Investments

Persistent has invested proprietary capital for more than a decade. To date, Persistent has made 25 (and counting) early-stage investments and has had (4 exits) in PAYGo solar home system companies, commercial and industrial solar companies, ecosystem enablers, and e-mobility business players. Next to delivering solid financial returns, we have also contributed to improving over 64 million lives, powering half a million households, avoiding over 1.4 million tons of CO2e, and creating over 21,000 jobs.

We are the Fund Advisor to the USD 120 million Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund (EEGF), managed by Triple Jump. Initiated in 2019 by Shell Foundation and FMO, the EEGF provides catalytic financing for early and growth stage companies in Sub Saharan Africa operating in the access to energy ecosystem. Our unique industry expertise as an investor and venture builder in energy access provides pipeline opportunities, advice on origination and due diligence, as well as hands-on operational support to investees of the EEGF in order to help them transition into the next stages of development.

Persistent acts as a Foundation Advisor to Triple Jump on the CEI Africa Foundation with the mandate to accelerate market development of the African off-grid energy and green mini-grid sectors to achieve the goal of universal access to energy by 2030.  In its capacity as Foundation Advisor, Persistent is responsible for managing the CEI Africa Foundation’s Crowdlending window which will co-finance companies in the target sectors alongside qualified Crowdlenders.

Persistent is now raising a $100M dedicated Africa Climate Venture Builder Fund. Our Fund will leverage Persistent’s experience to invest in promising early-stage companies across Sub-Saharan Africa that will have a positive climate impact, create employment opportunities, and improve lives. This includes solutions that enable the transition to clean energy, as well as adjacent climate areas such as AgTech and Circular Economy.

The Fund will enable Persistent to tap into a large pipeline of opportunities, shape new markets, and capture early-stage value in climate sectors across Africa.