NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, February 25, 2013

The Netherlands, & Kampala, Uganda – Invested Development, an emerging markets-focused social impact investment company, has invested in SolarNow, a Dutch social enterprise operating in Uganda. SolarNow combines a franchise model with an end-user credit facility to provide affordable solar home systems (SHSs) in Uganda. There are 4 million off-grid households in Uganda, representing 80% of the population. The investment comes from the BSP Fund, a super angel equity fund focused on investing in mobile technology and alternative energy solutions for the world’s underserved populations.

SolarNow’s emphasis on strong distribution networks and providing financing offerings will allow the company to scale successfully. The high quality SHSs replace other common lighting methods such as kerosene lanterns, which are harmful to the user’s health and expensive in the long-term. SolarNow’s solution is clean, safe, and reliable. The systems are modular to allow the customer to increase energy usage over time.

The franchise model has allowed SolarNow to establish a strong distribution network. There are 25 operational SolarNow shops throughout Uganda. SolarNow intends to expand to other East African countries in the future.