The Sub Saharan Africa Climate Tech 50 is HolonIQ's inaugural list of the 50 most promising Climate Tech startups in Sub Saharan Africa from Energy and the Environment to Agri-Food and Mobility.
We are on a mission to map the future of Climate Technology. HolonIQ has teamed up with partners around the world to map the 1000 most promising Climate Tech startups globally, in the lead up the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
HolonIQ’s inaugural Sub Saharan Africa Climate Tech 50 includes Climate Tech startups and companies, headquartered in the Sub Saharan Africa region that are making a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation or adaptation through the application of new technology or scientific knowledge.
Companies are categorized by their main focus on an emerging taxonomy. Categories in the market map are not mutually exclusive.
50 Most Promising Climate Tech Startups in Africa
Using the HolonIQ platform, our Intelligence Unit and market experts selected these 50 Climate Technology companies out of 500+ Climate Tech startups in the region, based on HolonIQ’s scoring fingerprint that includes market, product, team (including diversity), capital and momentum.
The quality of Climate Tech companies in Sub Saharan Africa is very high and this cohort of 50 companies is just the tip of the iceberg. We congratulate the 2021 Africa Climate Tech 50 cohort and wish the entire ecosystem the very best on their respective missions to make a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation or adaptation.
Criteria & Methodology
The Africa Climate Tech 50 is focused on identifying young, fast growing and innovative climate-focused companies headquartered in Sub Saharan Africa.
Age. The company is less than 10 years old, with few exceptions in circumstances such as bootstrapped or academic/philanthropic projects that have spun out to become commercial entities. The definition of ‘Startup’ in Climate Tech is problematic and requires further investigation.
Geography. Headquartered in Africa, or predominately focused on the region.
Status. Pre exit, ‘start-ups’, (not acquired or listed), not a subsidiary of a larger company or controlled by an investor group (e.g. via private equity buyout or controlling investment)
Scope. Intended to excluded project finance, large asset based companies (eg wind farms).
Standard Exclusions. (leading incredible innovation, but not eligible for this list).
Listed Companies / Private Equity Sponsors / Subsidiaries. Not eligible.
Mature Incumbents. The Climate Tech 50 is focused on young, fast-growing companies.
