EnAccess Foundation

What EnAccess Foundation does

EnAccess Foundation is a Netherlands-registered nonprofit organization founded in 2017 by Fabio De Pascale and Rahul Barua, headquartered in Amsterdam. The foundation operates a "cash for open knowledge and tools" model: it funds and co-creates open source software, hardware, and business model toolkits for the distributed energy access sector, with all outputs freely available under open source licenses. Its work targets manufacturers, mini-grid operators, and energy service providers in underserved markets across Africa and Asia, where it addresses structural fragmentation in PAYGO technology, the high cost of rugged IoT communications, the lack of inexpensive smart metering, and limited access to corporate climate financing for distributed renewable energy. Core products include OpenPAYGO Token and OpenPAYGO Pass (device activation and PAYGO interoperability, co-developed with SolarisLab), the Cicada IoT communications module and its Wifi Cicada variant (co-developed with Okra Solar), the Open Smart Meter (developed with First Electric for Nigerian deployments), the D-REC platform for Distributed Renewable Energy Certificates (with Positive Capital Partners and South Pole), an open source Battery Management System, the MicroPower Manager for off-grid energy operations, and the AgriGrid toolkit for mini-grid plus agribusiness economics.

The foundation's business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating from product sales. It does not charge licensing fees or subscriptions for any of its open source materials, and pricing is uniformly free of charge. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: the foundation manages the Open Source Energy Access (OSEA) Community platform, organizes the annual OSEAS symposium (Abuja 2024, Nairobi 2025, Kigali 2026 announced), runs a Digitalisation Support Hub for DRE SMEs, distributes content through GitHub repositories, and engages adopters through webinars, partner publishing, Discord, and LinkedIn. Distribution of any physical hardware (Cicada PCBA boards) is handled via the Seeed Studio marketplace. Operating with a 1–10 person team, EnAccess partners with institutional actors including the World Resources Institute, World Bank, and LF Energy, and maintains a documented base of enterprise and startup adopters across at least nine countries.

Name

EnAccess Foundation

Legal name

The EnAccess Foundation

Website

https://enaccess.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EnAccess Foundation is a Netherlands-based nonprofit that funds and co-creates open source software, hardware, and business toolkits for energy access companies serving off-grid markets in Africa and Asia. It operates the OSEA Community and OSEAS symposium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open Source Energy Access Tools

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Energy & Clean Tech Access (Off-grid, Energy Poverty Solutions) (BPAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

DER & Microgrid Interconnection / Grid Edge Integration Services (EUAEANAF), Microgrid + Storage EPC & Systems Integration (EUAEAEAD), Environmental Data Management Platforms (EHS/EMS, LIMS, ELN, Compliance Data Hubs) (EUAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Open source energy
• Energy access financing
• PAYGO technology
• Off-grid electrification
• Renewable energy innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Funding (Grants and Donations): EnAccess Foundation operates as a nonprofit that funds open source innovation in the energy access sector. The foundation is funded through grants and donations rather than revenue from product sales. It contracts operating energy access companies to provide innovation as a service to the ecosystem, with outputs being freely accessible open source software, hardware, or knowledge.
2. Free Open Source Materials: All materials and resources funded by EnAccess are free, accessible, and easy-to-use. No commercial revenue is generated from the open source tools themselves.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EnAccess Foundation is a nonprofit that funds and co-creates open source hardware, software, and knowledge tools for the energy access sector. It contracts operating energy access companies to develop solutions (OpenPAYGO Token, Cicada IoT module, Open Smart Meter, D-REC Platform, OpenPAYGO Pass, Open Source BMS, MicroPower Manager) that become freely accessible shared infrastructure for the sector. All outputs are free, open source, and designed to be built upon by energy access organizations serving underserved populations.

Product overview

EnAccess Foundation is a nonprofit that funds and supports open source innovation in the energy access sector through a portfolio of interconnected open source tools. The core offerings include OpenPAYGO Token (for PAYGO device activation), Cicada (IoT communications hardware), and Open Smart Meter (GSM electricity metering), which together enable companies to build and manage solar home systems and mini-grids. Additional products include D-REC Platform (for renewable energy certificate monetization), OpenPAYGO Pass (offline activation), Open Source BMS (battery management), and the OSEA Community platform. These materials are freely accessible and designed to be built upon by energy access organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OpenPAYGO Token: Open source token system to enable PAYGO functionality in new products, created by Solaris Offgrid
• Cicada
• Open Smart Meter
• D-REC Initiative
• MicroPower Manager
• OpenPAYGO Pass

