What Kingo does

Kingo is a Guatemala-headquartered technology company that operates as a distributed utility delivering prepaid clean energy and satellite internet to off-the-grid (OTG) communities in Guatemala and Colombia. The company deploys proprietary rooftop solar power systems and satellite-internet hotspots, distributing service through a network of local convenience stores where customers purchase prepaid activation codes. Kingo reports serving approximately 700 communities covering roughly 250,000 people, predominantly subsistence-level farmers at the bottom of the economic pyramid, in areas where traditional wired infrastructure is uneconomical to deploy.

The technology platform centers on an Internet-of-Things (IoT) stack combining rooftop solar hardware, embedded proprietary printed circuit boards (PCBs) that enable remote monitoring and control, and a central telemetry platform performing first-level maintenance remotely before dispatching field service tickets. Supporting this infrastructure is a suite of mobile applications — a sales app with a digital wallet that prevents convenience stores from running out of stock between agent visits, and a field-service app with installation and maintenance checklists, asset tracking, and collection management. Enterprise Power Systems extend the same architecture to power satellite antennas and connected devices such as refrigerators for B2B customers operating in remote regions.

Kingo generates revenue primarily through prepaid, usage-based sales of solar power and satellite internet to individual consumers, with a secondary managed-services stream providing energy and connectivity infrastructure to consumer goods companies, bottlers, perishable-goods producers, and financial institutions seeking to enter OTG markets. The company is privately held and venture-backed by SEAF, E10, PeopleFund, and IDB Invest, with cumulative disclosed funding of approximately $3.1M across a 2022 seed round and a 2024 round. In October 2022 Kingo acquired Ignite Holding Company Inc. for an undisclosed amount, expanding its operational or technological footprint shortly after incorporation.

Name

Kingo

Legal name

Kingo

Website

https://kingonet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kingo is a Guatemala-based distributed utility providing prepaid rooftop solar power and satellite internet to approximately 700 off-the-grid communities (around 250,000 people) in Guatemala and Colombia, with a secondary B2B infrastructure services stream for enterprises targeting these markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Off-Grid Clean Energy and Connectivity Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Satellite Telecommunications (5174)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential DER Aggregation & VPPs (Solar+Storage, Smart Home, Community) (EUAFAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Telemetry, Metering & Measurement & Verification (M&V) for Flexibility (EUAFAHAJ)

Keywords

• Prepaid solar energy
• Off-grid connectivity
• Distributed utility services
• Satellite internet hotspots
• IoT energy platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Guatemala City

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Prepaid Solar Power: Customers purchase activation codes at convenience stores to access solar power, providing a pay-as-you-go model for off-the-grid energy access
2. Prepaid Satellite Internet: Prepaid satellite internet service delivered through hotspots installed at local convenience stores in remote areas
3. B2B Energy and Connectivity Infrastructure: Provides reliable energy and internet infrastructure enabling consumer goods companies and financial institutions to enter off-the-grid markets

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Kingo operates as a distributed utility providing prepaid solar power and prepaid satellite internet to off-the-grid communities in Guatemala and Colombia through IoT-enabled proprietary rooftop solar systems and convenience-store-hosted hotspots. It also provides B2B energy and connectivity infrastructure that enables consumer goods companies, bottlers, perishable-goods producers, and financial institutions to expand operations into off-the-grid markets.

Product overview

Kingo is a technology startup operating as a distributed utility that provides affordable clean energy and connectivity solutions to off-the-grid (OTG) communities in Guatemala and Colombia. The portfolio consists of three core consumer-facing products: Prepaid Solar Power (proprietary rooftop solar systems with prepaid activation codes), B2B Services (infrastructure enabling corporates to enter OTG markets), and Satellite Internet (prepaid hotspots at convenience stores). These core services are supported by three technology modules: Enterprise Power Systems (hardware for remote power delivery with proprietary PCBs), Mobile Applications (sales and field service apps with digital wallet functionality), and Telemetry Platform (remote monitoring and control infrastructure). The company serves approximately 700 communities with a population of 250,000 people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prepaid Solar Power
• Prepaid Satellite Internet Prepaid satellite internet service delivered through hotspots installed at local convenience stores, providing connectivity for residents and small businesses in remote communities that lack traditional telecom infrastructure.
• B2B Energy and Connectivity Infrastructure Services Managed infrastructure services enabling consumer goods companies, bottlers, perishable goods producers, and financial institutions to expand operations into off-the-grid areas by providing reliable energy and connectivity infrastructure for their equipment and field operations.
• Enterprise Power Systems High-uptime enterprise-grade energy systems designed to power satellite antennas, refrigerators, and connected devices in remote regions, featuring proprietary embedded printed circuit boards that enable remote monitoring and control of field equipment.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• M-KOPA: Leading pay-as-you-go solar provider in East Africa offering solar home systems with mobile-money-integrated payments. Highly comparable business model and customer segment to Kingo's prepaid solar offering.
• BBOXX: Global pay-as-you-go solar provider with operations across Africa and Asia. Comparable to Kingo's prepaid solar distribution model and IoT-enabled remote monitoring infrastructure.
• Husk Power Systems: Operates distributed solar mini-grids and rooftop solar systems serving off-grid rural communities in South Asia and Africa. Closely comparable to Kingo's distributed utility model serving bottom-of-pyramid customers with prepaid energy access.
• d.light: Provides pay-as-you-go solar home systems and appliances across Africa and Asia. Direct comparable to Kingo's prepaid solar model, with similar IoT-enabled distribution and bottom-of-pyramid customer focus.
• Greenlight Planet (Sun King): Sells prepaid solar home systems and lanterns across Africa and Asia via pay-as-you-go financing. Direct comparable in product, customer segment, and distribution approach.
• Zola Electric: Provides off-grid solar-plus-storage systems to households and businesses in Africa. Comparable distributed utility model serving rural customers with reliability-focused hardware, similar to Kingo's enterprise power systems.
• Ilumexico: Mexican off-grid solar company providing distributed energy solutions to rural communities. Highly comparable as a LATAM regional peer with similar bottom-of-pyramid focus and distributed utility architecture.
• PEG Africa: Pay-as-you-go solar provider in West Africa offering solar home systems via mobile payments. Comparable prepaid distribution model and emerging-market customer base to Kingo.

Emerging players

• Okra Solar: Provides mesh-grid solar technology connecting multiple households in off-grid communities across Southeast Asia and Africa. Comparable in targeting remote off-grid customers with shared infrastructure, though focused on AC mesh-grid architecture rather than Kingo's individual rooftop systems.

Broad incumbents

• Schneider Electric: Global energy management and automation company with off-grid energy access initiatives across developing markets. Broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities in rural electrification but operating across a much wider portfolio than Kingo's focused off-grid utility model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kingo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors4 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 Kingo