolysis micro-plants, biofuels, community recycling hubs, and micro-scale waste valorization models.
5. Fintech, Workforce & Shared-Economy Platforms
Platforms that make energy and mobility solutions more affordable or accessible to microenterprises. Includes embedded finance, digital leasing, PAYGo tools, working capital platforms, installer marketplaces, and enabling technology for ME adoption of climate assets.
6. Technologies Enabling Nature-Based Solutions
Clean-energy or IoT-enabled tools that support nature-positive livelihoods. Includes smart beekeeping, pollination-as-a-service, aquaculture monitoring, and IoT-based poultry systems. Must be tied to commercial ME activity with revenue-generating or productivity-enhancing use cases.
ClimaFii does not currently support solutions focused solely on primary agriculture, household consumers, large enterprises, or utility-scale infrastructure. In agriculture specifically, we only support post-harvest, value-addition, processing, preservation, or ME-level transformation — not primary crop production, irrigation-only solutions, or pure farm inputs.
Benefits
ClimaFii provides a high-support, low-friction pathway for early-stage climate ventures to reach product-market fit, unlock microenterprise financing, and prepare for follow-on investment. Our support spans four integrated pillars:
- Catalytic capital
Each selected company will receive $45,000–$70,000 in funding designed to help test and refine business models, expand microenterprise reach, and de-risk early operations. This catalytic capital supports product deployment, GTM experiments, and operational improvements while strengthening your readiness for follow-on investment. Companies demonstrating strong outcomes for women-led microenterprises may be eligible for more flexible terms or additional support.
- Tailored venture support
They provide tailored venture-building support to strengthen your product, business model, and path to scale. This includes hands-on guidance to refine unit economics, pricing, operational systems, and go-to-market strategy; expert advisory from specialists in clean energy, mobility, IoT, UX, data, and gender; and dedicated investment readiness support to prepare your business for equity, debt, or blended capital. Throughout the program, we help you build financial resilience, craft a compelling fundraising narrative, and connect with relevant investors and partners in our network. We also work with you to track and communicate your impact on microenterprises using a practical, outcomes-focused framework that supports future growth and funding.
- End-User Finance Technical Assistance & Pilots
Working closely with Accion, we help you unlock affordability for microenterprises through partnerships with MFIs, SACCOs, cooperatives, and fintechs. We provide technical assistance to design asset-finance, embedded finance, or working-capital products tailored to your offerings and the end-microenterprises that you serve. For selected companies, we support the launch of real pilots that enable microentrepreneurs to afford and adopt clean energy and mobility solutions, while reducing the financing burden on your balance sheet.
- Gender Inclusivity & Market Expansion
ClimaFii embeds gender-smart design across the program to help companies reach and serve more women-led microenterprises. We conduct gender diagnostics, support user research with women ME segments, and offer practical guidance on product, UX, and distribution adaptations. Companies generating strong gender outcomes may also access targeted incentives or TA to expand into this high-potential market segment.
Eligibility
- Stage
We’re looking for early (pre-seed, seed, or post-seed) companies that have a clean energy and/or electric mobility product in the market, and with potential to reach ~2,000 new microenterprise customers by the end of the first year in the program.
- Geography
Operating in sub-Saharan Africa only. (For India-based companies, a separate process applies)
Women-led and women-owned businesses are particularly encouraged to apply.
- Product-Market Fit
Must have a minimum viable product (MVP) in the market with proven usage by microentrepreneurs. Clear solution to a specific market problem, preferably tech-enabled for clean energy solutions.
- Team
Strong, adaptable team with expertise in their problem space, willing to learn and adapt, and responsive to feedback and coaching. At least one co-founder based in Africa.
- Impact
Tracks (or will be tracking) impact metrics for microentrepreneur livelihoods with gender lens.
Business requirements
- Registered and operational business in SSA
- Company must have potential to reach at least 2,000 customers by the end of Year 1 of the program.
- Company must have potential for, or be exploring, financial-service-provider partnerships.
- Clear need for accelerator support and potential to scale
For more information and application.
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