OffGridBox
OffGridBox designs and deploys modular, containerized systems integrating solar power and water purification for off-grid healthcare facilities, refugee camps, and rural communities, primarily across Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What OffGridBox does
OffGridBox Inc. is a Boston-area (Somerville/Cambridge, Massachusetts) project design and engineering company founded in 2016 by Emiliano Cecchini and Davide Bonsignore. The company designs and deploys modular, containerized systems that integrate solar photovoltaic generation, lithium battery storage, and water purification into a single ruggedized unit. The flagship PIONEER system is housed in a 6-foot shipping container and combines 4-8 kWp of solar capacity with multi-stage ultrafiltration water treatment and an optional desalination module. Companion products include FLEX (a modular 1.6-2.4 kWp solar power module scalable to four units), CHIARA (a standalone 0.01-micron ultrafiltration water module with UV sterilization and automated backwash), and MINI (a compact 50cm cube portable relief hub for disaster response). All systems carry CE and UL certifications and are designed for a 20-year operational lifetime in extreme environments, with deployments validated through typhoon, cyclone, and tornado exposure.
OffGridBox serves four primary customer segments: rural off-grid communities (via a village kiosk franchising model using women BoxKeepers in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia), healthcare facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa (vaccine refrigeration, autoclaves, oxygen machines, and lighting for clinics lacking grid power), humanitarian and refugee settlements (Nakivale in Uganda, Mahama and Mugombwa camps in Rwanda), and disaster response contexts (Puerto Rico schools, BVI schools, Somalia date farms). Revenue is generated through a mix of direct hardware sales, grant-funded institutional projects, a pay-as-you-go kiosk subscription model (roughly 15% IRR for impact investors), an upfront-plus-flat-monthly-fee model for institutional buyers, and equity crowdfunding via Netcapital. The company operates African operations from Kigali, Rwanda, with deployment activity across more than 20 countries on four continents, and has implemented over 50 projects with 40+ partners, including UNDP, USAID Power Africa, the World Bank-adjacent HETA, EDP, and DOEN Foundation.
The go-to-market relies on enterprise field sales to NGOs and governments funded by donors and foundations, complemented by a global distributor network being established through the Global Distributors Collective. OffGridBox has raised approximately $2.5M cumulatively across a 2017 Techstars seed investment, a 2017 MassChallenge $100K prize, a 2018 $1.6M seed round from DOEN, Good Energies Foundation, EEP Africa, and private investors, plus recurring grants from Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the City of Somerville. The current leadership includes CEO Bas Berends (former Dutch diplomat), CTO Emiliano Cecchini, Board Chair Jodie Wu, and Global Director Davide Bonsignore, with a team of fewer than 10 distributed across Rwanda, Europe, and the United States.
OffGridBox firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OffGridBox
- Legal name
- OffGridBox Inc.
- Website
- https://offgridbox.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- OffGridBox designs and deploys modular, containerized systems integrating solar power and water purification for off-grid healthcare facilities, refugee camps, and rural communities, primarily across Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OffGridBox industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Off-Grid Renewable Energy and Water Purification Systems
- NAICS
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microgrid Development, EPC & Integration (EUAMAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Resilience & Backup Power Solutions (Critical Facilities, Islanding) (EUAMAJAK), Hybrid Microgrids (Solar+Storage+Gen, Multi-Resource) (EUACALAH), Remote, Islanded & Off-Grid Microgrids (Islands, Mining, Telecom Towers) (EUAFAJAD), Community Microgrids & Shared Distributed Generation (EUACALAC)
Keywords
Where OffGridBox is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
OffGridBox business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Village Kiosk Franchising: BoxKeepers (typically women) operate community kiosks selling purified water and power bank recharging services. Customers pay micro-payments (daily/weekly). Generates approximately 15% IRR for social impact investors. Implemented in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Direct Sales to End Users: Government agencies, NGOs, and building owners purchase systems directly with upfront cost plus flat monthly fee for remote monitoring and optimization. Includes disaster relief, healthcare facilities, and rural electrification projects.
- Subscription Model (Zambia): Monthly fee providing unlimited access to clean water and power bank recharges for base-of-pyramid customers.
- Product Sales: Direct sales of Pioneer, Flex, Chiara, and Mini systems to individual customers, governments, and organizations. Crowdfunding available through Netcapital.
