Ecosafi
EcoSafi is a clean cooking fuel utility that produces biomass pellets from agricultural waste and provides a high-efficiency gasifier cookstove free of charge to urban and peri-urban households and commercial food businesses in Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda, while also monetizing climate impact through Gold Standard MECD carbon credits.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ecosafi does
EcoSafi is a clean cooking fuel utility company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Cape Town, with active operations in Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda. The company produces EcoSafi Pellets, biomass fuel pellets made from 100% agricultural waste (primarily sugarcane bagasse), and provides the BetterStove, a high-efficiency biomass gasifier cookstove designed in California in partnership with New Power Industry that meets the World Health Organization's definition of clean cooking and delivers 5,000W output. EcoSafi's product system is priced at 55 KES per kilogram in Kenya and 1,400 UGX per kilogram in Uganda, marketed at roughly half the cost of charcoal or LPG, and the BetterStove is leased free of charge to customers who commit to ongoing pellet purchases, creating a product-led, recurring revenue model.
EcoSafi serves urban and peri-urban households and commercial food businesses in Nairobi and Kampala through a hybrid distribution model that combines free commercial delivery via an all-electric fleet and a neighborhood agent-pickup network for households. Beyond direct fuel sales, the company monetizes climate impact through the issuance of high-integrity carbon credits under the Gold Standard MECD methodology, becoming the first issuer of such credits in Africa and earning Africa's first "AA" standalone cookstove carbon rating from an independent ratings agency (BeZero Carbon framework).
The company's strategic positioning is built on three pillars: a stove-as-a-service model that locks customers into recurring pellet consumption, a vertically integrated circular-economy supply chain (electric factory, electric last-mile delivery, agricultural waste sourcing), and a credibility moat in voluntary carbon markets underpinned by Gold Standard and BeZero Carbon certifications. EcoSafi is led by founder and CEO Tom Price and co-founder and COO Jordyan Corcoran, with core partnerships spanning New Power Industry (stove engineering), Gold Standard Foundation (carbon methodology), BeZero Carbon (ratings), Wren (carbon retail), MCFA (growth capital), and UC Berkeley's Center for Environmental Policy (third-party endorsement).
Ecosafi firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ecosafi
- Legal name
- EcoSafi
- Website
- https://ecosafi.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- EcoSafi is a clean cooking fuel utility that produces biomass pellets from agricultural waste and provides a high-efficiency gasifier cookstove free of charge to urban and peri-urban households and commercial food businesses in Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda, while also monetizing climate impact through Gold Standard MECD carbon credits.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ecosafi industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Clean Cooking Fuel & Cookstoves
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wood Pellet Manufacturing (EUAAAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biomass Briquette Manufacturing (EUAAAJAB), Pellet & Wood Fuel Manufacturing (IMAMABAH), Biomass Fuel Equipment & Systems (Pellet Mills, Briquetters, Torrefaction Reactors) (EUAAAJAH)
Keywords
Where Ecosafi is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ecosafi business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Biomass Pellet Fuel Sales: EcoSafi's primary revenue stream comes from recurring sales of EcoSafi Pellets (biomass fuel). Customers purchase pellets in 10kg or 30kg bags at 55 KES/kg in Kenya or 1,400 UGX/kg in Uganda. The stove is provided free to fuel buyers, creating a recurring consumption-based revenue model.
- Carbon Credit Issuance: EcoSafi generates revenue by issuing high-integrity carbon credits under the Gold Standard MECD methodology. Each household using EcoSafi pellets instead of charcoal can cut up to 3 tons of CO2 per year. The company has earned Africa's first 'AA' standalone carbon rating and is among the top 7% of all carbon projects rated by BeZero Carbon.
- BetterStove Leasing: The BetterStove is provided free to customers conditioned on their ongoing purchase of EcoSafi Pellets. This stove-as-a-service model drives fuel lock-in and recurring revenue, while the stove itself represents a capital asset leased to customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EcoSafi Pellets – 10kg Medium bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EcoSafi Pellets – 30kg Jumbo bag |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | BetterStove – Free Lease with Fuel Purchase |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ecosafi product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ecosafi manufactures and distributes EcoSafi Pellets — biomass briquette fuel made from 100% waste agricultural residues such as sugarcane bagasse — and the BetterStove, a high-efficiency gasifier cookstove engineered with New Power Industry. The BetterStove is provided free to customers who commit to purchasing EcoSafi Pellets, creating a recurring usage-based fuel revenue stream. The company also generates and sells high-integrity carbon credits certified under the Gold Standard MECD methodology.
Product overview
EcoSafi is a clean cooking fuel utility company operating a subscription-based model in East Africa (Nairobi and Kampala). The company offers two core products: the BetterStove (a high-efficiency biomass cookstove provided free with fuel subscription) and EcoSafi Pellets (biomass fuel made from agricultural waste). The stove is leased to customers at no charge as long as they purchase EcoSafi Pellets, creating an integrated hardware-fuel service. EcoSafi also generates high-integrity carbon credits through Gold Standard methodology, with the BetterStove being the first cookstove to earn Africa's first 'AA' standalone carbon rating.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BetterStove: A clean biomass cookstove designed in California in partnership with New Power Industry. It meets the World Health Organization's definition of clean and is provided to customers for free with fuel purchase.
- EcoSafi Pellets
Products and services
- EcoSafi Pellets Biomass fuel pellets made in Kenya from 100% waste biomass (sugarcane bagasse, sawdust, and agricultural residues), sold to households and commercial food businesses in 10kg and 30kg bags. Designed for use in the BetterStove and priced at 55 KES/kg in Kenya and 1,400 UGX/kg in Uganda.
