A Kenyan start-up that provides access to water for the continent’s small-scale farmers has attracted the attention of big business.

The Nairobi-based SunCulture, which supplies solar-powered water pumps to farmers, has secured US$27.5 million in its Series B funding round, which attracted investment from the likes of ex-Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt and Netflix founder Reed Hastings.

The cost of the pumps is subsidised through the sale of carbon credits, as they allow farmers to do away with diesel-powered generators, according to Moneyweb. In some cases the pumps have enabled farmers to improve crop yields by up to five times.

The start-up, founded in 2013, operates in Kenya, Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire and has distribution agreements in Ethiopia, Zambia and Togo. It has sold 47 000 of the units, which use as little as 310W of power.

Other investors in the funding round included IntraCo Africa and the Acumen Fund, reports Disrupt Africa.

16 April 2024
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