Products and services

• OpenPAYGO Token Open source token system enabling Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) functionality in new energy access products. Platform-agnostic and integrable with any PAYGO software platform, using a 32-digit encrypted key for secure device activation and billing.
• Cicada IoT Communications Module Open source drop-in IoT communications module with 2G, 3G, 4G, and WiFi capabilities, designed for remote monitoring and control of energy access devices in areas with limited connectivity. Platform-agnostic and easily customizable to other microcontrollers or operating systems.
• Open Smart Meter OEM-agnostic, PAYGO-enabled GSM electricity meter designed for solar energy providers to offer prepaid energy services based on exact consumption. Complies with IEC standards and Nigerian local regulations, designed for Energy-as-a-Service business models.
• D-REC Platform (Distributed Renewable Energy Certificate) Open source digital platform enabling distributed renewable energy developers to track, verify, and monetize every MWh of electricity generated. Uses distributed ledger (blockchain) technology for transparent recording of certificate issuance and transfer, preventing double counting.
• OpenPAYGO Pass Open source RFID-based PAYGO activation solution for low-to-no connectivity areas, enabling two-tap activation: agent taps tag on app, customer taps tag on device. Eliminates error-prone manual entry of serial numbers and activation tokens.
• Open Source BMS (Battery Management System) Open source battery management system for off-grid energy storage using lithium-ion technologies, enabling safe and efficient battery operation in decentralized energy systems.
• MicroPower Manager (MPM) Community-driven open source platform for reliable, scalable off-grid energy management. Becoming a unified platform for off-grid energy operators, supporting real-time grid monitoring and informed battery capacity adjustments.
• Wifi Cicada Variant of the Cicada IoT module using WiFi connectivity for areas with zero cellular coverage. Pairs with VSAT satellite technology to provide IoT device communication and general community WiFi access. Uses 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n with +20dBm output power and WPA/WPA2 security.
• AgriGrid Toolkit Open source toolkit combining mini-grid deployment with commercial agribusiness operations to improve economics and social impact of rural energy investments. Includes Concept Note, Financial Modeling Report, and step-by-step implementation Toolkit. Downloaded over 800 times.
• OSEA Community Platform Open source community platform managed by EnAccess for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and support among energy access practitioners using open source tools. Provides technical guidance, hardware recommendations, funding leads, and collaborative problem-solving.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fosera estimates saving approximately 80 engineering working days by using OpenPAYGO Link for PAYGO integration
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Resources Institute (WRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024EnAccess and WRI co-organize the Open Source in Energy Access Symposium (OSEAS). The inaugural symposium was held May 7-10, 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria with support from the World Bank. The second edition took place June 11-13, 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. WRI contributes expertise through its Energy Access Explorer tool and strategic guidance on open source adoption in energy planning.
• SolarisLab (formerly Solaris Offgrid)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023SolarisLab and EnAccess have a longstanding co-development partnership spanning multiple open source PAYGO tools. The collaboration developed OpenPAYGO Token as an industry-standard open source PAYGO token system, and subsequently OpenPAYGO Pass using RFID badge mechanisms for low-connectivity areas. EnAccess funds and supports the development while SolarisLab provides engineering expertise. OpenPAYGO Token is freely available for any device manufacturer and is described as a cornerstone of the OpenPAYGO Suite.
• Okra SolarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnAccess supported Okra Solar to develop and open-source the Cicada IoT communications module — an embedded module with 2G, 3G, 4G, and WiFi capability — so other companies could avoid the cost, time, and frustration of developing similar solutions independently. EnAccess also supported the follow-on Wifi Cicada project for zero-connectivity areas. Okra Solar publishes updates, bug fixes, and merge requests to the Cicada GitHub repositories.
• First ElectriccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Electric received EnAccess funding to develop the Open Smart Meter — an OEM-agnostic, PAYGO-enabled GSM electricity meter that meets IEC standards and Nigerian regulations. The open source meter is designed for Energy-as-a-Service solar business models. EnAccess showcased First Electric globally, resulting in numerous partnership requests for the company.
• Positive Capital Partners & South Pole (D-REC Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe D-REC Initiative is co-led by Positive Capital Partners and South Pole. It builds a digital platform for Distributed Renewable Energy Certificates enabling small-scale DRE providers to access corporate climate financing. EnAccess funding helped establish the platform as open source, allowing entities from all sectors to view and propose edits to the code. The platform uses distributed ledger technology for transparency.
• Access to Energy Institute (A2Ei)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA2Ei manages the Prospect project — a fully open source data platform for the energy access sector. EnAccess connected with A2Ei's Stefan Zelazny through the Open Source Leaders Dialogue. Prospect is being adopted by countries like Burundi and Malawi with local IT consultancies implementing it, creating a democratized and cost-effective ecosystem for energy data management.
• CrossBoundary Energy AccessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrossBoundary Energy Access open sourced their experience in infrastructure investing for mini-grids, including a white paper with detailed information on structuring bankable project finance for distributed energy assets in Africa. Shared through EnAccess materials, this knowledge is available to help bring more mini-grid projects online.
• Outsight InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutsight International and EnAccess are collaborating on an Open Source Humanitarian Co-Design Toolbox to enable energy practitioners to embed the needs of forcibly displaced populations within their energy programming. The project focuses on leveraging existing resources rather than creating new tools, and plans to deliver a visual system map and open source training pack.
• FoseraminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFosera, a quality solar home system manufacturer, adopted the OpenPAYGO Token developed by Solaris/SolarisLab. This allowed Fosera to implement one piece of hardware that all PAYGO providers could hook into, simplifying what had previously been a complex multi-product challenge. Fosera also used OpenPAYGO Link for communication between solar home systems and refrigerators.
• PineberryminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPineberry's CEO Danny Friedrich has spoken publicly about the value of open source projects for startups with different use cases and customization needs, noting that open source enables easier implementation across different markets with local modifications.
• ANKA MadagascarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnAccess funded ANKA Madagascar to develop the AgriGrid model — combining mini-grids with commercial agribusiness operations to improve the economics of rural energy investments. The funded deliverables (Concept Note, Financial Modeling Report, and Toolkit) have been downloaded over 800 times and are available for replication by other mini-grid developers.
• LF EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnAccess participated in Open Source Summit Europe 2023, with Vivien Barnier presenting on Open Source for Energy Access. Content from the presentation was published on the LF Energy blog, extending EnAccess's reach into the broader open source technology community.
• ATE Co PhilippinesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerATE Co Philippines partnered with Okra Solar and EnAccess for the Wifi Cicada field implementation in Maybuho village, Philippines. ATE Co operates mesh grids in Quezon and Northern Samar provinces and was the local energy service provider deploying the VSAT + Wifi Cicada solution for remote monitoring and community internet access.
• Seeed StudiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeeed Studio serves as the marketplace for ordering ready-to-use Cicada Wifi PCBA boards on demand. This provides a manufacturing and distribution channel for the open source hardware design.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• GOGLA: Global association for the off-grid solar energy sector, setting industry standards and aggregating market intelligence. Comparable as a sector-level steward influencing the same PAYGO and off-grid solar market in which EnAccess's tools are deployed.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Co-organizer of the OSEAS symposium and contributor of the Energy Access Explorer tool. Comparable as a strategic convening partner and ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor, sharing the same energy access policy and data mandate.

