The Botswana Innovation Fund (BIF), a government-supported entity focused on innovation financing, has partnered with investment firm Scalar International to launch the Scalar Botswana Innovation Program (SBIP). This 12-month venture initiative will back 10 startups working in climate and digital technologies.
- The Botswana Innovation Fund (BIF), a government-supported entity focused on innovation financing, has partnered with investment firm Scalar International to...
- This 12-month venture initiative will back 10 startups working in climate and digital technologies.
- Even with advancements, roughly half the region’s population still lacks dependable power, while around 59 per cent of its energy...
- Additional support covers energy efficiency, water management, regulatory tools, and wider digital infrastructure.
Keep reading for the full breakdown on African decarbonisation investment — everything you need to know is covered below.
Officially launched on March 10, 2026, in Gaborone, the programme connects promising startups with a $150 million decarbonisation investment fund designed to help scale cutting-edge solutions across Southern Africa. It aligns with Botswana’s efforts to establish itself as a key regional centre for climate and tech innovation.
Southern Africa’s SADC 2030 Goal
The rollout coincides with Southern Africa’s push toward the SADC 2030 target of universal electricity access, highlighting solutions like mini-grids, rooftop solar, and off-grid systems. Even with advancements, roughly half the region’s population still lacks dependable power, while around 59 per cent of its energy relies on coal—Botswana itself depends heavily on coal-fired generation.
By targeting startups that blend energy and digital infrastructure, SBIP aims to speed up the rollout of sustainable technologies, enhancing energy availability and bolstering regional resilience.
“This programme reflects a deliberate evolution in Botswana’s innovation strategy,” said Thulagano Merafe Segokgo, Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation.
“We are positioning innovation as a central driver of economic transformation, aligned with our national priority plans and the Botswana Economic Transformation Program, to accelerate diversification, industrial competitiveness, and sustainable growth.”
Benefits for selected startups
Over the 12-month structured pathway, selected startups will progress from early-stage ideas and prototypes to commercialisation and investment readiness. They will benefit from concept refinement, prototype testing, minimum viable product development, expert mentorship, market insights, regulatory advice, financial modelling support, and customer growth strategies.
Focus areas
The focus areas include renewable and distributed energy options, such as microgrids, as well as digital and data-centric innovations, such as fintech, artificial intelligence, and other deep tech. Additional support covers energy efficiency, water management, regulatory tools, and wider digital infrastructure.
Applications are welcome from startups in Southern Africa and across the broader continent, though selected applicants must establish a base in Botswana during the programme.
Selection criteria
Selection criteria emphasise the level of innovation, business approach, team capability, technical viability, and market preparedness. Priority goes to startups that have achieved at least technology readiness level (TRL) 4 or 5, indicating validated prototypes beyond initial concepts.
High-potential participants could tap into Scalar International’s Africa Decarbonisation Fund I, a $150 million private equity vehicle supporting sustainable infrastructure across the SADC region. The fund, launched in 2025 with South Africa-based Mergence Investment, targets such projects.
“Our collaboration with the BIF is designed to integrate venture-funded innovation with impact-oriented private investment, creating a robust incubation-to-investment pipeline. For us at Scalar International, it’s about turning African climate solutions into investable, scalable enterprises,” said Hubért Gutsa, Chief Executive Officer of Scalar International.
Local ventures to receive training
Through the fund’s technical assistance component, local ventures will receive training to expand community-based solutions, with projections indicating the creation of 15,000 full-time jobs across the region by 2030.
This initiative joins a rising wave of climate tech funds and accelerators in Africa, which drew roughly $1.1 billion in investments during 2025. Growing investor interest views energy access startups as essential economic building blocks, with efforts like SBIP helping address ongoing clean energy shortfalls in Southern Africa.