- BuyBack and Refurbishment Program: Refurbishes returned boxes for philanthropic donations to communities in need.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pioneer - Containerized integrated power and water system |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mini - Portable relief hub |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chiara - Water purification module |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flex - Modular solar power |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Family Support Donation |
| Subscription | Monthly | Village Kiosk - Pay-as-you-go model |
| Hybrid | Monthly | Direct Sales - Upfront + Monthly Monitoring |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
OffGridBox product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OffGridBox designs, manufactures, and deploys modular containerized systems that integrate solar power generation, lithium battery storage, and multi-stage water purification (including ultrafiltration and desalination) into rugged shipping containers and compact boxes. The company's flagship products—Pioneer, Flex, Chiara, and Mini—serve healthcare facilities, refugee settlements, rural communities, and off-grid homeowners with renewable electricity and clean water. OffGridBox operates a village kiosk franchising model in East Africa and sells directly to NGOs, governments, and individual customers.
Product overview
OffGridBox is a project design and engineering company providing integrated renewable energy and clean water solutions through modular container-based systems. The product portfolio includes the PIONEER (flagship 6-foot integrated shipping container combining solar power and water purification), FLEX (modular solar power module for scalable energy needs), CHIARA (standalone ultrafiltration water purification system), and MINI (compact portable relief hub for disaster response). These systems serve households, health clinics, schools, refugee camps, and agricultural operations in remote areas, with add-on modules for Wi-Fi, remote monitoring, irrigation, desalination, and medical equipment. The company operates through village kiosk franchising (community BoxKeepers providing pay-as-you-go services) and direct sales models, having deployed over 50 projects across 20 countries since 2016.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pioneer: A 6-foot shipping container that produces electricity and purifies water. The flagship integrated and containerized system for solar power and clean water serving up to 2,000 people.
- Mini
- Flex
- Chiara
Products and services
- OffGridBox PIONEER The flagship integrated 6-foot shipping container system that produces electricity and purifies water. Features 12 or 24-panel solar array (4-8 kWp), 3-stage water purification system, lithium battery storage, multiple output ports, and optional cellular router/modem. Serves up to 2,000 people per unit.
- OffGridBox FLEX A modular solar power module consisting of 4-6 solar panels (1.6-2.4 kWp), 2-3 kVA inverter, and 2.5-5 kWh lithium battery storage. Scalable up to 4 modules in parallel for homes, health clinics, and schools.
- OffGridBox CHIARA An ultrafiltration water purification system using 0.01 micron filtration technology derived from blood dialysis systems. Features replaceable filters with automatic backwash, UV sterilization, and delivers 5-20 liters per minute of purified water for wells, boreholes, and various fresh water sources.
- OffGridBox MINI A compact 50cm x 50cm x 50cm shockproof portable relief hub for disaster preparedness. Includes 415Wp solar panel, 1,000W AC inverter (2.2kW peak), 1.2kWh lithium battery, and 3-stage ultrafiltration water purification system with UV and backwash. Operating temperature range -20C to +60C.
- Village Kiosks (Pay-as-you-go Service) Community-based pay-as-you-go service model where local entrepreneurs (BoxKeepers) operate OffGridBox units to provide affordable purified water and solar power to surrounding households. Targets 400 families (~2,000 people) per box with daily micro-payments.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000 liters of drinking water per day per unit
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use OffGridBox
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
OffGridBox technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
OffGridBox partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SWARM-E (EU Horizon Programme)minorProject with 14 European and African research institutions for transforming clean energy access across Sub-Saharan Africa through innovative sustainable approaches.
- ENGIE Energy AccesscoreWinner of Engie-sponsored call for urban power and clean water solutions. Pilot to provide clean water and power to off-grid households in Kigali.
- RAEL (Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory) at UC BerkeleycoreResearch collaboration for establishing productive use appliances at deployed units. Partners in DRC health facilities project studying impact of reliable energy on infant mortality.
- Research Centre for Humanitarian Aid (RCHA-DRC)coreHumanitarian logistics and support partner for DRC health facilities installations.
- wPower (DRC)minorWomen-led company providing trained female technicians for installation at DRC project sites.
- Society for Family Health (SFH) RwandacoreTrusted Rwandan organization with deep community roots. Partnership for solarising 12 health clinics across Rwanda with Pioneer, FLEX, and Chiara systems.
- Moban SACCOcoreNakivale-based savings group that co-bid with OffGridBox and BiziSol for Smart Communities Coalition Innovation Fund project in Uganda.
- BiziSolminorSweden-based company that co-bid with OffGridBox and Moban SACCO for Uganda refugee settlement project.
