National Insight

Investment is ring-fenced for Orb Energy’s Africa business and will support project delivery, local team expansion and financing partnerships

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 2: KawiSafi Ventures has invested $2 million in Orb Energy to support the expansion of the company’s commercial and industrial solar business across East Africa. The capital is ring-fenced for Orb Energy’s Africa business and will support its growing project pipeline in Kenya and the wider region.

Founded in Bengaluru in 2006, Orb Energy is a vertically integrated solar company with operations in India and Kenya and in-house solar panel manufacturing in Bengaluru. Its Africa operations are headquartered in Nairobi. The investment adds growth capital to an India-headquartered solar company as it scales project development and delivery in East Africa.

Orb Energy provides solar systems and financing solutions to commercial and industrial customers in sectors including manufacturing, agro-processing, healthcare, and hospitality. Customers can purchase systems outright or use financing structures that reduce the upfront capital required to adopt solar.

The company has installed close to 15 MW of rooftop solar for more than 60 commercial and industrial customers in East Africa. The new capital will support projects as they move from development and contracting into construction and commissioning.

“Orb has built a strong C&I solar business in Kenya at a time when businesses across the region are looking for more reliable and affordable power. We see an opportunity to support the company as it expands its project pipeline and mobilises additional capital for deployment. The model connects a clear commercial need with the transition to cleaner energy,” said Amar Inamdar, Managing Director, KawiSafi Ventures.

“We at Orb Energy are extremely proud that KawiSafi has decided to invest in our Kenya business for further expansion in East Africa. We have so far installed close to 15 MW of rooftop solar in East Africa across more than 60 C&I customers. But the potential in East Africa, and Africa as a whole, is enormous. We are just scratching the surface. With this new equity from KawiSafi, we intend to grow our regional footprint, build our local team and strengthen our partnerships with financiers to solarise more commercial and industrial establishments in Africa,” said Damian Miller, Co-founder and CEO of Orb Energy.

Supporting C&I Solar Growth in East Africa

Commercial and industrial businesses across East Africa continue to face high energy costs and unreliable power. Distributed solar can give businesses greater control over energy expenses while reducing dependence on more carbon-intensive sources of electricity. Access to capital remains important because projects require funding through development, procurement, construction and commissioning.

Orb Energy combines solar deployment with financing solutions for customers. KawiSafi’s investment will provide additional capital for Orb Energy’s project pipeline, regional team and financing partnerships as the company expands across East Africa.

Investment Through KawiSafi Fund II

The investment was made through KawiSafi Ventures’ second fund. The fund builds on the experience of its predecessor, a $67 million clean energy fund launched in 2016, and expands KawiSafi’s investment strategy across Africa’s climate economy. Its focus includes energy transition, clean transportation and green productivity.

KawiSafi Ventures was created by Acumen and manages its for-profit climate investment strategy in Africa. The second KawiSafi fund, which announced $90 million in approved capital in late 2025, extends Acumen’s approach to backing growth-stage businesses that can build markets and scale solutions addressing climate and economic challenges in underserved markets. Anchor investors include the Green Climate Fund and Schmidt Family Foundation, with funding from Quadrature Climate Foundation.

About Orb Energy

Orb Energy is a leading provider of solar energy solutions in India and Africa. The company was founded in 2006 and is vertically integrated, with its own solar panel manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, India. Orb Energy provides rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems, solar plus battery storage and financing solutions for commercial and industrial customers. The company has installed more than 400 MW of solar capacity and aims to reach 1 GW before 2030.

About KawiSafi Ventures

KawiSafi is Acumen’s for-profit investment platform focused on accelerating Africa’s energy transition. It designs and manages climate finance strategies that mobilize catalytic capital to support inclusive, low-carbon growth. Fund II builds on nearly a decade of experience investing in companies that expand access to clean energy and drive economic resilience.

About Acumen

Acumen is a global force of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and social innovators working together to build a world based on dignity. We were founded by Jacqueline Novogratz on the radical idea that business, when cultivated with moral imagination, can break the cycle of poverty. We invest in transformational companies, build sustainable markets, and prepare leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since 2001, we have scaled companies and shaped markets in some of the hardest-to-reach communities on the planet, impacting over half a billion lives.

Media Contact

Shalini D. S
 Senior Manager – Digital Marketing, Orb Energy
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