Innovation: Africa

What Innovation: Africa does

Innovation: Africa is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by Sivan Yaari and headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, with a US office in New York and field operations in eight African countries. The organization delivers solar-powered clean water and electricity infrastructure to rural communities across 10 Sub-Saharan African countries (Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, eSwatini, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, and Senegal), having completed over 1,400 village projects that serve approximately 6 million people. Its core product is the iA Water Solar Water Pumping System, which drills into underground aquifers, installs a submersible solar pump, a 10-meter tower with a 10,000-liter tank, and distributes water through 10-15 tap stations at a capacity of over 30,000 liters per village per day. Complementary offerings include the Energy Box (a power management unit with lithium-ion battery, Israeli LED bulbs, charge controller, inverter, and integrated monitoring) for schools and medical centers, Israeli drip irrigation technology deployed through the AgriCluster Programme, and a UN Innovation Award-winning Remote Monitoring System that provides real-time tracking and automated anomaly alerts.

The organization's revenue model is multi-stream: individual donations at $25/month and per-person tiers, corporate sponsorships at $8,500 (tap) and $85,000 (full village), foundation grants from organizations such as the Kirsh Foundation and Water4Mercy, and an in-development Carbon Credits Program. All project-directed donations are reportedly deployed at 100%, with overhead covered by separate private donors. The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer digital fundraising (website, peer-to-peer campaigns, Bar/Bat Mitzvah programs), corporate partnership outreach for CSR-aligned village sponsorships, and institutional grants. Distribution relies on a network of 100-140 full-time engineers, field officers, and managers, plus 50+ local contractors across Africa, with 10 community members trained per project to support 10-year maintenance guarantees. The organization holds Special Consultative Status at the UN ECOSOC and has received awards including the UN Innovation Award, the Light of Israel Award, and the Innovation Diplomacy Award.

Name

Innovation: Africa

Legal name

Innovation: Africa

Website

https://innoafrica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Innovation: Africa is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers Israeli solar-powered clean water and energy systems to rural villages across 10 Sub-Saharan African countries, having completed over 1,400 projects serving approximately 6 million people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Water and Energy Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Utilities (22)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB), Energy & Water Efficiency Programs (Corporate Resource Management) (EUAHAJAG)

Keywords

• Solar water pumping
• Rural clean water access
• Solar energy schools
• Nonprofit water infrastructure
• Remote project monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Herzliya

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting clean water projects. Donation tiers include $25 per person, monthly giving programs, and one-time contributions. 100% of donations go directly to projects as overhead is covered by private donors.
2. Corporate Partnerships: CSR-aligned corporate sponsorships for village projects at $85,000 per village or tap sponsorships at $8,500. Companies receive brand recognition, ESG alignment, and invitation to tap-opening ceremonies.
3. Village Sponsorship: Full village sponsorship model where donors fund complete solar water pumping systems. Includes drilling, construction, local employment, and 10-year maintenance guarantee.
4. Carbon Credits: Renewable energy water projects reduce carbon emissions and deforestation, generating carbon credits for enterprise offset programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Innovation: Africa is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that designs, funds, and deploys solar-powered clean water infrastructure and solar energy systems in remote Sub-Saharan African villages. Each project drills into underground aquifers, installs a submersible solar pump, 10-meter water tower with a 10,000-liter tank, and 10–15 tap stations, delivering over 30,000 liters of clean water per day to 3,000–4,000 people. The organization also powers rural schools and medical centers with solar installations built around its proprietary Energy Box, and integrates all assets into a UN Innovation Award-winning Remote Monitoring platform that enables live donor transparency and rapid maintenance dispatch.

