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ClimaFii Alliance

Improving livelihoods through the financing and deployment of clean energy and electric mobility solutions for microenterprises.

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Climate and Finance Innovations (ClimaFii) Alliance

The ClimaFii Alliance is a five-year initiative accelerating climate innovation and inclusive finance for microenterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. We support early-stage startups delivering clean energy and electric mobility solutions that raise productivity, increase incomes, and build resilience for small business owners—while reducing emissions and local pollution.

Launched by Shell Foundation and Accion, and delivered in partnership with BFA Global (Sub-Saharan Africa) and Upaya Social Ventures (India), ClimaFii focuses on the “missing middle”: microentrepreneurs who power local economies but are underserved by climate finance and technology.

Microenterprises (0–10 employees) are the backbone of Africa’s economy, yet unreliable electricity, high fuel costs, post-harvest losses, and inefficient transport systems directly limit their productivity. Clean energy and electric mobility solutions can increase microenterprise income by 20–30% and reduce energy costs by up to 50%, but most cannot access them due to: high upfront costs, lack of suitable financing, weak last-mile distribution, barriers faced by women-led MEs. 

ClimaFii exists to close this affordability, financing, and adoption gap.

 

What we offer to the SSA cohort

ClimaFii provides a high-support, low-friction pathway for early-stage climate ventures to reach product-market fit, unlock microenterprise financing, and prepare for follow-on investment. Our support spans four integrated pillars:

Catalytic capital

Each selected company will receive $45,000–$70,000 in funding designed to help test and refine business models, expand microenterprise reach, and de-risk early operations. This catalytic capital supports product deployment, GTM experiments, and operational improvements while strengthening your readiness for follow-on investment. Companies demonstrating strong outcomes for women-led microenterprises may be eligible for more flexible terms or additional support.

 

Tailored venture support

We provide tailored venture-building support to strengthen your product, business model, and path to scale. This includes hands-on guidance to refine unit economics, pricing, operational systems, and go-to-market strategy; expert advisory from specialists in clean energy, mobility, IoT, UX, data, and gender; and dedicated investment readiness support to prepare your business for equity, debt, or blended capital. Throughout the program, we help you build financial resilience, craft a compelling fundraising narrative, and connect with relevant investors and partners in our network. We also work with you to track and communicate your impact on microenterprises using a practical, outcomes-focused framework that supports future growth and funding.

End-User Finance Technical Assistance & Pilots

Working closely with Accion, we help you unlock affordability for microenterprises through partnerships with MFIs, SACCOs, cooperatives, and fintechs. We provide technical assistance to design asset-finance, embedded finance, or working-capital products tailored to your offerings and the end-microenterprises that you serve. For selected companies, we support the launch of real pilots that enable microentrepreneurs to afford and adopt clean energy and mobility solutions, while reducing the financing burden on your balance sheet.

Gender Inclusivity & Market Expansion

ClimaFii embeds gender-smart design across the program to help companies reach and serve more women-led microenterprises. We conduct gender diagnostics, support user research with women ME segments, and offer practical guidance on product, UX, and distribution adaptations. Companies generating strong gender outcomes may also access targeted incentives or TA to expand into this high-potential market segment.

What we look for in the SSA cohort:

Stage 

 We’re looking for early (pre-seed, seed, or post-seed) companies that have a clean energy and/or electric mobility product in the market, and with potential to reach ~2,000 new microenterprise customers by the end of the first year in the program.

Geography

Operating in sub-Saharan Africa only. (For India-based companies, a separate process applies)

Women-led and women-owned businesses are particularly encouraged to apply.

 

 

Sectors and solutions that we support:

1. Energy & Energy Storage

Solutions that provide reliable, affordable clean power for micro and small enterprises. Includes solar energy-as-a-service, battery leasing, shared energy hubs, biofuel-powered systems, and hybrid mini-energy solutions. Must directly enable ME productivity (e.g., powering shops, tools, market stalls, workshops).

2. Productive Use & Post-Harvest Energy Solutions

Energy-enabled tools that increase ME productivity or reduce post-harvest losses. Includes mills, grinders, dryers, cold chain, solar fridges, community kitchens, clean cooking for food vendors, and small agri-processing. Must involve transformation, preservation, processing, or value-addition (not primary production).

 

 

3. Electric Mobility

Affordable electric mobility solutions for small logistics providers, riders, traders, and delivery operators. IIncludes electric 2–3 wheelers, battery swapping, charging hubs, EV retrofits, PAYGo mobility, and logistics platforms tied to EV adoption.

4. Circular Economy & Waste-to-Energy

Technologies that turn waste into usable energy or materials, or enable small enterprises to monetize circular activities. Includes briquette production, pyrolysis micro-plants, biofuels, community recycling hubs, and micro-scale waste valorization models.

5. Fintech, Workforce & Shared-Economy Platforms

Platforms that make energy and mobility solutions more affordable or accessible to microenterprises. Includes embedded finance, digital leasing, PAYGo tools, working capital platforms, installer marketplaces, and enabling technology for ME adoption of climate assets.

