Two teams – Plugin and Angaza – have been named winners of the Nairobi edition of the Negawatt Challenge and will now proceed to the acceleration phase, which will focus on development and launch of their products.
The World Bank’s Negawatt Challenge is hosting innovation competitions in cities worldwide; with locations selected based on the government’s energy efficiency and low carbon growth, as well as the existence of dynamic and growing entrepreneurial and technology sectors.
Disrupt Africa reported last month four teams had completed the bootcamp stage of the competition and were set to take part in the Negawatt Demo Day. Plugin, Angaza, Watt Saver and Wezesha Huduma competed, with the former two selected by judges to go forward to the acceleration phase, where they will be provided with additional training and mentorship worth a total of US$10,000. The overall winner of the Kenyan leg of the competition will pitch head-to-head at a global event in Barcelona, Spain.
Plugin’s solution Plugin Pulse aims to drive solar energy adoption and provide solar energy providers and energy data consumers with a myriad of energy usage data across different consumer groups, including households, organisations and factories.
Angaza’s solution looks to help energy consumers move from grid to solar, with its Smart Energy device allowing consumers to keep track of consumption and reduce monthly utility bills by optimally connecting different home appliances to different energy sources.
“We want to pass our congratulatory message to the other teams for making it this far! We will continue to engage with you at different levels in the journey towards making your innovations a reality,” the organisers said.
