Barefoot Power
Barefoot Power designs, manufactures, and distributes solar home systems, portable solar lamps, and 12V DC appliances for off-grid and weak-grid households and communities in Africa and the South Pacific.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersEpping, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Barefoot Power does
Barefoot Power is a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of solar-powered lighting and home energy systems targeting off-grid and weak-grid households in Africa and the South Pacific. Founded in Australia in 2005 and restructured via a November 2018 management buyout that transferred African and Chinese assets to the subsidiary management team, the company is now operationally headquartered in Nairobi with regional offices in Kampala (Uganda) and Freetown (Sierra Leone) and a country operation in China for products and supply chain.
The product range is anchored by the award-winning Barefoot Firefly portable solar lamp and the Barefoot Go 250 portable light, and extends through the four-tier Connect solar home system family (Life, Life Plus, Family, Family Plus). The Connect platform integrates a microprocessor-controlled charge controller with four-stage charging and LiFePO4 battery management, and is designed as the hub for a proprietary 12V DC appliance ecosystem comprising TVs, pedestal and deluxe fans, a 55-litre fridge kit, and an MP3/radio. Plug-and-play installation is a deliberate design choice for markets without reliable access to electricians.
Barefoot Power earns revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales via regional agents (notably Solar Solutions in Papua New Guinea), consumer financing partnerships (Kenya Women Microfinance Bank), direct B2B enterprise contracts (Unilever, 14,000 staff houses in Kenya and Tanzania), and donor-funded programme distribution (EU WISE programme, 2018–2022). Target customer segments are off-grid and weak-grid rural households, women entrepreneurs reached through the WISE incubator hubs, corporate employers electrifying staff housing, and rural market traders. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and the company does not list an active consumer financing or pay-as-you-go product in the provided sources.
Barefoot Power firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Barefoot Power
- Legal name
- Barefoot Power
- Website
- https://barefootpower.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Barefoot Power designs, manufactures, and distributes solar home systems, portable solar lamps, and 12V DC appliances for off-grid and weak-grid households and communities in Africa and the South Pacific.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Barefoot Power industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Off-grid Solar Energy Products
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Lamp Bulb and Other Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (335139), Residential Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335131)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- 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), Distributed Storage (Behind-the-Meter Batteries) (EUAMAJAE), Outdoor Lighting & Power (Headlamps, Batteries, Solar) Retail (CRAMAAAG)
Keywords
Where Barefoot Power is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Epping
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
Barefoot Power business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Solar Home Systems: Sale of solar home systems (Connect series) including Connect Life, Connect Life Plus, Connect Family, and Connect Family Plus. One-time hardware purchase with plug-and-play installation for household lighting and power.
- Portable Solar Lamps: Sale of portable solar lamps including Barefoot Firefly and Barefoot Go. Entry-level solar lighting products for off-grid households.
- Solar Lifestyle Appliances: Sale of compatible 12V DC appliances including TVs, fans, fridges, and radios that work with Barefoot Connect systems.
- Consumer Financing Partnership: Partnership with Kenya Women Microfinance Bank for consumer financing - Barefoot provides products while KWFT manages credit at relationship and portfolio levels.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Barefoot Power product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Barefoot Power designs, manufactures, and distributes solar-powered assets for off-grid and weak-grid households and communities in Africa and South Pacific. The portfolio spans portable solar lamps (Barefoot Firefly, Barefoot Go 250), a tiered range of solar home systems (Barefoot Connect Life, Connect Life Plus, Connect Family, Connect Family Plus), and a compatible ecosystem of 12V DC lifestyle appliances (TVs, fans, fridge kit, MP3/radio). Products are plug-and-play, require no electrician for installation, and are sold through regional agents, consumer financing partners, and direct enterprise contracts.
Product overview
Barefoot Power is a solar energy provider offering a portfolio of solar-powered products targeting off-grid and weak-grid households in Africa and South Pacific. The product line centers on three core solar home system tiers (Connect Life, Connect Life Plus, Connect Family, Connect Family Plus) which provide scalable lighting and power solutions, complemented by the portable Barefoot Go 250 and award-winning Barefoot Firefly personal solar lamps. The company also offers lifestyle electronic accessories including 12V TVs, solar fans, a refrigerator kit, and MP3/radio players—all designed to be compatible with the Connect solar home systems. The portfolio follows an energy ladder model, allowing customers to progress from basic lighting to comprehensive home energy solutions with entertainment and income-generating capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Barefoot Firefly: Award winning portable solar lamp with technical improvements for durability and longevity, featuring multiple brightness settings.
