Wassha
Founded
2013 in Tokyo, Japan — originally founded as Digital Grid Solutions and later renamed WASSHA Inc., the company was created to bring affordable, clean energy services to off‑grid and underserved communities in Africa by leveraging solar power, IoT technology, and mobile payments to enable decentralized power access at the last mile.
Founders & Leadership
Satoshi Akita — Founder & CEO (leading the company’s strategic expansion into African energy access and platform services).
Location
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (regional base) — with operational hubs across Uganda (Kampala), Mozambique (Nampula), Nigeria (Lagos), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), alongside the Tokyo headquarters.
Industry
Clean Energy / Climate Tech / Energy‑as‑a‑Service (EaaS) / Renewable Energy — focused on solar power delivery, micro‑energy systems, IoT‑enabled energy services, and energy platform expansion.
Funding Stage
Series C (Growth Stage) — WASSHA has progressed through multiple institutional funding rounds:
Series B (~$9.2M) backed by investors including Daikin Industries, Yamaha Motor, Mistletoe Japan, Mizuho Capital, UTEC, and Marubeni.
Series C (~$8.2M) led by Dai‑ichi Life Insurance Company with participation from previous backers, bringing total known funding to roughly $26–28 million+.
Africa Angel Investors
Overview
WASSHA is a climate tech and energy access company empowering underserved off‑grid African communities with clean, affordable power. Using a distributed network of solar kiosks and rental devices (e.g., LED lanterns, charging equipment), WASSHA enables local kiosk owners to offer pay‑as‑you‑go energy services — replacing kerosene lamps, extending business hours, and improving education and safety while creating income opportunities. It combines IoT monitoring, mobile money payments, and local retail networks to scale decentralized energy solutions.
Core Features & Capabilities
Solar‑Powered Energy Services: Deployment of solar panels, rechargeable LED lanterns, batteries, and charging equipment in local kiosks for rent or pay‑per‑use by community members.
Energy‑as‑a‑Service (EaaS): Subscription and rental models that reduce upfront costs for users and provide predictable, affordable energy access.
Mobile Payment Integration: Pay‑as‑you‑go charging using mobile money systems (e.g., M‑Pesa) to enable financial inclusion and seamless transactions.
IoT & Remote Management: Technology to monitor energy generation, usage, sales, and kiosk operations remotely for optimization and scaling.
Kiosk Platform Expansion: The kiosk network serves as a platform for additional digital services and retail innovations beyond power.
Target Market
Underserved & Off‑Grid Communities in Africa with limited or no access to grid electricity.
Local Entrepreneurs & Kiosk Owners seeking income opportunities by offering energy services and mobile charging.
Micro‑Retail & Village Commerce Centers that benefit from extended business hours and additional service offerings.
Impact Investors & Development Partners focused on climate tech, energy access, and socio‑economic development.
Value Proposition
WASSHA democratizes access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy by leveraging solar technology, IoT, and mobile payments to create local economic opportunities and improve living standards. Its EaaS model reduces reliance on kerosene and other costly fuels, boosts small business revenues, enables safer lighting, and enhances community resilience while sequencing toward broader digital platform services.