Okra Solar, a Sydney-based company that creates hardware and software solutions designed to bring solar-based power to developing markets, has announced its new round of $2.1 million renewable energy startup project.
The energy firm is currently focusing the project on Nigeria, Philippines, Haiti and Cambodia, with a renewal bent designed to reduce emissions as it brings more populations online.
The company disclosed that it has developed a Mesh-Grid, which shares power through an interconnected network of homes, with a cloud-based system that monitors usage and required maintenance, while allowing for remote control.
“The global population of people without any power currently stands at 770 million,” chief executive officer, Afnan Hannan noted in a conversation with TechCrunch. These are people that are currently relying on fossil fuels (diesel and kerosene) for basic necessities,” the firm stated.
Orient Energy Review Magazine gathered that Explorer Investments and Didendum led the round. The round also featured participants from Schneider Electric Energy Access and the Autodesk Foundation.
Meanwhile, the energy company said the project money will go toward scaling out its productions and Research and development (R&D), while addressing more of the Nigerian and Haitian markets. It further noted headcount will increase as well.
Okra currently has 28 employees, with plans to expand to 35 by the end of this year. Meanwhile, following the announcement of this project which is being positioned as “pre-Series A”, the firm said it is already preparing for a Series A, which will help expand its employees to around 60.
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