- WidEnergy Africa LtdcoreWomen-led company registered in Zambia dedicated to last-mile distribution of clean energy solutions. Implementing subscription model for OffGridBox in Zambia.
- CEFA (Italian NGO)coreItalian NGO partnership for Food Security and Sustainability in Fragile Situations project in Somalia, funded by IFAD.
- AlightminorInternational NGO humanitarian partner for refugee programs in Rwanda.
- InkomokominorPartner providing refugee entrepreneurs with solar energy for tools and shops in Rwanda.
- MIT D-LabminorCollaboration to understand communities in need. Desalination pilot in South Africa. Local survey development for Tanzania projects.
- Global Distributors CollectiveminorMember of collective dedicated to supporting last mile distribution companies to reach unserved customers.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
OffGridBox competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BBOXX: Global pay-as-you-go off-grid solar provider serving households in East Africa and other emerging markets. Highly comparable on solar PAYG distribution and rural electrification, though focused on home systems rather than integrated water+power microgrids.
- d.light: Pay-as-you-go solar home systems provider in Africa and Asia. Comparable on PAYG financing model and rural distribution; differs by lacking integrated water-purification capability.
- Husk Power Systems: Mini-grid operator across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa delivering solar-hybrid power to rural customers. Comparable in building community-scale distributed generation, though historically biomass+solar rather than water-integrated.
- Sun King (Greenlight Planet): Leading off-grid solar PAYG company across Africa and Asia. Comparable on customer base (low-income off-grid households), pay-as-you-go model, and East Africa distribution footprint; differs by product focus on lighting/phone-charging rather than integrated water.
- PowerGen Renewable Energy: East Africa-focused mini-grid developer building solar+battery microgrids for rural communities. Closest direct comparable on hybrid microgrid deployment model and Sub-Saharan African footprint.
- Zola Electric: Off-grid solar-plus-storage provider for African households and SMEs. Comparable on integrated solar+battery product and PAYG financing; lacks water purification as part of the core offering.
- M-KOPA: Kenya-headquartered pay-as-you-go solar platform with deep East Africa reach. Comparable PAYG model and East Africa customer base; broader product catalog of consumer electronics financing rather than integrated water microgrids.
Broad incumbents
- ENGIE Energy Access: Distributed energy arm of global utility ENGIE, providing solar home systems and mini-grids across Africa. Comparable target segment and partner profile (OffGridBox won an ENGIE-sponsored call); broader corporate portfolio and balance sheet.
Emerging players
- BioLite: Clean energy company serving off-grid households with solar home systems and clean cookstoves in emerging markets. Comparable mission and emerging-market customer profile; different product mix (lighting, cookstoves) and broader consumer-energy focus.
- Sistema.bio: Mexican-founded biogas and biofertilizer provider operating across Latin America, Africa, and Asia with a similar franchise/installation model for rural customers. Comparable rural-distribution and impact-investor ecosystem overlap.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
OffGridBox social profiles
Digital presenceOffGridBox compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
OffGridBox financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OffGridBox leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
OffGridBox funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OffGridBox M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OffGridBox
What does OffGridBox do?
OffGridBox designs, manufactures, and deploys modular containerized systems that integrate solar power generation, lithium battery storage, and multi-stage water purification (including ultrafiltration and desalination) into rugged shipping containers and compact boxes. The company's flagship products—Pioneer, Flex, Chiara, and Mini—serve healthcare facilities, refugee settlements, rural communities, and off-grid homeowners with renewable electricity and clean water. OffGridBox operates a village kiosk franchising model in East Africa and sells directly to NGOs, governments, and individual customers.
Is OffGridBox a public or private company?
OffGridBox is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was OffGridBox founded?
OffGridBox was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is OffGridBox based?
OffGridBox is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does OffGridBox make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Village Kiosk Franchising is the primary driver. The others are direct Sales to End Users, subscription Model (Zambia), product Sales and buyBack and Refurbishment Program.
Who are OffGridBox's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BBOXX, d.light, Husk Power Systems, Sun King (Greenlight Planet), PowerGen Renewable Energy, Zola Electric and M-KOPA. ENGIE Energy Access is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are BioLite and Sistema.bio.
Does OffGridBox have an API?
No public API is recorded for OffGridBox.
What industry is OffGridBox in?
OffGridBox's product category is Off-Grid Renewable Energy and Water Purification Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAJAB, Microgrid Development, EPC & Integration, with a secondary code of EUAMAJAK, Resilience & Backup Power Solutions (Critical Facilities, Islanding). Its NAICS code is 2211 and its SIC code is 4991.