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New Capital to Scale Climate Solutions in East Africa
BFA Global and FSD Africa have announced $273,000 in follow-on funding and venture-building support for four early-stage climate enterprises operating in East Africa.
RELATED: Soros Economic Development Fund invests $7m in Persistent Climate Fund to scale Africa’s green economy
The beneficiaries are alumni of the Triggering Exponential Climate Action (TECA) venture-building programme, which supports climate solutions from concept to investment while strengthening resilience in vulnerable communities. The selected small and growing businesses (SGBs) are advancing innovations across clean energy, cold storage, carbon markets, and food systems.
Operational Capital and Investment Readiness Support
The new funding package combines operational capital with hands-on technical assistance, including business model refinement, operational guidance, and preparation for future investment rounds. The aim is to help the ventures transition from early traction to commercial readiness and scalable impact.
Already, the supported businesses are delivering tangible benefits in the energy and agriculture sectors, improving livelihoods and reducing climate-related risks across local communities.
Meet the Four Climate Innovators
- Africa Renewables Katalyst (ARK): Connects East African renewable energy developers to global renewable energy certificate markets through data systems, verification services, and market access tools.
- Plas-tech Energies: Converts plastic waste into clean cooking gas distributed via refillable cylinders, offering a safer and more affordable alternative to charcoal and kerosene.
- Samaking: Operates solar-powered cold-chain infrastructure and a decentralised fish distribution network that cuts post-harvest losses and strengthens market stability, particularly for women traders.
- Sunwave: Provides solar-powered ice production and cold storage solutions that reduce post-harvest losses and boost incomes for small-scale fishers and fish traders.
Addressing the Early-Stage Funding Gap
Follow-on capital is increasingly difficult for early-stage climate ventures to secure, especially in emerging markets. According to Sightline Climate, early-stage deal counts fell by about 20 per cent in 2025, reaching a five-year low as investors concentrated funding into fewer companies.
“Early-stage climate ventures face a critical funding cliff just as they are ready to grow. Our follow-on support gives them the capital, time, and tools to build credible, investable businesses that strengthen resilience in vulnerable communities,” said Tyler Ferdinand, Director of the TECA programme at BFA Global.
Strengthening Finance for Climate Resilience
Mary Kashangaki, Early-Stage Finance Manager at FSD Africa, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to unlocking finance for climate-focused SGBs.
“Access to capital remains challenging for this category of businesses, yet they employ the majority of Africans and are central to climate resilience. Enhancing financial flows to small and growing businesses while tackling climate change remains a core priority for us,” she said.
