Digital Energy Challenge: Start-ups Call for Projects

Are you a Start-up looking to scale up your digital innovation project in the energy sector in Africa? The 2025 Digital Energy Challenge for Start-ups will reward 3 to 4 start-ups that are developing digital innovative projects aimed at accelerating access to energy, boosting the energy transition and improving the operational efficiency of players in the energy access and grid services in Africa.

The three themes for the 2025 call for projects are: Digital Energy Challenge: Start-ups Call for Projects

Universal electricity access and mini-grids

Digital innovations in the field of mini-grids to maximize their efficiency and impact: energy management systems for the optimal use of clean and renewable energy; software and hardware technologies for an efficient integration of productive use assets; storage systems and algorithms minimizing the use of fossil fuel generators; tools to facilitate interconnections with the main grid and with other mini-grids; systems and algorithms for building-up nanogrids; geospatial data analytics for power demand evaluation and/or credit risk assessment.

Efficient grid management

Digital services and products ensuring a proper operation of the power grid, with a focus on: information availability and communication systems; streamlining Business-As-Usual grid operational management practices of the power system; increased power availability and service quality.

Resilience and decarbonation of power systems

Digital-based solutions enabling the development of a greener and more resilient power infrastructure (encompassing generation systems as well as the grid): additional renewable capacity; grid stability and flexibility; energy savings at the end-user level (Commercial & Industrial as well as households).

Benefits for Challenge winners – Digital Energy Challenge: Start-ups Call for Projects

Each winning Start-up will benefit from:

• Financial support of up to €150K including: Grant funding to contribute to costs for equipment, software, training and recruitment ; Technical assistance (awarded on a case-by-case basis), which could include project management support, strategic and technical expertise, and accounting/reporting assistance,
• A joint boot camp run by cross-sectorial experts, to support project implementation, provide sectorial insights, foster synergies between project winners and encourage best-practice sharing,
• Widespread communication campaigns piloted by AFD during the selection phase, award ceremony, bootcamp and for a period of time after these events.

Key Dates:

• 10th March 2025: Launch of the Call for Projects
• 1st April 2025: Information webinars (English and French)
• 16th May 2025 – 23h59 CET: Deadline for submission of applications
• Autumn 2025: Notification of award winners and bootcamp

How to apply? Digital Energy Challenge: Start-ups Call for Projects

1. Download the application pack for Start-ups (email address required) Download Application Pack
2. Register for an information webinar on 1st April  2025 Register for the Start-ups webinar in French at 11:00am CET  or if English, Register for the Start-ups webinar in English at 2:00pm CET
3. All webinars will be recorded.
4. Complete the application form and prepare the required documents
5. Submit your project by 16th May 2025 23:59 CET Submit my application

Eligibility criteria for Start-ups -Digital Energy Challenge: Start-ups Call for Projects

The Start-up must meet the following criteria:

• Created less than 10 years ago
• Be in the pre-seed/early-stage financing phase i.e. less than €1M funding raised
• Annual turnover of less than €1M
• Employ between 1 and 99 people full-time.

NGOs can apply under the Start-up category if the project meets one of the additional following criteria:

• The project is set up as a company as a branch of the NGO
• The project has a dedicated team and business plan, and clearly targets business sustainability/profitability (e.g. plans to spin off as an independent entity).

Finally the Start-up’s project must adhere to one of the three above-mentioned themes and be:

• Digital i.e. based on a telecom, computer or cloud-based technology
• Innovative, either intrinsically or compared to the local market
• Local i.e. headquartered or with project management activities in the country of the project

 Eligible countries

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo Democratic Republic, Congo Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Application support

1. For more information:
2. Consult the FAQ which will be updated regularly
   Join the Challenge mailing list and ask any questions by contacting us
3. Download the Challenge brochure