6. Technologies Enabling Nature-Based Solutions

Clean-energy or IoT-enabled tools that support nature-positive livelihoods. Includes smart beekeeping, pollination-as-a-service, aquaculture monitoring, and IoT-based poultry systems. Must be tied to commercial ME activity with revenue-generating or productivity-enhancing use cases.

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ClimaFii does not currently support solutions focused solely on primary agriculture, household consumers, large enterprises, or utility-scale infrastructure. In agriculture specifically, we only support post-harvest, value-addition, processing, preservation, or ME-level transformation — not primary crop production, irrigation-only solutions, or pure farm inputs.

 

 

Eligibility criteria:

Product-Market Fit

Must have a minimum viable product (MVP) in the market with proven usage by microentrepreneurs. Clear solution to a specific market problem, preferably tech-enabled for clean energy solutions. 

Team

Strong, adaptable team with expertise in their problem space, willing to learn and adapt, and responsive to feedback and coaching. At least one co-founder based in Africa.

Impact

Tracks (or will be tracking) impact metrics for microentrepreneur livelihoods with gender lens.

Business requirements

  • Registered and operational business in SSA
  • Company must have potential to reach at least 2,000 customers by the end of Year 1 of the program.
  • Company must have potential for, or be exploring, financial-service-provider partnerships. 
  • Clear need for accelerator support and potential to scale

 

Application timelines

Applications open: December 10, 2025

Applications close: January 16, 2026

Are you a startup or SME that meets our criteria? Apply today. 

 

The ClimaFii Alliance is supported by the Shell Foundation and its mission to increase incomes while cutting emissions for millions of customers across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Shell Foundation’s support is co-funded with UK aid from the UK government through its Transforming Energy Access platform. In addition to its dual mitigation (clean energy) and adaptation (livelihoods) objectives, the program will incentivize climate enterprises to achieve gender-based milestones. Read the press release.

 

Supported by:

Inclusive finance partner:

 

Implementing partners:

 

FAQs

 

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What is the ClimaFii Alliance?

The Climate and Finance Innovations (ClimaFii) Alliance is a collaborative, global initiative by Shell Foundation, Accion, Upaya Social Ventures, and BFA Global. It supports climate enterprises and financial service providers to bridge the gap between energy access and financial inclusion for microenterprises (MEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. The program offers venture building, grants, and credit pilots to enable affordable clean energy solutions.

 

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What is the purpose of the program?

The program aims to empower microentrepreneurs, especially women, by increasing access to clean energy technologies, boosting productivity, and enabling climate resilience while addressing gender inclusivity. The ultimate goal is to support the adaptation and resilience of vulnerable communities by enabling sustainable livelihoods and increasing resilience to the negative impact of climate change and addressing mitigation by cutting emissions from energy use.

 

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How much funding can selected businesses receive?

Each selected business in the SSA program can receive up to $85,000 in funding, comprising cash grants and in-kind support.

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What outcomes does the program aim for?

The SSA program seeks to select and support 10 clean energy enterprises in the first year and expects at least six enterprises to secure follow-on funding within the first year. After the support in Year 1, we expect that the enterprises will reach at least 2,000 ME customers by the end of Y1 of the program. We also expect to see revenue and firm growth and clean energy adoption/investment for the energy enterprises and the microenterprises. 

 

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When are applications open?

Applications open on December 10, 2025 and close on January 16, 2026.

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How can I apply?

Applications for SSA can be submitted through this ClimaFii Alliance website. Startups and SMEs can also be nominated by others using the same application form. For those interested in the India cohort, apply directly here.

 

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What makes a strong candidate?

Strong candidates are those with:

  • A robust, scalable solution addressing energy challenges specifically for microentrepreneurs, especially women that improve their livelihoods against and increase their resilience to the negative impact of climate change.
  • Potential for reaching scale, at least 2,000 ME customers by the end of Y1 of the program.
  • Alignment with investment areas for follow-on funders and credit pilot partners. 
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What is the role of Shell Foundation and its partners?

Shell Foundation provides funding and guidance, while Accion (SSA and India), BFA Global (SSA), and Upaya Social Ventures (India) deliver venture-building support and end-user finance technical support and pilots.

 

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Who is Shell Foundation?

Shell Foundation is an endowed, UK-registered charity that catalyses clean energy innovation and unlocks inclusive investments in Africa and India, empowering millions of underserved customers to increase their incomes while cutting emissions. To achieve its charitable mission, Shell Foundation supports early-stage innovation and then partners with finance and corporate organisations to accelerate scale. It has had a co-funding partnership with the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development office since 2016, with specific workstreams on venture building, research, and agriculture.

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Who is Accion?

Accion is a global nonprofit on a mission to create a fair and inclusive economy for the nearly two billion people who are failed by the global financial system. We develop and scale responsible digital financial solutions for small business owners, smallholder farmers, and women, so they can make informed decisions and improve their lives. Through targeted investment strategies, advisory solutions, and expert thought leadership, we work with local partners to develop and scale cheaper, more accessible, and customer-friendly financial solutions. Since 1961, Accion has helped build 267 financial service providers serving low-income clients in 75 countries, reaching 440 million people. More at https://www.accion.org.

 

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