San Francisco startup Fenix International Launches Power for All Campaign to increase energy access in Africa

Company launches a “Buy 1, Fund 1” campaign to commit revenues from each solar product sold in North America to fund a solar entrepreneur in East Africa.

Press Contact: Peter Glenn, [email protected]
“Power For All” Press Kit: Download here

San Francisco, June 28, 2013: Fenix International has launched its Power For All: Buy 1, Fund 1 campaign designed to connect purchases of its products in North America to increase energy access to off-grid communities in Africa. For each purchase of Fenix’s ReadySet Solar Kit in US and Canada, Fenix will create loan for an entrepreneur to buy a ReadySet Kit in East Africa. The company’s goal is to sell over 500 units this summer and transform this revenue into ReadySet loans for 500 energy entrepreneurs in East Africa.

Fenix was founded in 2009 with the mission of delivering renewable energy to the 1.3 billion people who live without power in emerging markets. Working with leading global telecoms, MTN and Vodafone, Fenix developed its ReadySet Smart Battery solution. Fenix’s ReadySet is an intelligent plug-and-play energy system that can power mobile phones, lights, tablets, and even medical applications. The ReadySet’s patent-pending electronics, intelligent firmware and robust battery enable it to be charged from a portfolio of energy sources including solar, micro-wind, micro-hydro, and even a bicycle dynamo.

In Africa, Fenix International sells ReadySets in Uganda and Tanzania where more than 85% of these countries’ citizens live without a connection to an electric grid. Field studies have demonstrated that ReadySets are increasing telecoms’ revenues by 10-14% per mobile customer-just by keeping a phone fully charged. Each ReadySet can keep up to 50 phones charged in a community.

Telecoms offer ReadySet Solar Kits through their retail shops throughout East Africa. An entrepreneur can purchase the ReadySet, set it up in minutes, and begin selling phone charges for around $0.20 cents per charge in their off-grid communities. Charging as few as 6-8 phones per day, an entrepreneur can earn $40-$50 per month in additional income, nearly doubling their per capita GDP. Fenix has sold a few thousand ReadySets at a $200 price point. However, the company believes that offering consumer financing will unlock tens of thousands of ReadySet customers bringing power to their off-grid communities. Fenix has had great success piloting ReadySet Solar loans in East Africa, achieving a 99% repayment rate to date. However, as a startup working in Africa, consumer finance for the African market has been challenging to raise through traditional channels.

Fenix’s Founder & CEO Mike Lin says the search for consumer credit in Africa was a perfect fit for Fenix’s North American sales goals.

“While we designed the ReadySet for African entrepreneurs, there are just as many uses for the ReadySet here at home. We’ve been thrilled to hear that American consumers are using ReadySets as backup power during outages and natural disasters, for enjoying the outdoors, and even lowering their carbon footprint by powering their digital lifestyle through solar. However, US and Canadian customers are increasingly asking how their purchases support Fenix’s work in Africa,” say Lin.

Fenix took inspiration for its “Buy 1, Fund 1” campaign from an increasing number of companies offering “buy 1, give 1” deals where products like shoes and glasses purchased in the US are matched by giving away equivalent products in developing countries. Peter Glenn, Fenix’s Global Business Development Manager says, “Admiring the success of companies to connect consumers with doing good in the world, we have also seen how well-intended giveaways can create dependencies and damage existing local markets. As a company focused on using energy entrepreneurship to bring power to off-grid communities, ‘Buy 1, Fund 1’ is a closer fit with Fenix’s mission of supporting sustainable development. We made an intentional choice to focus on empowering people to fish for themselves rather than giving fish away.”

While Fenix’s Power For All: Buy 1, Fund 1 Campaign is starting as a summer pilot, the company plans to make the program permanent if consumers are responsive. In the meantime, Fenix’s US sales team is focusing building partnerships with big box retailers and emergency preparedness organizations to bring more backup power to North American customers.

About Fenix International
Founded in 2009, Fenix International is a venture-backed renewable energy company based in San Francisco, California. Fenix’s mission is to design and manufacture clean, safe energy products to empower the world’s 1.3 billion people who live without electricity. Fenix also sells its ReadySet Solar products in North America through http://fenixintl.com.