Solarbox Africa, an energy startup and provider of eMobility solutions in Senegal, disclosed on Thursday that its $1 million Pre-Seed round had closed.
The round was led by a consortium of investors, including Digital Energy Facility — a collaboration between Agence Française de Développement (AFD), IetP, and Gaia Impact Fund — alongside Launch Africa, JLL Foundation, and Teranga Capital.
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How Solarbox powers Senegal’s green transportation revolution
Solarbox, founded in 2022 by Tijan Watt and fostered by Wuri Ventures, designs, assembles, and delivers corporate two- and three-wheelers. The startup offers solar charging equipment, flexible financing, and fleet management solutions to enterprises seeking sustainable mobility.
With the finance, Solarbox will be able to meet the increasing demand in Senegal and throughout West Africa for its solar-powered electric vehicles (EVs) and related solutions.
SolarBox, incubated by Wuri Ventures, is a company that specialises in the design, assembly, and deployment of custom-made light electric vehicles (2 and 3-wheelers) for corporate clients. The company also offers solar charging, financing, and fleet management solutions.
SolarBox Africa: A year of rapid growth and strategic partnerships in Senegal
SolarBox Africa has shown its exceptional capacity to expedite the shift to clean mobility for numerous African enterprises by forming partnerships with prominent companies in Senegal, such as Orange Energies, FedEx, Paps Logistics, Plastic Odyssey, Swiss Fresh Water, Health in a Box, and Fleetch, in less than a year.
Despite its significant solar potential, Senegal relies heavily on imported petroleum, costing around $2 billion yearly. Senegal, a top three global solar energy producer, has an average irradiation of 6.32 kWh/m², double that of Germany, a global leader.
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In addition to saving consumers money, SolarBox’s vehicles and charging solutions reduce air pollution and improve public health. Data from its deployments with Orange Energies shows each vehicle costs $2.50 for 100km of driving, compared to $5.50 for petrol, saving 50-60%. Each vehicle also consumes 10.8 MWh of renewable energy yearly, reducing carbon emissions by 10 tonnes and boosting Sahel climate resilience.
“Solarbox Africa demonstrated that it could win over big corporates with a win-win offer in less than a year while assembling and designing solutions that fit local realities and customers’ needs. We believe this Pre-Seed round positions Solarbox as the fastest growing, profitable, and well-funded electric mobility leader in Senegal,” stated Paul-Francois Cattier, senior venture partner at On.Capital, the first institutional investor in Solarbox.
Tijan Watt, Wuri Ventures Managing Partner, stated in a video ,“Instead of importing millions of tonnes of petroleum from overseas each year to power our vehicles, we can just use sunlight.”
Solar-powered electric mobility could be a winner for Africa, where 40% of its energy demands come from transport and imports surpass $40 billion.