- Barefoot Go
- Barefoot Connect
- WISE (Women Increasing Sustainable Energy access and use)
Products and services
- Barefoot Firefly Award-winning portable solar lamp with three brightness settings, a 1.5W solar panel, 65-lumen LED output, and mobile phone charging capability via included adaptors. Designed for off-grid households needing entry-level lighting and phone charging.
- Barefoot Go 250 Portable solar light designed specifically for rural markets, featuring an ultra-bright lamp with three brightness settings providing up to 6 hours of light, a 4W solar panel, and a 1A USB output for phone charging.
- Barefoot Connect Life Entry-level solar home system providing two ultra-bright LED lamps (150 lumens each), capable of lighting two rooms simultaneously. Includes a 4W solar panel and phone charging capability.
- Barefoot Connect Life Plus Solar home system providing three ultra-bright LED lamps (150 lumens each) capable of lighting three rooms for studying, cooking, socializing, or income-generating activities. Includes a 10W solar panel and 2 USB outputs.
- Barefoot Connect Family High-performance solar home system offering four ultra-bright LED tubes with 300 lumens per tube, two USB ports for phone charging, and compatibility with solar electronic appliances including TV, radio, and fan. Features a 40W solar panel (upgradable to 60W) and 12Ah battery.
- Barefoot Connect Family Plus Full-featured solar home system with four ultra-bright LED tube lights and two ultra-bright LED lamps to light up six rooms. Powers entertainment appliances including 22 or 32 inch TV, pedestal fan, and radio. Features a 60W solar panel and 12Ah maintenance-free Lithium battery.
- 12V TV and DVD Player Solar-powered 12V TV with LED technology, less than 13W power consumption, available in 22 and 32 inch sizes with USB, HDMI ports and optional multi-region DVD player. Features analog/digital tuner.
- Solar Fan Deluxe 12V solar-powered fan with 23cm height, 6W power on high setting, 4.6W on medium. Plugs directly into Barefoot Connect front 12V output with a 2-metre cable.
- Solar Fan Pedestal 12V solar-powered pedestal fan with 40cm diameter, three operating settings, 13W power on high, 9W on medium. Plugs into Barefoot Connect series 12V output.
- 55L 12V DC Fridge Kit Solar fridge kit with 55L capacity holding 70 standard drink cans. Features Danfoss BD35K R600a compressor, 155W solar panel, 20A solar controller, and 75.6Ah 12V AGM SLA battery.
- MP3 Player & Radio Tri-band (AM/FM/SW) compact portable radio with back-lit LCD display and digital clock. Features built-in rechargeable 1020mAh lithium ion battery, USB/micro SD card playback, 11 hours runtime, and plugs into Barefoot Connect or Barefoot Go USB outputs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 229 sustainable energy incubator hubs to be created
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Barefoot Power
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Barefoot Power technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Barefoot Power partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- European UnionflagshipEuropean Union selected Barefoot Power to implement WISE (Women Increasing Sustainable Energy access and use) program in Kenya, Uganda and Sierra Leone (2018-2022). WISE aims to create 229 sustainable energy incubator hubs, impact 95,000 women, and create 5,550 women-owned income generating enterprises. EU provides funding and programmatic support.
- Kenya Women Microfinance Bank (KWFT)corePartnership for solar products consumer financing. Barefoot Power is responsible for product functional responsibility, up-selling and cross-selling. KWFT manages credit at both relationship and portfolio levels. This partnership enables customers to access solar products through financing rather than upfront purchase.
- UnilevercoreSelected by Unilever to supply and install Solar Home Systems in 14,000 staff houses in Kenya and Tanzania as part of Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan. Major B2B enterprise contract demonstrating product capability for large-scale deployment.
- Solar SolutionscoreSolar Solutions is the exclusive agent for Barefoot Power in Pacific Islands including Papua New Guinea. 6-year partnership developing products suitable for PNG market. Barefoot Power has become the most recognised brand in PNG for solar home systems through this partnership.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Barefoot Power competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- BURN Manufacturing: BURN Manufacturing designs and distributes clean cookstoves and solar products in East Africa with a focus on carbon-credit-financed distribution. Adjacent to Barefoot Power in East Africa off-grid consumer base, last-mile distribution model, and clean energy access mission, with a different primary product category.
