Applications are now open for the second cohort of the Climate and Finance Innovations (ClimaFii) Alliance ($45 000-$70 000 funding available)
Closing Date: 12 January 2026
Applications are now open for the second cohort of the Climate and Finance Innovations (ClimaFii) Alliance ($45 000-$70 000 funding available)
Together with Accion, BFA Global, and Upaya Social Ventures, Shell Foundation is supporting climate enterprises across sub-Saharan Africa and India to scale clean energy and e-mobility solutions for microenterprises.
This cohort will focus on:
- Expanding access to productive-use clean energy
- Strengthening climate resilience for microenterprises
- Connecting innovators with financial sector partners
- Supporting locally driven solutions in both regions
With 20 companies already part of the Alliance, this next round will bring even more innovators into the ecosystem.
About the Climate and Finance Innovations (ClimaFii) Alliance
The ClimaFii Alliance is a five-year initiative accelerating climate innovation and inclusive finance for microenterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. ClimaFii Alliance supports early-stage startups delivering clean energy and electric mobility solutions that raise productivity, increase incomes, and build resilience for small business owners—while reducing emissions and local pollution.
Launched by Shell Foundation and Accion, and delivered in partnership with BFA Global (Sub-Saharan Africa) and Upaya Social Ventures (India), ClimaFii focuses on the “missing middle”: microentrepreneurs who power local economies but are underserved by climate finance and technology.
Microenterprises (0–10 employees) are the backbone of Africa’s economy, yet unreliable electricity, high fuel costs, post-harvest losses, and inefficient transport systems directly limit their productivity. Clean energy and electric mobility solutions can increase microenterprise income by 20–30% and reduce energy costs by up to 50%, but most cannot access them due to: high upfront costs, lack of suitable financing, weak last-mile distribution, barriers faced by women-led MEs.
India’s rural economy, powered largely by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), faces challenges due to limited access to scalable renewable energy solutions. This gap leaves MSMEs dependent on inefficient, high-cost energy sources, limiting productivity and income potential. With India’s Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) sector poised for growth, there is a significant opportunity to transform how rural enterprises operate by introducing climate-smart solutions, such as clean energy innovations, to adapt to climate change and protect livelihoods.
The ClimaFii Alliance is designed to catalyze this change. ClimaFii exists to close this affordability, financing, and adoption gap and will support two cohorts that is the Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Cohorts. Find out more about the eligibility criteria and support for each cohort below:
- Sub-Saharan Africa Cohort
- India Cohort
Click Here To Apply
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