Early-stage climate ventures across East Africa have received a fresh boost after BFA Global and FSD Africa announced $273,000 in follow-on funding and venture-building support for four promising startups working to address climate challenges across the region.
The funding, announced on March 26, 2026, will support alumni from previous cohorts of the Triggering Exponential Climate Action (TECA) programme, a venture-building initiative designed to help climate-focused startups move from early concepts to investment-ready businesses.
The selected companies are developing solutions in some of East Africa’s most pressing climate sectors, including renewable energy, cold storage, carbon markets, and sustainable food systems. Together, these areas represent critical opportunities to strengthen resilience in communities that are highly vulnerable to climate change.
Beyond financial support, the initiative will also provide technical assistance to help the startups refine their business models, strengthen operational capacity, and prepare for larger rounds of investment.
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Supporting Climate Innovation in East Africa
Across East Africa, climate change is increasingly affecting livelihoods, agriculture, and energy access. Small and growing businesses are emerging as key drivers of innovative solutions, yet many struggle to access the capital needed to scale their operations.
The latest funding round specifically targets startups that have already demonstrated early traction but still require additional resources to expand their operations.
According to the organisers, the goal is to help these businesses transition from promising pilots into scalable enterprises capable of delivering measurable environmental and economic benefits.
The four startups receiving support have already begun making tangible impacts across sectors such as renewable energy generation, plastic waste conversion, cold-chain infrastructure, and fisheries supply chains.
The Four Startups Driving Climate Solutions
Each startup addresses a specific challenge facing communities while also creating economic opportunities.
Africa Renewables Katalyst (ARK)
Africa Renewables Katalyst (ARK) focuses on unlocking financing opportunities for renewable energy developers across East Africa.
The company connects clean energy projects to global renewable energy certificate (REC) markets by providing data systems, verification services, and market access tools.
Renewable energy certificates are tradable instruments that represent proof that electricity has been generated from renewable sources. By enabling local developers to access these international markets, ARK helps channel additional funding into clean energy projects across the region.
This approach could play an important role in accelerating renewable energy deployment while also creating new revenue streams for developers operating in emerging markets.
Plas-tech Energies
Plas-tech Energies addresses two environmental challenges simultaneously: plastic pollution and access to affordable cooking fuel.
The company converts plastic waste into clean cooking gas, which is then distributed to households through refillable cylinders.
In many parts of East Africa, families rely heavily on charcoal or kerosene for cooking—fuels that contribute to deforestation, indoor air pollution, and rising household costs.
By transforming discarded plastic into usable energy, Plas-tech Energies offers a safer and more affordable alternative while reducing the volume of plastic waste entering landfills and waterways.
The model also creates opportunities for waste collection networks, generating income for communities involved in recycling and waste management.
Samaking
Samaking focuses on strengthening fisheries supply chains through solar-powered cold storage infrastructure.
The company operates a decentralised fish distribution network designed to reduce post-harvest losses—a major challenge for small-scale fish traders and fishers across the region.
Without reliable cold storage, large quantities of fish spoil before reaching markets, cutting into incomes and contributing to food waste.
Samaking’s solar-powered cold chain allows fish to be stored safely and transported efficiently, helping stabilize prices and improve market access.
The initiative particularly benefits women traders, who often play a central role in local fish markets but historically have had limited access to refrigeration infrastructure.
Sunwave
Sunwave also operates within the fisheries sector but focuses on producing solar-powered ice and cold storage solutions for small-scale fishers and traders.
The company’s technology helps maintain the freshness of fish between the moment it is caught and the point of sale.
Post-harvest losses in fisheries can be significant, especially in coastal and lakeside communities where refrigeration is scarce and electricity access is limited.
By providing solar-powered ice production and storage systems, Sunwave helps extend the shelf life of fish, enabling traders to reach more distant markets and command better prices.
For small-scale fishing communities, this technology can significantly increase incomes while reducing food waste.
