KawiSafi Ventures

About the fund

KawiSafi Ventures has been investing in clean energy technologies and access in Africa since 2016. Now in the market with its second fund, the Acumen subsidiary is expanding into other climate technologies, including battery storage, carbon markets, AI and data applications, e-mobility and climate fintech. With its second fund, KawiSafi firm is deepening its focus on women in the clean energy transition, says managing director Amar Inamdar. “We want to source a pipeline that has gender representation.” It is also expanding from East Africa to West Africa. In Nigeria, for example, frequent power cuts and the government’s recent termination of fuel subsidies is driving more interest in solar and clean energy solutions. “We see a lot of opportunity in battery storage and the displacement of diesel generator sets for the small business segment in particular,” KawiSafi’s Marcus Watson told ImpactAlpha. “We’re excited to invest across West Africa – both anglophone and francophone West Africa – and we also see opportunities in Central Africa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he added. KawiSafi is looking to raise up to $200 million. It has secured anchor investments from the African Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund, both of which are investing in the fund’s junior equity/first-loss tranche.

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