FORT COLLINS — Today, Husk Power and Acumen announced $500,000 funding in the form of a grant from Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach (H2R) initiative to support the company’s entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), growing access to decentralized renewable energy solutions in the world’s second largest population living without access to electricity.

Announced at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Husk Power’s expansion into the DRC not only advances its ambitious ‘Africa Sunshot’ initiative but also signals a transformative shift for decentralized renewable energy in one of the world’s most energy-starved regions. Africa Sunshot, announced at the 2023 Africa Climate Summit, targets having 2,500 minigrids on the continent by 2030. The company already operates the largest fleet of community solar minigrids in Nigeria, where 90 million people are still living off grid. 

“This catalytic support from H2R is a critical piece of the puzzle for scaling community solar minigrids in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the World Bank says minigrids are the most cost-effective way to electrify 380 million people,” said CEO and Co-Founder Manoj Sinha. “We look forward to partnering closely with the government to scale our solutions in the DRC on an accelerated timeline, and directly contributing to the goals of Mission 300, a World Bank and African Development initiative to electrify 300 million people by the end of the decade.”

Acumen’s H2R aims to electrify 72 million people in sub-Saharan Africa over 10 years by scaling solar solutions in underserved markets. 

“We are thrilled to support Husk’s expansion the DRC at this crucial time, as it has the potential to transform lives by creating millions of affordable and clean energy connections in a highly underserved market where nearly 80 million people still lack access to electricity. Husk’s expansion to the DRC could be a game-changer by bringing light and opportunity to communities that have been left behind,” said Sandra Halilovic, Head of Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach Development Facility.

The grant from H2R is designed to significantly advance energy equity in the DRC. The funds will be used to help Husk establish a corporate presence in the DRC, obtain necessary government approvals, build out a robust pipeline of DRE projects, and build its first minigrids. 

About Husk

Husk is an award-winning clean energy company serving rural and peri-urban Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2024, Husk was named one of Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World, ranking #24 overall, and #1 in the energy category. In 2023, it was also named “World’s Best Challenger Brand” in the energy industry, and CEO Manoj Sinha was selected as a TIME 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business. Husk’s AI-powered energy platform provides 24/7 renewable power to residential and commercial customers, institutions and small factories. It also delivers a range of other products and services, including sales and credit-financing of branded appliances for home and commercial use, as well as community-based solutions for e-mobility and the agricultural value chain. Husk’s mission is to superchange economic growth and social well-being in rural communities that are unserved and underserved. 

About Acumen Hardest-to-Reach Initiative

Acumen Hardest-to-Reach is a $250 million initiative designed to activate clean energy markets in 16 of Africa’s underserved geographies. Using a variety of financial instruments, H2R invests in off-grid solar companies working to provide energy access for unelectrified households. Over the next 10 years, Acumen’s goal is to help achieve universal energy access in sub-Saharan Africa by electrifying 72 million people with solar products and avoiding 5 million tons of carbon emissions.     

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. To learn more visit acumen.org.
Media Inquiries (for Husk): William Brent (media@huskpowersystems.com)
Media Inquiries (for Acumen): Alexander Davis (adavis@acumen.org) and Sandra Halilovic (shalilovic@acumen.org)