Emerging African businesses will be gathered together in a high-octane lion’s-den-type pitching event to be held in Cape Town on October 11, 2023. 

Being in its second year, the first edition of the Energy Investment Village took place last year with finalists representing local clean-tech projects pitching to energy leaders holding potential investments worth more than $100 billion.

Brayfoil Technologies, a South African wind-energy company whose adaptive turbine designs enable more efficient applications in the wind energy, aerospace, sailing and automotive sectors, won the competition. After which the Brayfoil team hosted several meetings with potential investors on the sidelines of the GEAS.

EIV is also calling for organisations looking to become strategic partners to support its commitment to giving Africa’s clean-tech start-ups and energy projects access to global investors.

Benefits 

Last year’s winner received the following benefits and participants of this edition stand a chance to win more: 

• Invaluable investor engagement
• R20,000 cash prize from FNB
• A year’s business membership with the Africa Scotland Business Network (ASBN) 
• An ASBN branding and marketing workshop

Eligibility 

Startup companies seeking to participate in the program must meet the following criteria: 

• You should be in the early stage of rolling out your cleantech project
• At the minimum, you should have a prototype that has been tested in the relevant environment
• You should have a team and business experience
• At the other end of the scale, you’re still in the early stages and you need funding to further scale your operational business. Either way you’re solving for a cleaner, sustainable future for South Africa and Africa

For large scale energy project:

• You should be a viable African infrastructure project (between 20 and 100 megawatts) requiring finance to get your project off the ground
• You should have passed feasibility studies, permitting and municipal buy-in; have offtake agreements and know how many megawatts you’ll be putting into the grid
• You should be solving for a cleaner, sustainable future for South Africa and Africa

At the EIV finals, judges adjudicate startup pitches according to criteria such as innovativeness, sustainability and business merit.

How to apply

Be a part of the Energy Investment Village to scale your business. Apply while applications are still ongoing.