What Solar Panda does

Solar Panda Corporation is a Canadian-incorporated, venture-backed distributed solar energy company founded in 2016 and operational since 2017, headquartered in Toronto (corporate) and Nairobi (operations). It designs, distributes and finances pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar home systems for off-grid and underserved households in Sub-Saharan Africa, currently operating in four countries — Benin, Kenya, Senegal and Zambia — and serving more than 400,000 households and approximately 2 million people as of March 2026.

The company's core product is a portfolio of solar home systems ranging from basic lighting-and-phone-charging kits to 43-inch HD TV packages, comprising solar panels, proprietary battery-based control units, LED lights, phone chargers, radios and televisions. Systems are financed through a loan-to-own PAYGo model: customers pay a small deposit and daily or multi-day amounts via mobile money, receiving token-based electricity access; once the loan is repaid, customers own the system outright and receive free electricity. The platform is supported by the Solar Panda mobile app (Google Play), country-specific USSD codes and customer-care call centres. Beyond consumer PAYGo, Solar Panda operates an industrial solar division in Kenya that builds, owns and operates 250 kW to 10 MW installations under long-term power purchase agreements with commercial and institutional customers.

Solar Panda sells direct-to-consumer through an owned network of 37 retail shops in Kenya plus additional shops in Senegal, Zambia and Benin, and a field force of more than 1,000 door-to-door sales agents. Revenue is generated through PAYGo token payments, a small monthly membership fee during the active loan period, upfront deposits, cross-sold appliances (cookstoves, smartphones, fishing kits, portable lights) and industrial solar PPAs. The company has raised approximately US$11.8M in disclosed equity (a US$8M Series A in July 2022 led by Oikocredit and EDFI ElectriFI, plus a C$5M Series A tranche from Export Development Canada in November 2022), and is actively raising a Series B as of 2025 to support further international expansion.

Name

Solar Panda

Legal name

Solar Panda Corporation

Website

https://solarpanda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solar Panda Corporation is a Canadian-incorporated pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar home systems provider serving off-grid households across Benin, Kenya, Senegal, and Zambia via 400,000+ customers, owned retail shops, and 1,000+ direct sales agents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Off-Grid Solar Home Systems

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental (532210)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ), Solar Distribution & Wholesale Supply (Channel, Procurement, Logistics) (EUAMABAK)

Keywords

• Off-grid solar home systems
• Pay-as-you-go solar
• Solar home financing
• Clean energy distribution
• Industrial solar solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Solar Home System Sales and PAYGo Token Revenue: Solar Panda sells solar home systems (comprising solar panels, control units, lights, phone chargers, radios, TVs) through its own retail shop and agent network. Revenue is generated through an initial deposit, ongoing daily/multi-day mobile money token payments, and a small monthly Membership Fee while the loan is active. Once the loan is repaid, customers own the system and receive free electricity, but the company has converted an off-grid household into a long-term customer base. Industrial-scale solar installations in Kenya also generate revenue through long-term power purchase agreements with commercial and institutional customers.
2. Industrial Solar PPA Revenue: Solar Panda builds, owns, and operates industrial-scale solar installations (250 kW to 10 MW capacity) for commercial and institutional customers in Kenya. Customers sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) to buy electricity at rates below the national grid, with no upfront capital cost to the customer. Battery storage solutions are offered as alternatives to diesel backup generators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Solar Panda designs, distributes, and finances pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar home systems—including solar panels, battery-based control units, LED lights, phone chargers, radios, and televisions—for off-grid households in Sub-Saharan Africa through its own retail shops and direct sales agent network. Systems are sold under a loan-to-own model with daily mobile money payments, and the company also builds and operates industrial-scale solar installations (250 kW to 10 MW) under long-term power purchase agreements for commercial and institutional customers in Kenya.

Product overview

Solar Panda offers a comprehensive solar home systems portfolio centered on its core PAYGO (pay-as-you-go) solar home systems sold through a loan-to-own financing model. The product lineup includes TV packages (43" TV Max and 32" TV Premium) as flagship offerings featuring HD televisions, lighting, phone charging, and radio capabilities powered by solar panels and battery control units. Supporting products include lighting kits (Home Basic Kit, Home Kit, Lighting L48+), portable lighting (Solar Panda Glow), fishing equipment kit, and JikoSafi cookstove. The company also resells Samsung smartphones (Galaxy A16, A06, A05) as complementary products. An Industrial Solar Solutions platform serves commercial customers in Kenya requiring 250kW-10MW capacity. All products are supported by the Solar Panda Mobile App for token management and payments, with USSD integration across operating markets. The loan-to-own payment model enables customers to pay daily via mobile money until ownership is achieved.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VITALITE: Former brand of VITALITE Zambia Limited, retained after Solar Panda's acquisition. All VITALITE shops and operations continue under Solar Panda, with existing customer agreements honored.

