Acumen

Acumen is a nonprofit organization established in 2001 and based in New York City, with additional offices in Mumbai, Nairobi, Karachi, and Accra. The organization is dedicated to poverty eradication by raising charitable funds to invest in early-stage companies that provide essential services such as clean energy, healthcare, education, agricultural inputs, formal housing, and safe drinking water to low-income communities. Acumen has made significant investments totaling $128 million in 128 companies across 14 countries, impacting the lives of over 308 million individuals. The organization collaborates with notable partners, including the Rockefeller Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Google.org, to address critical challenges faced by underserved populations.

Amon Anderson

Director

Ajit Mahadevan

Country Director

Catherine Nanda

Director, Acumen America

Aun Rahman

Country Director Pakistan

Siddharth Tata

Associate Director

Past deals in West Africa

WamiAgro

Seed Round in 2025
Wami Agro is an agri-tech company focused on empowering smallholder farmers in Ghana to improve agricultural production and market access. By utilizing a tech-enabled platform, Wami Agro partners with over 10,000 smallholder farmers to grow, aggregate, and sell a variety of crops, including rice, maize, soya bean, and cassava. The company emphasizes sustainable agricultural practices such as precision farming, which enhances productivity while promoting environmental stewardship. Through its interventions, Wami Agro facilitates easy access to credit and markets, enabling farmers to sell their produce to poultry farmers, fast-moving consumer goods companies, distributors, and food service businesses. This approach not only supports the livelihoods of smallholder farmers but also contributes to food security and climate change mitigation.

Easy Solar

Venture Round in 2023
Easy Solar is a prominent energy distribution company focused on providing solar solutions to off-grid communities in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The company specializes in financing high-quality solar products, including solar lanterns and home systems, aimed at individuals with limited or no access to conventional electricity sources. Easy Solar offers flexible payment plans, allowing customers to make an initial deposit followed by weekly or monthly installments, payable through cash or mobile money. Since its inception, the company has positively impacted over 400,000 beneficiaries by leveraging a vast network of agents and outlets, thereby facilitating the transition to eco-friendly and affordable energy solutions.

Winock

Venture Round in 2021
Winock is a company focused on facilitating the transition to solar energy for micro businesses in Nigeria. It provides credit services tailored to support job creation and economic development, offering solar credit, equipment credit, and cash loans. By enabling small-scale entrepreneurs, such as barbers, welders, tailors, and kiosk owners, to adopt solar power, Winock helps them reduce operational costs and allocate savings towards business growth. The company combines expertise in African business with a commitment to sustainable energy solutions, positioning itself as a key player in the solar energy sector.

Easy Solar

Series A in 2020
Easy Solar is a prominent energy distribution company focused on providing solar solutions to off-grid communities in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The company specializes in financing high-quality solar products, including solar lanterns and home systems, aimed at individuals with limited or no access to conventional electricity sources. Easy Solar offers flexible payment plans, allowing customers to make an initial deposit followed by weekly or monthly installments, payable through cash or mobile money. Since its inception, the company has positively impacted over 400,000 beneficiaries by leveraging a vast network of agents and outlets, thereby facilitating the transition to eco-friendly and affordable energy solutions.

PowerGen Renewable Energy

Series B in 2019
PowerGen Renewable Energy is a leading provider of energy solutions in East Africa, focused on transforming energy access for residential, community, commercial, government, and industrial customers. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with additional offices in Arusha, Tanzania; Freetown, Sierra Leone; and Lagos, Nigeria, the company specializes in the development, construction, and operation of solar mini-grids. PowerGen offers a range of services including engineering, procurement, construction, and financing, ensuring affordable and reliable power for communities that are not connected to national electricity networks. As a pioneer in the solar mini-grid sector, PowerGen is committed to driving the clean energy transition across Africa and is a founding member of the Africa Mini-grid Developers Association, collaborating with various sector leaders to enhance energy access in the region.

PEG

Series C in 2019
PEG is an asset financing company based in Accra, Ghana, that specializes in providing affordable solar energy solutions to off-grid households in West Africa. Founded in 2013 by Hugh Whalan and Nate Heller, PEG offers a Pay As You Go financing model that enables customers to acquire solar home systems, which enhance their quality of life by providing reliable lighting, mobile phone charging, and access to appliances like radios and televisions. By facilitating the transition from traditional, polluting fuels such as kerosene to sustainable solar energy, PEG empowers its customers to invest in clean technology while reducing their ongoing energy costs. The company's operations extend to countries including Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal, where it addresses the energy needs of underserved communities.

PEG

Series C in 2019
PEG is an asset financing company based in Accra, Ghana, that specializes in providing affordable solar energy solutions to off-grid households in West Africa. Founded in 2013 by Hugh Whalan and Nate Heller, PEG offers a Pay As You Go financing model that enables customers to acquire solar home systems, which enhance their quality of life by providing reliable lighting, mobile phone charging, and access to appliances like radios and televisions. By facilitating the transition from traditional, polluting fuels such as kerosene to sustainable solar energy, PEG empowers its customers to invest in clean technology while reducing their ongoing energy costs. The company's operations extend to countries including Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal, where it addresses the energy needs of underserved communities.

Easy Solar

Seed Round in 2018
Easy Solar is a prominent energy distribution company focused on providing solar solutions to off-grid communities in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The company specializes in financing high-quality solar products, including solar lanterns and home systems, aimed at individuals with limited or no access to conventional electricity sources. Easy Solar offers flexible payment plans, allowing customers to make an initial deposit followed by weekly or monthly installments, payable through cash or mobile money. Since its inception, the company has positively impacted over 400,000 beneficiaries by leveraging a vast network of agents and outlets, thereby facilitating the transition to eco-friendly and affordable energy solutions.

