What SOIL does

SOIL (legal entity: SOIL Design Group, LLC) is a private Atlanta, Georgia-based product development firm founded by electronics design engineer Kenyon Hall that combines cleantech and IoT to deliver power and connectivity products for on-grid and off-grid consumers. The company operates four brands: Zawadi (portable solar power products including the MOBI 100/120/300 generators, Zawadi Stone, and Flash ZF70 solar lamp, targeted at developing markets and disaster recovery), Griot (a connectivity platform using a constellation of nanosatellites in Low Earth Orbit at ~600 km altitude combined with long-range mesh ground connections, supported by the Griot X edge-AI gateway, Griot Direct and Griot Gateway connectivity modes, and mobile/web apps for device management), Ecoknode STEM (a standalone remote power tower system), and Kromosome (a maker-community sub-brand offering electronics and education kits).

The underlying technology stack integrates nanosatellite-based IoT connectivity with the Tangle (IOTA) distributed ledger for low-power, scalable device transactions, and pushes AI inference to the edge via the Griot X gateway. SOIL cites addressable use cases including nearly 1 billion people globally without electricity and over 40% of the world without internet access, with applications spanning agriculture, maritime, smart cities, mining, outdoor recreation, disaster recovery, and nature/animal conservation. The business model combines direct-to-consumer hardware unit sales (pay-as-you-go pricing via the SOIL e-commerce storefront) with what is positioned to become recurring connectivity subscription revenue from the Griot platform, distributed through enterprise pilot/beta programs and a corporate/non-profit partner network.

The company is privately held, founded in 2019 per firmographic data (with the Zawadi brand launching in 2017), employs 1-10 people, has disclosed approximately $110,000 in funding ($100K from Google for Startups in October 2020 and $10K from WeWork Labs in August 2020), and in June 2025 added Securitize co-founder Jamie Finn and marketing strategist Araby Patch as strategic advisors/investors.

Name

SOIL

Legal name

SOIL Design Group, LLC

Website

https://soildesigngroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SOIL (SOIL Design Group, LLC) is a private Atlanta-based product firm that combines cleantech and IoT to deliver off-grid power products (Zawadi) and nanosatellite-based connectivity (Griot) to developing markets, enterprises, and disaster-recovery customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Off-grid power and IoT connectivity hardware

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621)

akta.pro primary industry

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ), Resilience & Backup Power Solutions (Critical Facilities, Islanding) (EUAMAJAK), Hybrid Microgrids (Solar+Storage+Gen, Multi-Resource) (EUACALAH), Microgrid & Distributed Grid Equipment (Controllers, Switchgear Packages, DER Interconnection) (IMAGAAAJ), DERMS & Microgrid Control Software (EMS/SCADA/DERMS) (EUAMAJAG)

Keywords

• Off-grid power solutions
• Portable solar generators
• IoT connectivity platform
• Nanosatellite IoT
• Cleantech consumer electronics

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: SOIL generates revenue through the sale of physical products including Zawadi power products (MOBI series, Flash ZF70, Stone), Griot connectivity devices, and EcoKnode systems. Products are sold through e-commerce storefront and potentially through pilot/enterprise channels.
2. Connectivity Services: Revenue generated from connectivity services enabled by the nanosatellite constellation and Griot platform, serving IoT and device management needs for enterprise and consumer customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SOIL designs, manufactures, and sells hardware products combining clean energy harvesting with IoT connectivity for on-grid and off-grid consumers. Its Zawadi line delivers portable solar power (MOBI series generators, Stone module, ZF70 solar lamps) targeting the nearly 1 billion people globally without electricity, while its Griot platform provides pole-to-pole IoT connectivity via nanosatellites for enterprise and consumer applications including agriculture, maritime, smart cities, and disaster recovery.