- BetterStove A high-efficiency biomass gasifier cookstove designed in California in partnership with New Power Industry. Meets the World Health Organization's definition of clean, delivers 5000W power output with up to 90 minutes of cooking per chamber, and is provided free to customers who purchase EcoSafi Pellets, with guaranteed repair or replacement.
- Gold Standard MECD Carbon Credits Verified carbon credits issued under the Gold Standard MECD methodology — the first such issuance in Africa. Each household switching from charcoal to EcoSafi Pellets can cut up to 3 tons of CO2 per year. EcoSafi holds Africa's first 'AA' standalone carbon rating and is among the top 7% of all carbon projects rated by BeZero Carbon.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% cheaper than charcoal or LPG
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Ecosafi
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ecosafi technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ecosafi partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WrencoreWren is EcoSafil's project partner for clean cookstoves in East Africa. Wren lists EcoSafi on its climate projects platform, directing environmentally conscious consumers to support EcoSafi's clean cooking initiative as an offset project.
- BeZero CarboncoreBeZero Carbon is an independent carbon ratings agency that awarded EcoSafi the first-ever 'A' rating for a cookstove project (May 2024) and subsequently upgraded it to Africa's first 'AA' standalone carbon rating (July 2025). This third-party validation is central to EcoSafi's market positioning.
- Gold Standard FoundationcoreGold Standard Foundation certified EcoSafi's carbon credit methodology (MECD) and issued the first Gold Standard carbon credits for clean cooking in Africa. Gold Standard CEO Margaret Kim visited EcoSafi in October 2024, indicating a strong strategic relationship.
- New Power IndustrycoreNew Power Industry designed and engineered the BetterStove in partnership with EcoSafi. The BetterStove was designed in California. EcoSafi explicitly endorses New Power Industry and credits them with the stove's engineering excellence.
- UC Berkeley Center for Environmental Policy (CEPP)minorUC Berkeley's Center for Environmental Policy (CEPP) listed EcoSafi among its 'Recommended' high-quality cookstove offset projects, recognizing accurate quantification of greenhouse gas benefits and WHO-compliant stove quality.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ecosafi competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BURN Manufacturing: Kenya-based manufacturer of efficient biomass and solar cookstoves serving both household and commercial cooking customers across East Africa. Directly comparable as a clean-cooking cookstove company targeting the same charcoal-replacement use case in overlapping geographies.
- Inyenyeri: Rwanda-based clean cooking pioneer (founded ~2010) that supplies biomass pellet fuel and efficient stoves to households, and is explicitly referenced as a precursor by EcoSafi. Closely comparable as a biomass pellet + gasifier stove cookstove utility model in East Africa.
- KOKO Networks: Kenya-headquartered clean-cooking fuel network distributing bioethanol cooking fuel and smart cookstoves via agent networks in East Africa. Comparable as a clean cooking fuel utility with a hardware-plus-recurring-consumables model in overlapping African urban markets.
- Sistema.bio: Mexico/Kenya-headquartered biodigester and clean cooking company serving smallholder farmers with biogas and improved cookstoves, also generating carbon credits. Comparable as a clean cooking provider with a hardware-plus-recurring-revenue model and carbon credit monetization in emerging markets.
- ATEC (Advanced Technologies for Energy Conservation): Cambodia-headquartered clean cookstove and clean fuel company (with PAYGO IoT-enabled stoves) serving emerging-market households, also generating carbon credits. Directly comparable as a clean-cooking company monetizing both stove hardware/services and carbon credits in emerging markets.
- EcoZoom: Clean cookstove designer and distributor serving emerging-market households with biomass and solar cookstoves, with carbon credit programs. Comparable as a clean-cooking company selling biomass/rocket-style stoves for household use.
- BioLite: US/hub-East Africa energy company selling efficient biomass cookstoves with thermoelectric generation and other clean energy products to households and outdoor users. Comparable as a premium clean-cooking brand using biomass fuel and an integrated stove hardware product for emerging-market households.
Broad incumbents
- Sun King (Greenlight Planet): Large-scale off-grid solar energy company serving low-income households across Africa and Asia with PAYGO solar lanterns and home systems. Comparable as a broad pay-as-you-go energy provider distributing subsidized hardware plus recurring energy purchases to similar East African customer segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ecosafi social profiles
Digital presenceEcosafi compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Ecosafi financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ecosafi leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Ecosafi funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ecosafi 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 Ecosafi
What does Ecosafi do?
Ecosafi manufactures and distributes EcoSafi Pellets — biomass briquette fuel made from 100% waste agricultural residues such as sugarcane bagasse — and the BetterStove, a high-efficiency gasifier cookstove engineered with New Power Industry. The BetterStove is provided free to customers who commit to purchasing EcoSafi Pellets, creating a recurring usage-based fuel revenue stream. The company also generates and sells high-integrity carbon credits certified under the Gold Standard MECD methodology.
Is Ecosafi a public or private company?
Ecosafi is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ecosafi founded?
Ecosafi was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ecosafi based?
Ecosafi is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Ecosafi make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Biomass Pellet Fuel Sales are the primary driver. The others are carbon Credit Issuance and betterStove Leasing.
Who are Ecosafi's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BURN Manufacturing, Inyenyeri, KOKO Networks, Sistema.bio, ATEC (Advanced Technologies for Energy Conservation), EcoZoom and BioLite. Sun King (Greenlight Planet) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ecosafi have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ecosafi.
What industry is Ecosafi in?
Ecosafi's product category is Clean Cooking Fuel & Cookstoves. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAJAA, Wood Pellet Manufacturing, with a secondary code of EUAAAJAB, Biomass Briquette Manufacturing.