(Press release) SunCulture has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2021.
The list honors the businesses that have not only found a way to be resilient in the past year, but also turned those challenges into impact-making processes. These companies did more than survive, they thrived—making an impact on their industries and culture as a whole. This year’s MIC list features 463 businesses from 29 countries.
“We were thrilled to see Fast Company recognize companies in the EMEA region and we are proud to be listed alongside so many incredible and creative organizations. I have no doubt that we’ll continue to see innovative market leaders continue to emerge from Africa in the coming years,” said Samir Ibrahim, CEO and Co-Founder of SunCulture.
SunCulture is recognized by Fast Company for developing and scaling the strongest power system for off-grid farmers in Africa, and the first solution that powers both the farm and the home. In 2020, SunCulture scaled their ClimateSmart Battery with Rainmaker2 innovation, an all-in-one battery and charge controller with a solar water pumping system. Their micro-irrigation products make smallholder farmer irrigation simpler and cheaper, while increasing yields and reducing water usage by 80%. The product package is fitted with additional appliances that make everyday life for smallholder farmers easier and more rewarding, including home lighting and radio/mobile charging. Custom add-ons include TV and Direct Drip irrigation kits. Customers can take advantage of SunCulture’s Pay-As-You-Grow financing option by paying in small installments over the course of several months.
This past year, SunCulture launched the first large-scale solar irrigation subsidy in Africa by partnering with the Togelse government and a distribution partner to bring the benefits of solar irrigation to thousands of farming households. This represents Africa’s first ever large-scale public/private partnership utilizing smart, targeted, and time-bound solar irrigation subsidies to tackle food insecurity. While this is, of course, a win for SunCulture, it is a bigger win for the future of clean energy productive use technology on the continent.
Fast Company’s editors and writers sought out the most groundbreaking businesses across the globe and industries. They also judged nominations received through their application process.
The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides both a snapshot and a road map for the future of innovation across the most dynamic sectors of the economy.
“In a year of unprecedented challenges, the companies on this list exhibit fearlessness, ingenuity, and creativity in the face of crisis,” said Fast Company Deputy Editor David Lidsky, who oversaw the issue with Senior Editor Amy Farley.