Product overview

Innovation: Africa is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers solar-powered clean water and solar energy solutions to remote Sub-Saharan African villages. Its core product portfolio centers on two systems: (1) the iA Water Solar Water Pumping System — a multi-stage infrastructure project that drills into aquifers, installs submersible solar pumps and 10-meter water towers with 10,000-liter tanks, and distributes clean water through 10–15 village tap stations; and (2) Solar Energy Systems for schools and medical centers, built around the proprietary Energy Box. Both systems integrate the UN award-winning Remote Monitoring System for real-time performance tracking and anomaly-based alert dispatch. Add-on offerings include Israeli drip irrigation technology for agricultural development and an emerging Carbon Credits Program. The organization operates across 10 African countries, having completed over 1,400 projects impacting 6 million people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• iA Water (Solar Water Pumping System) A solar-powered clean water delivery system that drills into underground aquifers, installs a submersible solar pump, constructs a 10-meter water tower with a 10,000-liter tank, and distributes water through 10–15 tap stations across a village. The system delivers over 30,000 liters of clean water per day, serving 3,000–4,000 people. Funded via village sponsorship ($85,000) and deployed in rural Sub-Saharan African villages.
• Solar Energy Systems for Schools and Medical Centers Solar power installations at primary schools, secondary schools, and medical centers in rural African villages, including solar panels, electrical wiring, Israeli-made LED light bulbs, and the proprietary Energy Box. Provides light and electricity to classrooms, staff homes, and medical facilities, enabling study after dark and operation of medical equipment and vaccine refrigerators. Funded via $20,000 school/medical center sponsorship.
• Energy Box An Israeli-made power management unit installed at schools and medical centers. Contains a lithium-ion battery, Israeli LED light bulbs, charge controller, voltage protector, inverter, and integrated Remote Monitoring system. Powers laptops, medical equipment, and lighting for entire rural facilities.
• Remote Monitoring System A UN award-winning real-time monitoring and alert platform integrated into both water pumping systems and the Energy Box. Tracks water flow, energy production, and solar output live via a web dashboard and mobile application, with automated anomaly alerts that trigger dispatch of local engineers for rapid issue resolution. Provides donor-facing transparency on project performance.
• Carbon Credits Program An in-development program leveraging the renewable energy basis of Innovation: Africa's water projects to generate carbon credits, intended to help large enterprises offset their carbon footprints. Marked as 'Coming soon' on the organization's website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 million people provided with access to clean water and solar energy
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Water4MercycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater4Mercy partnered with Innovation: Africa contributing $100,000 to provide clean water access for 7,000 people across two villages in Tanzania (Mwinyi Village and Ndebwe Village). Also collaborated on multiple Zambia projects including Chiuta Village and Khaila Village.
• Bayport Management LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership with Bayport Management Ltd to bring solar and water solutions to Tanzania. Bayport is a financial services company providing credit and related services in Africa.
• CultivAid TanzaniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural development organization partnering with Innovation: Africa on the AgriCluster Programme, combining water access with agricultural training. Reached over 600 farmers, distributed more than 170,000 hybrid seedlings, and operated across 11 demonstration sites.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• charity: water: U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit funding clean water access in developing countries via donor-funded well and system construction. Highly comparable mission, donor-funded revenue model, and project-sponsorship mechanics to Innovation: Africa.
• WaterAid: Major international NGO focused on WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in developing countries, including Sub-Saharan Africa. Operates a similar WASH delivery model, donor-funded revenue, and country-level program offices like Innovation: Africa.
• Water.org: Global nonprofit co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White focused on water access and sanitation through small-loan financing and partner funding. Comparable WASH mission and developing-market footprint, though its financing-led model differs from iA's direct solar EPC approach.
• Water for People: U.S.-based nonprofit delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene services in developing countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Closely comparable WASH mission, donor funding model, and 'Everyone Forever' sustainability framing to Innovation: Africa.
• Lifewater International: Christian nonprofit drilling wells and providing WASH programs across Sub-Saharan Africa, with donor sponsorship and ongoing community engagement. Highly comparable rural African water mission and donor-funded project sponsorship model.
• Pump Aid: UK- and Africa-based nonprofit focused on sustainable clean water access in rural sub-Saharan Africa via gravity-fed and pump systems. Closely comparable Africa-centric WASH mission and rural village deployment focus.
• Water4Mercy: Smaller nonprofit partner of Innovation: Africa funding solar water projects in Tanzanian and Zambian villages. Same donor-funded solar-village model; smaller scale but directly comparable mission and project economics.

Emerging players

• SELCO Foundation: India-based foundation deploying solar energy access solutions to underserved communities with a similar technology-plus-local-training model. Comparable in mission (energy access for the poor) but operates primarily in India rather than Africa.
• Waterlines: Africa-focused social enterprise drilling boreholes and delivering water infrastructure with donor/corporate blended funding. Comparable rural African water-infrastructure delivery but operates as a hybrid for-profit/non-profit rather than pure donor-funded NGO.

Broad incumbents

• d.light: For-profit social enterprise providing affordable solar lanterns, solar home systems, and pay-as-you-go energy across Africa and Asia. Comparable end-user (off-grid rural Africa) and solar-product deployment, but commercial rather than donation-funded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/innoafrica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@innovation-africa
• Facebookfacebook.com/innoafrica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovation-africa
• Instagraminstagram.com/innovation.africa/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Innovation: Africa