Product overview

SOIL is a product development firm combining Cleantech and IoT to build products for on-grid and off-grid consumers, focusing on bringing power and connectivity everywhere. The portfolio centers on two main platforms: Zawadi (power products) and Griot (connectivity platform), supported by Ecoknode for remote power systems and Kromosome for the maker community. Zawadi products include portable solar generators (MOBI series), compact power modules (Zawadi Stone), and solar lamps (ZF70 series) designed for developing countries, disaster recovery, and outdoor recreation. The Griot platform provides global IoT connectivity through a constellation of nanosatellites in Low Earth Orbit, featuring the Griot X AI-IoT gateway for edge computing and supported by mobile and web applications for device management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zawadi: Power products brand for off-grid consumers in developing countries. Products include Zawadi Stone, MOBI 100, MOBI 120, MOBI 300, Flash ZF70, and ZF70 USB solar lamps.
• Griot
• Ecoknode
• Kromosome

Products and services

• Zawadi Stone Compact off-grid energy module with four 2.1A USB ports, two LED lamps, and a built-in solar panel for charging devices on the go. Designed for off-grid consumers in developing regions.
• Zawadi MOBI 300 300W portable solar generator with built-in Bluetooth speaker, LED lamp, USB ports, USB-C 60W PD, two 120V AC outlets, and three 12V DC outputs for outdoor recreation, emergency, and off-grid use.
• Zawadi MOBI 100 Compact 100W portable inverter with a 13Ah battery, multiple charging options (wall outlet, solar, car adapter), and an integrated 3W LED flashlight for on-the-go power.
• Zawadi MOBI 120 Solar-charged AC power and USB battery bank delivering 120 watts of pure sine wave AC power for portable on-the-go electrical outlets.
• Zawadi Flash ZF70 Long-lasting, low-cost solar lamp with a 2200mAh battery capable of running up to 22.5 hours, a 70 lumen LED, and a 1.7W solar panel.
• Zawadi ZF70 USB USB-powered LED lamp designed for portability, compatible with any USB power source.
• Griot Connectivity Platform Global IoT connectivity platform using nanosatellites in Low Earth Orbit combined with long-range mesh ground connections, offering pole-to-pole coverage for enterprise and consumer IoT applications.
• Griot X AI-IoT Gateway At-the-edge computing gateway that enables neural networks and AI applications to run on-device, eliminating the need for cloud processing and keeping control at the device.
• Ecoknode STEM Standalone Tower with Eco Management that brings electrical-grid features to remote areas worldwide through a connected power system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves farmers time by enabling remote monitoring of agricultural sensors via smartphone
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Araby PatchsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2025Araby Patch joined as an advisor to enhance Soil's brand and market position, bringing marketing and market development expertise.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jackery: Jackery is a leading manufacturer of portable power stations and solar generators for outdoor and emergency use. Comparable to SOIL's MOBI 300 portable solar generator product.
• d.light: d.light designs, manufactures, and distributes affordable solar lanterns and pay-as-you-go solar home systems across Africa and South Asia. It is a direct competitor to SOIL's Zawadi brand for off-grid energy consumers in developing markets.
• BioLite: BioLite makes off-grid energy products including solar lanterns, home lighting, and clean cookstoves for emerging markets as well as outdoor recreation. Comparable to SOIL's Zawadi MOBI generators and ZF70 solar lamps targeting off-grid consumers.
• Goal Zero: Goal Zero is a leading portable solar generator brand (Yeti line) targeting outdoor recreation and emergency preparedness. Directly comparable to SOIL's MOBI 100/120/300 portable solar generators.
• Swarm Technologies (SpaceX): Swarm, acquired by SpaceX, operates a nanosatellite constellation providing low-cost, low-bandwidth IoT connectivity globally. Directly comparable to SOIL's Griot platform architecture and target use cases.
• Astrocast: Astrocast operates a nanosatellite IoT network targeting asset tracking, agriculture, and maritime use cases with bidirectional device-to-satellite communication. Closely matches SOIL's Griot Direct connectivity model and target verticals.
• Kepler Communications: Kepler Communications is building a LEO nanosatellite constellation for IoT and broadband data relay. Comparable to SOIL's nanosatellite-based Griot platform vision and architecture.
• Myriota: Myriota provides low-power, direct-to-satellite IoT connectivity for agriculture, logistics, and environmental monitoring. Comparable to SOIL's Griot platform for low-power IoT in remote areas.
• M-KOPA: M-KOPA is a leading pay-as-you-go solar home system provider in East Africa with millions of customers. Comparable to SOIL's Zawadi off-grid energy product positioning and target segments.

Broad incumbents

• Iridium Communications: Iridium operates an operational LEO satellite constellation providing global IoT (Iridium Edge), voice, and data services. It is a broad incumbent whose IoT offerings compete with SOIL's Griot platform across multiple verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soildesigngroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/soildesigngroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/soildesigngroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soil-dg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SOIL