SunFunder
SunFunder is a Nairobi-based fund manager and intermediary, founded in 2012, that channels capital into solar energy projects in emerging markets by connecting international investors — including impact funds and energy corporates — with solar developers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SunFunder does
SunFunder is a Nairobi-based fund manager and financial intermediary that channels capital into solar energy projects, primarily in emerging markets. Founded in 2012, the company operates as a specialized solar finance platform connecting international investors — both impact-oriented funds and strategic corporate backers — with solar developers and project sponsors that lack direct access to appropriate debt or equity capital. The firm's offerings encompass direct lending, fund management, and transaction facilitation across the solar value chain in regions where traditional commercial capital is constrained.
The company is led by founder and CEO Ryan Levinson and co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Audrey Desiderato, with a senior team covering investments (Surabhi Mathur Visser), risk (Sanjeev Debipersad), advisory (Chris Wurdemann), strategic partnerships (Nico Tyabji), finance (Sammy Malaki), legal (Tinashe Makoni), and an investment director (Avi Jacobson). SunFunder has 11-50 employees and reports a headcount consistent with a lean specialist team executing structured solar finance transactions rather than operating a mass-market lending platform. Its investor base blends development-oriented impact investors (Khosla Impact, Better Ventures, Radicle Capital, Treehouse Investments) with strategic corporate investors from the energy and power equipment sectors (Schneider Electric, Shell Ventures, Iberdrola), and the firm has also engaged with BloombergNEF.
The business model centers on intermediation economics: management and structuring fees on capital deployed, plus transaction-based fees on syndicated or club deals. Strategic corporate investors double as commercial counterparties — Schneider Electric and Shell Ventures, for example, can support both the financing and the equipment supply or off-take side of deals. Disclosed equity funding totals approximately $6.3 million across 2014 and 2015, with additional unpriced rounds and strategic investments through 2018. The platform's value proposition is concentrated expertise in emerging-market solar project finance, a niche that larger generalist lenders have historically underserved.
SunFunder firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SunFunder
- Legal name
- Mirova
- Website
- https://sunfunder.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SunFunder is a Nairobi-based fund manager and intermediary, founded in 2012, that channels capital into solar energy projects in emerging markets by connecting international investors — including impact funds and energy corporates — with solar developers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SunFunder industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Energy Investment Management
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ)
Keywords
Where SunFunder is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
SunFunder business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Asset Management Fees: Mirova generates revenue through asset management fees charged on assets under management across its various investment strategies including equities, fixed income, energy transition infrastructure, natural capital and private equity solutions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Investment management services for institutional investors, distribution platforms and retail investors |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
SunFunder product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SunFunder is a fund manager and intermediary for solar energy investments, structuring and managing dedicated solar investment vehicles that channel capital from institutional and corporate investors to solar energy projects and companies. The firm connects capital providers with solar developers, handling deal sourcing, structuring, and fund administration, primarily serving emerging-market solar opportunities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Solar Energy Investment Funds Dedicated pooled investment vehicles that deploy capital into solar energy projects and solar-related companies, primarily in emerging markets. Targeted at institutional investors, family offices, foundations, and corporate strategic investors seeking thematic solar exposure as part of an impact or emerging-markets allocation.
- Solar Investment Intermediation Intermediation service that connects solar energy project developers, off-grid solar businesses, and solar SMEs seeking capital with institutional and corporate capital providers. Aimed at solar developers that lack direct access to institutional capital and at investors looking for vetted solar deal flow in emerging markets.
- Solar Advisory Services Transaction and strategic advisory services for solar developers, off-grid solar companies, and investors engaging with SunFunder on solar financings. Led by the firm's Head of Advisory, the practice complements the fund management business with transaction structuring and strategic guidance for solar counterparties.
Quantifiable outcome
- $39.4 billion in assets under management as of March 2026
Companies that use SunFunder
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SunFunder technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SunFunder partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Groupe BPCEflagshipGroupe BPCE, Mirova, and Natixis CIB announced partnership as sponsors of the World Living Soils Forum 2026 to accelerate action for soil regeneration. This collaboration aims to bring together stakeholders to address soil health challenges.
