Equator, a climate-tech venture capital firm, has raised USD 40 million in commitments to support seed and Series A-stage tech ventures in energy, agriculture, and mobility sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Equator, a climate-tech venture firm, aims to address the funding gap between pre-seed funding and later-stage investments. The global firm has a presence in Nairobi, Lagos, London, and Colorado, with notable investors, including British International Investment, Shell Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, and DOEN Participaties. Equator has already funded early-stage ventures such as Apollo Agriculture, Odyssey Energy Solutions, Roam, and SunCulture.
Africa’s climate crisis
According to the company, less than 3% of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from Africa. However, Africans will be among the most affected by the negative impacts of climate change. Equator was founded to accelerate equitable climate transition in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing capital and active hands-on support to climate-tech ventures in energy, agriculture, and mobility sectors.
Equator’s game-changer
Equator’s partners are committed to providing expertise, networks, and capital directly to portfolio companies, which is a game-changer for early-stage start-ups. Equator seeks to invest in high-growth, ready-to-scale ventures that are driven by technology and business model innovation in their quest to address material economic and sustainability challenges in the region. The firm’s diverse team of technologists, operators, and investors is united by its obsession to drive momentum in the campaign for climate action in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Nijhad Jamal, managing partner of Equator.
“Our partners are some of the most experienced and well-connected investors in Sub-Saharan Africa and within our target sectors,” said Jamal. “They are highly committed to providing expertise, networks and capital directly to our portfolio companies, which is a game-changer for early-stage start-ups.”
A focus on Seed and Series A-Stages
Equator provides funding and hands-on assistance to Seed and Series A-stage climate-tech companies focused on Sub-Saharan Africa. The firm’s in-market presence combined with its global experience and reach allows it to forecast trends and develop theses that underpin its investments in proven technology and business model innovation to address local market challenges.
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