Ignite Power

Ignite Power, founded in 2014, operates as a pan-African infrastructure technology company focused on providing distributed renewable energy (DRE) solutions to off-grid communities. The company was co-founded by Yariv Cohen, who serves as CEO, and Angela Homsi, who is the President. Cohen is a serial entrepreneur and impact investor with two decades of experience in the renewable energy sector, including building one of the largest portfolios of climate change assets. Homsi has a background in sustainable finance and global impact investing, having worked at Goldman Sachs and Generation Investment Management under Al Gore's chairmanship.

The company's primary business involves financing and distributing solar-based technologies to last-mile communities across sub-Saharan Africa. Its business model centers on extreme affordability, offering solar home systems through a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with monthly payments as low as 95 cents. After a 24-month period, the customer owns the equipment. This approach targets bottom-of-the-pyramid customers, primarily small-holder farmers and their families, who lack access to reliable electricity. Ignite Power has also expanded its product line to include solar irrigation pumps, clean cooking stoves, and solar-based internet access. For instance, their solar irrigation pumps have reportedly enabled farmers to increase crop yields by up to 300%.

Since its inception in Rwanda, the company has expanded its operations significantly. By early 2025, through organic growth and strategic acquisitions of companies like ENGIE Energy Access, Oolu, Pawame, and Mwezi, Ignite Power's footprint grew to cover 14 African nations, serving over 15 million people. The company has secured partnerships with and support from organizations like the World Bank, Power Africa, and The Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) to reduce costs and scale operations. Revenue is generated from the sale of these affordable energy solutions and through carbon off-take agreements. The company's goal is to connect 100 million people to sustainable energy by 2030.

Keywords: distributed renewable energy, pay-as-you-go solar, off-grid communities, solar home systems, impact investing, sustainable infrastructure, rural electrification, Africa energy access, solar irrigation, climate finance