PEG

Series B in 2017
PEG is an asset financing company based in Accra, Ghana, that specializes in providing affordable solar energy solutions to off-grid households in West Africa. Founded in 2013 by Hugh Whalan and Nate Heller, PEG offers a Pay As You Go financing model that enables customers to acquire solar home systems, which enhance their quality of life by providing reliable lighting, mobile phone charging, and access to appliances like radios and televisions. By facilitating the transition from traditional, polluting fuels such as kerosene to sustainable solar energy, PEG empowers its customers to invest in clean technology while reducing their ongoing energy costs. The company's operations extend to countries including Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal, where it addresses the energy needs of underserved communities.

Devergy

Seed Round in 2015
Devergy is a social energy utility based in Ghana that focuses on delivering reliable and affordable electricity services to low-income communities in developing countries, particularly in off-grid rural areas like Tanzania. The company operates village-sized energy micro-grids powered by solar energy, enabling households and businesses to access electricity. These micro-grids are designed with adaptive capacity and are regularly monitored to ensure efficient service delivery. By providing solar power, Devergy aims to improve the quality of life for underserved populations while promoting sustainable energy solutions.

Paga

Series B in 2015
Paga is a mobile payment company focused on creating a digital ecosystem for money transactions, primarily in Nigeria, where it is recognized as a leading provider in the sector. The company's application facilitates sending and receiving money through mobile devices, making financial services accessible to a broad audience. In addition to transferring funds, Paga's platform allows users to purchase airtime credits, pay bills, and make retail payments, addressing the growing demand for viable payment options. With an ambitious mission to simplify financial access for one billion people, Paga aims to overcome the challenges associated with traditional banking and enhance the overall financial inclusion in its target markets.

Esoko

Debt Financing in 2014
Esoko Networks Limited is a mobile-based market information exchange focused on agricultural markets in Africa. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Accra, Ghana, Esoko provides a platform that delivers automated and personalized market information, including price alerts, buy and sell offers, and agricultural advice, directly to farmers via SMS. The company also offers solutions for businesses to effectively connect with farmers, facilitating improved marketing, monitoring, and sourcing. Esoko's comprehensive ecosystem includes specialized applications designed for businesses, NGOs, mobile operators, and governments, enabling them to manage information efficiently. By promoting market transparency and communication, Esoko empowers farmers to enhance their yields and profits while allowing businesses to operate more effectively in rural markets. The company's services also extend to data collection, biometric profiling, and analytics, enhancing the efficiency of developmental projects aimed at rural communities.

Esoko

Venture Round in 2014
Esoko Networks Limited is a mobile-based market information exchange focused on agricultural markets in Africa. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Accra, Ghana, Esoko provides a platform that delivers automated and personalized market information, including price alerts, buy and sell offers, and agricultural advice, directly to farmers via SMS. The company also offers solutions for businesses to effectively connect with farmers, facilitating improved marketing, monitoring, and sourcing. Esoko's comprehensive ecosystem includes specialized applications designed for businesses, NGOs, mobile operators, and governments, enabling them to manage information efficiently. By promoting market transparency and communication, Esoko empowers farmers to enhance their yields and profits while allowing businesses to operate more effectively in rural markets. The company's services also extend to data collection, biometric profiling, and analytics, enhancing the efficiency of developmental projects aimed at rural communities.

Husk Power Systems

Series A in 2012
Husk Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. is a renewable energy company based in Patna, India, that focuses on generating and distributing electricity to households, community services, small businesses, and factories. Founded in 2007, the company utilizes biomass waste—such as rice husks and other agricultural residues—to produce electricity through its proprietary technology. Husk Power Systems designs and operates mini-power plants and micro-grids, offering electricity as a pay-for-use service primarily to rural areas. This approach not only provides reliable lighting, reducing reliance on kerosene, but also fosters economic development by enabling microenterprises and the use of electricity-operated machinery. By creating a sustainable energy ecosystem at each power plant, Husk Power Systems aims to deliver shared value to its stakeholders and stimulate local economies.

Paga

Series A in 2012
Paga is a mobile payment company focused on creating a digital ecosystem for money transactions, primarily in Nigeria, where it is recognized as a leading provider in the sector. The company's application facilitates sending and receiving money through mobile devices, making financial services accessible to a broad audience. In addition to transferring funds, Paga's platform allows users to purchase airtime credits, pay bills, and make retail payments, addressing the growing demand for viable payment options. With an ambitious mission to simplify financial access for one billion people, Paga aims to overcome the challenges associated with traditional banking and enhance the overall financial inclusion in its target markets.

Husk Power Systems

Venture Round in 2010
Husk Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. is a renewable energy company based in Patna, India, that focuses on generating and distributing electricity to households, community services, small businesses, and factories. Founded in 2007, the company utilizes biomass waste—such as rice husks and other agricultural residues—to produce electricity through its proprietary technology. Husk Power Systems designs and operates mini-power plants and micro-grids, offering electricity as a pay-for-use service primarily to rural areas. This approach not only provides reliable lighting, reducing reliance on kerosene, but also fosters economic development by enabling microenterprises and the use of electricity-operated machinery. By creating a sustainable energy ecosystem at each power plant, Husk Power Systems aims to deliver shared value to its stakeholders and stimulate local economies.
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