BFA Global and FSD Africa today announced $273,000 in follow-on funding and venture-building support for four early-stage alumni of previous Triggering Exponential Climate Action (TECA) venture-building program cohorts.
The four early-stage small and growing businesses (SGBs) had previously participated in the TECA program, which seeks to grow climate solutions from concept to investment, fostering resilience and protecting the most vulnerable communities in East Africa.
The small and growing businesses have demonstrated early traction in advancing solutions in clean energy, cold storage, carbon market access, and food systems.
The new financial support will provide these businesses with operational capital to scale, as well as technical support, including operational guidance, model refinement, and investment-readiness preparation.
The businesses are already making waves in improving the lives of East Africans, especially in the energy and agriculture sectors.
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The four are:
- Africa Renewables Katalyst (ARK) connects East African renewable energy developers to global renewable energy certificate markets through data systems, verification services, and market access tools.
- Plas-tech Energies converts plastic waste into clean cooking gas and distributes it through refillable cylinders, offering a safer, more affordable alternative to charcoal and kerosene.
- Samaking operates a solar-powered cold chain infrastructure and a decentralised fish distribution network that reduces post-harvest losses and strengthens market stability for small traders, particularly women.
- Sunwave provides solar-powered ice production and cold storage solutions designed to reduce post-harvest losses and increase incomes for small-scale fishers and fish traders.
Such financial support is especially critical for early-stage businesses that have proven their viability but need more capital to reach commercial readiness and scale, a stage typically associated with constrained capital.
A report by Sightline Climate shows, for instance, that in 2025, early-stage deal counts fell by roughly 20 per cent to a five-year low, as investors concentrated capital into fewer companies. This shift has made follow-on capital harder to secure, particularly in emerging markets.
“Early-stage climate ventures face a critical funding cliff just as they are ready to grow,” said Tyler Ferdinand, Director of the TECA program at BFA Global. “Our follow-on support gives them the capital, time, tools, and evidence base they need to build credible, investable businesses that improve resilience in vulnerable communities.”
Mary Kashangaki, Early-Stage Finance manager at FSD Africa, added:
“At FSD Africa, we have for years supported novel financing structures for small and growing businesses, especially those building resilience against climate change in Africa. We are proud to partner with BFA Global to provide additional support to these deserving businesses doing such important work. Access to capital, especially for this category of businesses, remains challenging, yet they are the majority and provide most employment on the continent. As an organisation that works to make finance work for Africa, enhancing flows to small and growing businesses and tackling climate change remain key priorities for us.”