Direct peers
- Fenix International: Fenix International (acquired by ENGIE) distributes PAYG solar home systems in Uganda and other African markets via mobile money. Directly comparable to Barefoot Power in Uganda market overlap, SHS product line, and last-mile off-grid consumer base.
- PEG Africa: PEG Africa (now part of BBOXX) provided PAYG solar home systems across Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria. Comparable to Barefoot Power in West Africa off-grid SHS focus, particularly relevant given Barefoot's Sierra Leone operations and the shared entry-level household customer segment.
- BBOXX: BBOXX is a UK-headquartered PAYG solar provider operating across East and West Africa with smart solar home systems and data-driven credit underwriting. Comparable in solar home system offering and African geographic focus, with deeper PAYG and remote-monitoring capabilities than Barefoot Power.
- Greenlight Planet (Sun King): Greenlight Planet markets the Sun King range of portable solar lanterns and SHS across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America via direct sales agent networks. Closely comparable to Barefoot Power in entry-level lantern product positioning, agent-based distribution, and emerging-market customer base.
- Zola Electric: Zola Electric (formerly Off Grid Electric) provides PAYG solar home systems and mini-grids in Tanzania and broader Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable in distributed solar generation for off-grid households and focus on the East Africa SHS market adjacent to Barefoot Power's Tanzania deployment with Unilever.
- M-Kopa: M-Kopa is a leading pay-as-you-go solar home system provider headquartered in Kenya, serving off-grid households in East Africa with mobile-money-based credit for solar lighting, phones, and appliances. Directly comparable to Barefoot Power in target customer, product category, and East Africa footprint, with a more developed PAYG credit model.
- d.light: d.light designs, manufactures, and distributes affordable solar lanterns and solar home systems across Africa and South Asia, with both PAYG and outright purchase models. Highly comparable in product portfolio (lanterns to SHS), distribution philosophy, and geographic reach to Barefoot Power.
Emerging players
- Solar Sister: Solar Sister recruits, trains, and supports women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa to distribute solar lanterns and clean cookstoves. Comparable to the women-led distribution channel that Barefoot Power's WISE program is building, with overlapping gender-inclusive energy access mission.
Regional players
- PowerGen Renewable Energy: PowerGen builds and operates solar mini-grids and commercial & industrial solar systems across East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria). Comparable to Barefoot Power in East/West Africa geographic focus and off-grid/weak-grid customer base, with a mini-grid rather than household SHS model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Barefoot Power social profiles
Digital presenceBarefoot Power financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Barefoot Power leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Barefoot Power funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Barefoot Power 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 Barefoot Power
What does Barefoot Power do?
Barefoot Power designs, manufactures, and distributes solar-powered assets for off-grid and weak-grid households and communities in Africa and South Pacific. The portfolio spans portable solar lamps (Barefoot Firefly, Barefoot Go 250), a tiered range of solar home systems (Barefoot Connect Life, Connect Life Plus, Connect Family, Connect Family Plus), and a compatible ecosystem of 12V DC lifestyle appliances (TVs, fans, fridge kit, MP3/radio). Products are plug-and-play, require no electrician for installation, and are sold through regional agents, consumer financing partners, and direct enterprise contracts.
Is Barefoot Power a public or private company?
Barefoot Power is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Barefoot Power founded?
Barefoot Power was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Barefoot Power based?
Barefoot Power is headquartered in Epping, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Barefoot Power make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Solar Home Systems are the primary driver. The others are portable Solar Lamps, solar Lifestyle Appliances and consumer Financing Partnership.
Who are Barefoot Power's main competitors?
BURN Manufacturing is listed as an others. Direct peers are Fenix International, PEG Africa, BBOXX, Greenlight Planet (Sun King), Zola Electric, M-Kopa and d.light. Solar Sister is listed as an emerging player. PowerGen Renewable Energy is listed as a regional player.
Does Barefoot Power have an API?
No public API is recorded for Barefoot Power.
What industry is Barefoot Power in?
Barefoot Power's product category is Off-grid Solar Energy Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAJAD, Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind, with a secondary code of EUACALAJ, Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 3640.