Grace Ashiru
SunCulture, a Kenyan climate tech startup, has raised $12 million to scale its solar irrigation solution across Sub-Saharan Africa. The company aims to equip hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers with IoT-enabled solar-powered irrigation by 2030.
InfraCo Africa, a division of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), partnered with Savant Group Ltd. to strategically invest in equity.
Eric Schmidt, the former CEO and chairman of Google, Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, and Acumen Funds are all involved in the foundation’s activities.
The latest funding round, a key component of the $27.5 million Series B fundraising drive for the climate business, has been facilitated by InfraCo Africa’s dedicated investment division.
SunCulture CEO Samir Ibrahim expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with our investors as we strive towards our mutual objectives.
SunCulture is dedicated to helping farmers increase their productivity. Across sub-Saharan Africa, many farmers depend on rainfed agriculture or carbon-emitting diesel and petrol pumps for irrigation.
SunCulture offers farmers a sustainable solution to reduce their reliance on expensive, environmentally damaging fuel-based pumps and mitigate their heavy dependence on seasonal rainfall.
The solar company offers small-scale farmers the opportunity to access cost-effective, solar-powered water pumps. These pumps can cut ownership costs by up to 50% compared to fuel-based alternatives. The company provides them through the sale of carbon credits, making sustainable farming more accessible.
The pumps are designed for small agricultural plots ranging from one to three acres, boasting an impressive output of 1,200 liters per hour.
SunCulture operates under a “Pay-As-You-Grow” business model and has established its presence in Kenya, Uganda, and the Ivory Coast. Additionally, the company has secured distribution agreements in Ethiopia, Zambia, and Togo.
SunCulture has successfully sold 47,000 solar-powered irrigation systems to date. Moreover, the company aims to expand its services for farmers by incorporating insurance and soil testing into its offerings.
Since its inception, the climate tech business has successfully raised a total of $65 million through the Series B round. This funding comprises grants, debt, stock, and carbon financing, demonstrating a diverse and robust financial strategy.
Furthermore, it is making strides towards its goal of securing $219 million for the deployment of 274,000 solar irrigation systems throughout Kenya.
