OffGridBox was a proud winner of the SolarX Startup Challenge, organised and funded by the International Solar Alliance (ISA). ISA supports its Member Countries in increasing solar deployment as a means for bringing energy access, security, & transition towards low-carbon growth trajectories.

The SolarX Startup Challenge selected innovative, cost-effective and scalable local solutions to persistent challenges of the solar sectors in ISA Member Countries. Our activities and future plans in Rwanda made us one of the winning entries for the problem statement around innovative business models of solar power to emerging use cases.

OffGridBox plans to combine solar energy, clean water and electrolysis to produce hydrogen for clean cooking. This will help to drastically reduce the use of biofuels and thereby reduce deforestation, while still allowing marginalised communities to have access to clean fuel.

The prize was jointly received by OffGridBox’s CEO Jodie Wu, Chief Partnership Officer Bas Berends and Project Manager Christian Yesashimwe.