Uganda-based electric cooking startup PowerUP has announced the initial close of its seed round to expand to new geographies and products.
PowerUP develops and deploys smart-metered PAYGO electric stoves customised for the African markets, with these solutions having so far cleaned up cooking in over 40,000 homes across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Ghana.
The startup has now secured seed funding in a round led by Delta40, a Nairobi-based venture studio and VC fund that invests in and supports inclusive climate ventures, and also featuring Autodesk Foundation.
PowerUP will use this new round of investment to expand its distribution presence, build its data platform, and launch its shared carbon programme.
“Cooking has been done the same way for centuries – setting fire to an inefficient fuel to heat a pot that holds food. It is time to go beyond fire and use the most efficient fuel. Our electric cooking solutions will save money, save time, and avoid harmful fumes for millions,” said CEO Kato Kibuka.
PowerUP will start offering a new range of electric stoves later this year to address the diverse cooking styles across Africa. It will invest in leveraging data to understand its customers better and to digitalise its carbon credit programme of activities.
