KawiSafi Ventures invests in Orb Energy to expand commercial and industrial solar across East Africa
Investment will support Orb’s Africa business, expand its project pipeline and support project delivery.
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- Renewable energy
- East Africa
Nairobi, Kenya, October 1, 2026 — KawiSafi Ventures has invested $2 million in Orb Energy to support the expansion of the company’s commercial and industrial (C&I) solar business across East Africa.
The capital is ring-fenced for Orb’s Africa business and will support the company’s growing project pipeline in Kenya and the wider region. The investment will provide additional capital to support project delivery as Orb expands its African operations.
Orb, whose Africa operations are headquartered in Nairobi, provides solar systems and financing solutions to commercial and industrial customers across sectors including manufacturing, agro-processing, healthcare and hospitality. Its model allows businesses to adopt solar through a combination of outright purchases and financing structures that reduce upfront capital requirements.
The company has built a growing pipeline of C&I solar projects across the region. The investment will provide additional capital to support Orb as these projects move from development and contracting into construction.
A growing African market for C&I solar
The investment comes as the economics of renewable energy continue to improve while financing remains a significant factor in the cost and viability of projects in emerging and developing markets.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reports that Africa recorded a 68 percent reduction in total installed costs for utility-scale renewable power between 2015 and 2024. At the same time, financing costs accounted for a larger share of renewable energy costs in Africa than in Europe, reflecting higher perceived risk and macroeconomic conditions.
For C&I solar businesses, access to capital is particularly important because projects require financing through development, procurement, construction and commissioning. Orb’s model combines solar deployment with financing solutions for customers, while KawiSafi’s investment provides growth capital to support the company’s expansion.
“Orb has built a strong C&I solar business in Kenya at a time when businesses across the region are looking for more reliable and affordable power. We see an opportunity to support the company as it expands its project pipeline and mobilises additional capital for deployment. The model connects a clear commercial need with the transition to cleaner energy,” said Amar Inamdar, Managing Director, KawiSafi Ventures.
“We at Orb Energy are extremely proud that KawiSafi has decided to invest in our Kenya business for further expansion in East Africa. We have so far installed close to 15MW of rooftop solar in East Africa, across more than 60 C&I customers. But the potential in East Africa, and Africa as a whole, is enormous. We are just scratching the surface. With this new equity from KawiSafi we intend to grow our regional footprint, build our local team, and strengthen our partnerships with financiers to solarise more of the up and coming commercial and industrial establishments in Africa,” said Damian Miller, Co-founder and CEO, Orb Energy.
Orb has developed financing options that allow commercial and industrial customers to adopt solar without bearing the full upfront cost of installation. Its approach is designed to help businesses manage energy costs while expanding the use of distributed renewable energy.
Building on KawiSafi’s second fund
The investment was made through KawiSafi Ventures’ second fund, which builds on the experience of its predecessor, a $67 million clean energy fund launched in 2016, while expanding its investment strategy across Africa’s climate economy. Its focus includes energy transition, clean transportation, and green productivity.
KawiSafi Ventures was created by Acumen and manages its for-profit climate investment strategy in Africa. The second KawiSafi fund, which announced $90 million in approved capital in late 2025, extends Acumen’s approach to backing growth-stage businesses that can build markets and scale solutions addressing climate and economic challenges in underserved markets. Anchor investors include the Green Climate Fund and Schmidt Family Foundation, with funding from Quadrature Climate Foundation.
The investment in Orb reflects that approach. The company has an established operating business, a growing market opportunity and a pipeline of projects that require additional capital to reach deployment.
About Orb Energy
Orb Energy is a leading provider of solar energy solutions in India and Africa. The company was founded in 2006 and is vertically integrated, with its own solar panel manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, India. Orb Energy provides rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems, solar plus battery storage and financing solutions for commercial and industrial customers. The company has installed more than 400 MW of solar capacity and aims to reach 1 GW before 2030. Learn more at www.orbenergy.com.
About KawiSafi
KawiSafi is Acumen’s for-profit investment platform focused on accelerating Africa’s energy transition. It designs and manages climate finance strategies that mobilize catalytic capital to support inclusive, low-carbon growth. Fund II builds on nearly a decade of experience investing in companies that expand access to clean energy and drive economic resilience.
For more information, visit www.kawisafiventures.com.
About Acumen
Acumen is a global force of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and social innovators working together to build a world based on dignity. We were founded by Jacqueline Novogratz on the radical idea that business, when cultivated with moral imagination, can break the cycle of poverty. We invest in transformational companies, build sustainable markets, and prepare leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since 2001, we have scaled companies and shaped markets in some of the hardest-to-reach communities on the planet, impacting over half a billion lives. To learn more, visit www.acumen.org.
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