Products and services

• Solar Panda 32" TV Premium A 32-inch high-definition color TV solar home system with satellite dish, 5 bright light bulbs, 1 tube light, dual-speaker radio, 6-in-1 phone charger, 40W solar panel, and 161 Wh control unit with fast-charging battery, offered to off-grid households under a loan-to-own payment plan.
• Solar Panda 43" TV Max A 43-inch high-definition color TV solar home system with satellite dish, 4 bright light bulbs, 2 tube lights, 56W solar panel, and 192 Wh control unit with fast-charging battery, sold to off-grid households via loan-to-own financing.
• Solar Panda Home Basic Kit An entry-level solar lighting and phone charging kit with 3 bright lights, 20W solar panel, and 40 Wh control unit with fast-charging battery, sold to off-grid households under loan-to-own.
• Solar Panda Home Kit A solar lighting kit with 3 brilliant tube lights, 15W solar panel, and 20 Wh control unit with fast-charging battery, available in Benin and Senegal markets.
• Solar Panda Glow A portable solar light with 200 lm brightness, dual-speaker radio, phone charging capability, 19.2 Wh control unit with fast-charging battery, and 6W solar panel, targeted at off-grid households.
• Solar Panda Fishing Kit A solar-powered fishing equipment kit with waterproof case, 1000 lm bulb, secure floating frame, 6-in-1 charging cable, 192 Wh control unit with fast-charging battery, and 40W solar panel.
• JikoSafi Cookstove A charcoal cookstove that reduces charcoal use by 50% and produces 70% less smoke than traditional stoves, with 56% thermal efficiency and multi-year durability, targeted at off-grid households.
• Industrial Solar Solutions Industrial-scale solar power solutions (250 kW to 10 MW) for businesses and institutions in Kenya, providing clean and reliable electricity at lower cost than the national grid, with battery storage options as an alternative to backup generators, sold under long-term power purchase agreements.
• VITALITE Zambia An acquired off-grid solar provider in Zambia offering PAYGo solar home systems, now operating under the Solar Panda brand with over 100,000 existing customers.
• Solar Panda Mobile App A free Android mobile application that lets customers retrieve tokens, view loan balances, retrieve skipped tokens, check payment history, and make payments via mobile money.
• Loan-to-Own Payment Plan A financing plan where customers pay a small initial deposit and daily mobile money payments for a solar system; faster payments reduce total cost and full repayment grants system ownership plus free electricity.

Quantifiable outcome

• $300 to $1,000 in savings per household over 4 years by eliminating kerosene and mobile charging expenses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VITALITE Zambia LimitedcoreOthers · 12 June 2025Solar Panda acquired VITALITE Zambia Limited, a leading off-grid solar provider in Zambia, in June 2025. The acquisition added over 100,000 customers to Solar Panda's portfolio and expanded operations to Southern Africa. VITALITE was the first company to introduce PAYGo solar home systems in Zambia in 2013. VITALITE Group Limited (Malawi) was not part of the transaction and continues to operate independently.
• Azuri TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar Panda and Azuri Technologies announced a servicing agreement. Azuri is another player in the off-grid solar sector. The agreement enables Solar Panda to leverage Azuri's servicing infrastructure or provide service continuity for certain customer segments.
• Lion's Head Global PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar Panda partnered with Lion's Head Global Partners, a financial services firm. The nature of the partnership appears to be strategic/financial advisory or co-development support for Solar Panda's expansion and growth strategy.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• M-KOPA: M-KOPA is the largest PAYGo solar home system provider in East Africa, offering solar lighting, phone charging, and TV systems financed via mobile money to off-grid households in Kenya and surrounding markets. Directly competes with Solar Panda on product, customer, and loan-to-own model.
• Sun King (formerly Greenlight Planet): Sun King is a leading global PAYGo solar company selling distributed home solar kits to off-grid households across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Competes head-to-head with Solar Panda in overlapping markets with similar product categories and PAYGo financing.
• d.light: d.light designs, manufactures, and distributes PAYGo and cash solar home systems across Africa and Asia. It directly competes with Solar Panda in target customer segments and product offerings, including solar lanterns, home systems, and TV packages.
• BBOXX: BBOXX is a UK-based PAYGo solar provider operating across multiple African markets with smart solar home systems and battery products. Comparable PAYGo distribution model, mobile money integration, and product mix to Solar Panda.
• Azuri Technologies: Azuri Technologies is a UK PAYGo solar company focused on East and West Africa. Solar Panda has a servicing agreement with Azuri, indicating direct competitive and operational overlap in PAYGo solar.
• Fenix International (an ENGIE company): Fenix International, now part of ENGIE, pioneered PAYGo solar home systems in Uganda and expanded across Africa. Directly comparable PAYGo model and off-grid household customer base to Solar Panda.
• Mobisol (ENGIE): Mobisol, now part of ENGIE, distributed large-scale PAYGo solar home systems with TVs and appliances in East Africa before restructuring. Comparable PAYGo product offering and target customer segment to Solar Panda.

Emerging players

• Husk Power Systems: Husk Power Systems provides distributed solar and mini-grid solutions to rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, including PAYGo solar home systems. Comparable geographic focus and customer base to Solar Panda, with broader mini-grid offering.
• Zola Electric: Zola Electric offers PAYGo solar plus battery systems for off-grid and weak-grid households and businesses across Africa. Overlaps with Solar Panda on PAYGo solar home systems, though Zola differentiates with larger inverter+battery products.
• PowerGen Renewable Energy: PowerGen provides solar mini-grids and PAYGo solar home systems in East Africa. Comparable geographic focus and distributed renewable energy model to Solar Panda, though with greater emphasis on community mini-grids.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SolarPandaKe
• Instagraminstagram.com/solar_panda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solar-panda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solar Panda