- Natixis CIBflagshipNatixis CIB (Corporate and Investment Banking) partnered with Groupe BPCE and Mirova as sponsors of the World Living Soils Forum 2026 to accelerate action for soil regeneration.
- BeZero CarboncoreMirova signed framework agreements with BeZero Carbon to further strengthen quality standards across its carbon strategies. BeZero Carbon provides carbon ratings and assessment services.
- SylveracoreMirova signed framework agreements with Sylvera to further strengthen quality standards across its carbon strategies. Sylvera provides carbon intelligence and verification services.
- Thematics Asset ManagementflagshipMirova and Thematics Asset Management, both affiliate management companies of Natixis Investment Managers, announced a strategic merger project to create a unique offering combining innovation and positive impact to become a major player in thematic management worldwide. Thematics AM is a specialist in thematic investment.
- SweepcoreMirova Research Center and Sweep announced the launch of the Climate Contribution Framework: A New Standard for Corporate Climate Action. This partnership developed a comprehensive framework for measuring and reporting corporate climate contributions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
SunFunder competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BlueOrchard Finance: Long-established impact investment manager with EM renewable energy debt strategies; competes for the same institutional climate-finance capital that SunFunder targets.
- FMO (Dutch Development Bank): Major DFI actively providing debt and equity to renewable energy projects in emerging markets, including Africa; functions as both competitor and potential LP/co-investor relative to SunFunder.
Direct peers
- Persistent Energy Capital: Pan-African financier providing debt and mezzanine capital to solar and renewable energy companies; competes head-to-head with SunFunder for solar project and developer financing across Africa.
- responsAbility Investments AG: Swiss impact asset manager offering renewable energy and climate financing across emerging markets, directly competing with SunFunder's core thesis of directing institutional capital into EM solar projects via debt and equity structures.
- Climate Fund Managers (CFM): Manages blended-finance climate vehicles investing in renewable energy infrastructure across emerging markets, including Africa — closely comparable to SunFunder's solar-focused emerging markets intermediation model.
- CrossBoundary Energy: Africa-focused renewable energy financier that arranges and deploys capital into distributed and utility-scale solar projects; comparable business model and customer base to SunFunder.
Emerging players
- Sun King (formerly Greenlight Planet): Distributes pay-as-you-go solar home systems across emerging markets and has raised significant climate/impact debt; partial overlap as a solar capital end-user that also taps similar LP base.
- d.light: Pay-as-you-go solar provider active across Africa and Asia that relies on impact and climate debt capital; sits in SunFunder's customer universe as a financed borrower.
- Acumen Capital Partners: Impact investment manager raising and deploying capital into off-grid energy and solar enterprises in emerging markets, overlapping on customer set and LP universe with SunFunder.
- Off Grid Electric (Zola Electric): African solar home system provider that has raised project finance and climate debt for distributed solar; sits in SunFunder's potential borrower/customer ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
SunFunder social profiles
Digital presenceSunFunder financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SunFunder leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
SunFunder subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
SunFunder funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SunFunder M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments25 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SunFunder
What does SunFunder do?
SunFunder is a fund manager and intermediary for solar energy investments, structuring and managing dedicated solar investment vehicles that channel capital from institutional and corporate investors to solar energy projects and companies. The firm connects capital providers with solar developers, handling deal sourcing, structuring, and fund administration, primarily serving emerging-market solar opportunities.
Is SunFunder a public or private company?
SunFunder is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SunFunder founded?
SunFunder was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SunFunder based?
SunFunder is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does SunFunder make money?
One revenue line is on record: asset Management Fees.
Who are SunFunder's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BlueOrchard Finance and FMO (Dutch Development Bank). Direct peers are Persistent Energy Capital, responsAbility Investments AG, Climate Fund Managers (CFM) and CrossBoundary Energy. Emerging players are Sun King (formerly Greenlight Planet), d.light, Acumen Capital Partners and Off Grid Electric (Zola Electric).
Does SunFunder have an API?
No public API is recorded for SunFunder.
What industry is SunFunder in?
SunFunder's product category is Solar Energy Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAJ, Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization). Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6282.