Emerging players

• Fosera: Manufacturer of solar home systems that adopted OpenPAYGO Link, reporting ~80 engineering days saved. Comparable as an adopter and downstream beneficiary of EnAccess's open source PAYGO stack and as a peer PAYGO-enabled SHS manufacturer.
• ANKA Madagascar: Developer of the AgriGrid mini-grid + agribusiness model under EnAccess funding; toolkit downloaded 800+ times. Comparable as an EnAccess-funded operator building open source rural energy business models.

Direct peers

• Okra Solar: Co-developer of the Cicada and Wifi Cicada IoT communications modules under EnAccess funding; operates mesh-grid mini-grids in the Philippines and other emerging markets. Comparable as an EnAccess-funded operating company building open source hardware/software for distributed energy access.
• First Electric: Developer of the Open Smart Meter under EnAccess funding — an OEM-agnostic GSM prepaid smart meter for Energy-as-a-Service in Nigeria. Directly comparable as a Nigerian energy access startup built on EnAccess's open source funding model.
• Access to Energy Institute (A2Ei): Manages the Prospect open source data platform for the energy access sector, connected to EnAccess through the Open Source Leaders Dialogue. Directly comparable as a peer open source data/analytics steward serving the same energy access ecosystem.
• Solaris Offgrid (SolarisLab): Long-standing co-development partner on the OpenPAYGO Suite (OpenPAYGO Token, OpenPAYGO Pass). Most directly comparable as a fellow open source PAYGO infrastructure provider and EnAccess's primary engineering counterpart in the PAYGO stack.

Broad incumbents

• CrossBoundary Energy Access: Commercial mini-grid project finance vehicle that open-sourced infrastructure-investing know-how through EnAccess. Comparable as a sector builder contributing open knowledge to the same energy access commons.
• ANGAZA: Leading proprietary PAYGO software platform serving hundreds of manufacturers and distributors globally with a closed-source SaaS model. Comparable as the dominant commercial incumbent to EnAccess's open source PAYGO tokenization stack.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/enaccess
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/enaccess
• Xx.com/EnAccessFdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EnAccess Foundation