Koolboks的PAYG太阳能冰柜赌注：为非洲离网地区打造冷链，融资1540万美元

做的是什么生意

Koolboks makes solar-powered refrigerators and freezers with built-in batteries and IoT connectivity, sold through pay-as-you-go and BNPL financing to off-grid vendors, households and clinics across Africa, with local assembly in Nigeria.

启动资金：About $15.4M total by 2026, including All On's $500,000 investment in 2022 and an $11M Series A led by KawiSafi Ventures with All On and Aruwa Capital co-leading

起因

Koolboks was founded in Nigeria in 2018 by Ayoola Dominic and initially explored other markets before pivoting to solar-powered refrigeration for regions without stable electricity. Its units combine solar panels with lithium-ion batteries so freezers run 24/7, doubling as power hubs that charge phones and run LED lights. All On, the Shell-backed Nigerian impact investor, made an initial $500,000 investment in 2022 that supported the first deployments of Koolboks solar freezers in Nigeria.

经过

Since 2021 Koolboks has deployed more than 10,000 units across Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, selling through a pay-as-you-go model where customers pay a small deposit and settle the balance in weekly or monthly installments via mobile money. The company added IoT remote monitoring, opened its first local assembly plant in Nigeria, launched Koolbuy, a BNPL marketplace financing appliances from other brands, and runs Scrap4New, which refurbishes discarded freezers into solar-powered units.

结果

In 2026 Koolboks closed an $11M Series A led by KawiSafi Ventures and co-led by All On and Aruwa Capital, bringing total funding to about $15.4M. The round funds expansion into markets such as Mozambique and Ghana within the next 12 to 18 months, deeper local manufacturing and the Koolbuy and Scrap4New initiatives.

可借鉴之处

当单位经济对终端用户可行时，基础设施缺口是可以填补的：按需付费融资加物联网监控，可以在没有信用记录和可靠电网的市场销售硬件。