Bridging the Early-Stage Funding Gap
One of the biggest challenges facing climate startups in Africa is securing follow-on capital after early pilot projects demonstrate success.
This stage—often referred to as the “valley of death” in startup ecosystems—occurs when companies have proven their models but are still too small or risky to attract large-scale commercial investment.
The funding from BFA Global and FSD Africa aims to bridge this gap.
The $273,000 package will provide operational capital to help the four startups expand their operations while receiving technical support aimed at improving investment readiness.
This support includes assistance with refining business models, strengthening operational systems, and preparing financial structures that can attract institutional investors.
For many startups, such preparation can make the difference between stagnation and sustainable growth.
A Tough Funding Environment for Climate Startups
The importance of this funding initiative becomes even clearer in light of recent investment trends.
According to research from Sightline Climate, early-stage climate investment activity declined significantly in 2025.
This shift has made it increasingly difficult for smaller startups to secure the follow-on funding required to scale their innovations.
The challenge is particularly acute in emerging markets, where venture capital ecosystems are still developing and climate-focused investment funds remain limited.
As a result, many promising solutions risk stalling before they can reach the communities that need them most.
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Building Resilient Climate Businesses
For programme leaders, the funding is not simply about providing financial resources—it is about strengthening the foundations of climate businesses that can deliver lasting impact.
Tyler Ferdinand, Director of the TECA programme at BFA Global, said early-stage climate ventures often face a critical moment just when they begin to gain momentum.
“Early-stage climate ventures face a critical funding cliff just as they are ready to grow,” Ferdinand explained.
“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.”
This focus on building investment-ready ventures reflects a broader effort to develop sustainable climate innovation ecosystems across emerging markets.
Expanding Access to Finance in Africa
Leaders at FSD Africa emphasised that improving access to finance for small and growing businesses remains a major priority for economic development across the continent.
Mary Kashangaki, Early-Stage Finance Manager at FSD Africa, highlighted the importance of supporting enterprises that contribute both to job creation and climate resilience.
“Access to capital, especially for this category of businesses, remains challenging,” she noted.
“These businesses are the majority and provide most employment on the continent.”
FSD Africa works to strengthen financial systems across Africa by supporting regulatory reforms, improving financial infrastructure, and mobilising investment into sectors that drive sustainable development.
Its partnership with BFA Global reflects a shared commitment to supporting climate-focused entrepreneurship.
BFA Global’s Track Record in Venture Support
Over the past two decades, BFA Global has built a strong reputation as an impact innovation firm working to support underserved communities and climate resilience initiatives.
Since 2006, the organisation has completed hundreds of projects across more than 100 countries.
Through its venture-building programmes, BFA Global has supported over 118 startups across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The organisation’s work focuses on combining research, advisory services, and venture support to create innovation ecosystems capable of addressing complex development challenges.
The Role of Climate Startups in Africa’s Future
Climate-focused startups are becoming increasingly important in Africa’s development landscape.
The continent faces disproportionate exposure to climate impacts despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Innovations in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and climate finance can play a critical role in building resilience while creating economic opportunities.
Small and growing businesses are often best positioned to deliver these solutions because they operate close to the communities most affected by climate change.
However, without access to sufficient financing and technical support, many of these ventures struggle to expand their impact.
Initiatives such as the TECA programme aim to address this challenge by nurturing early-stage innovations and helping them transition into sustainable businesses.
Outlook
The $273,000 funding package represents a relatively modest financial investment, but its potential impact could be significant.
By supporting startups that are already demonstrating real-world solutions, BFA Global and FSD Africa are helping accelerate innovations that improve energy access, strengthen food systems, and reduce environmental damage.
If successful, the four ventures could scale their models across East Africa and potentially into other regions facing similar challenges.
More broadly, the initiative highlights the growing recognition that climate innovation in Africa requires not only bold ideas but also patient capital and strategic support.
As climate pressures intensify across the continent, partnerships between investors, development organisations, and entrepreneurs will play a critical role in building the resilient, low-carbon economies of the future.
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