SLS Energy
SLS Energy is a Rwanda-based Battery-as-a-Service provider that repurposes EV and e-waste batteries into subscription-based backup power for African telecom operators, healthcare facilities, hospitality businesses, and mini-grid operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersKigali, Rwanda
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SLS Energy does
SLS Energy is a privately held Rwandan Battery-as-a-Service company founded in 2021 and headquartered in the Kigali Special Economic Zone Phase II. It repurposes end-of-life electric vehicle and e-waste batteries into modular energy storage systems and delivers them through a subscription-based service model, eliminating upfront capital expenditure for customers in exchange for predictable monthly fees that bundle hardware, monitoring, maintenance, and replacements. The company positions itself as a circular-economy alternative to diesel generators, claiming up to 40% cost savings and 65% emissions reduction, with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Its core technology pairs repurposed battery packs with a proprietary Battery Management System and a software platform featuring AI-driven predictive analytics, cell-level monitoring, multi-site management dashboards, and API integration. SLS Energy primarily targets telecom operators (cell tower backup power) and also serves healthcare facilities, hospitality businesses, and solar mini-grid operators across Rwanda and Nigeria, with broader Africa as its stated market focus. The company is led by CEO and co-founder Léandre Berwa, operates with 1-10 employees, has deployed 30+ sites and 500+ kWh of clean storage capacity to date, and has received ecosystem recognition from Qualcomm, RES4Africa, AFD, and StartUpEnergy. Its go-to-market is sales-led and enterprise-focused, with "Talk to an Expert" and "Get Custom Quote" conversion paths on its website rather than self-serve or transactional channels.
SLS Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SLS Energy
- Legal name
- SLS Energy
- Website
- https://slsenergy.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SLS Energy is a Rwanda-based Battery-as-a-Service provider that repurposes EV and e-waste batteries into subscription-based backup power for African telecom operators, healthcare facilities, hospitality businesses, and mini-grid operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SLS Energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Energy Storage Services
- NAICS
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Battery Manufacturing (33591)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential / Behind-the-Meter Storage Installation & Integration (EUAEAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Utility-Scale BESS EPC & Integration (EUAEAEAA), Collection, Logistics & Reverse Supply Chain (Transport, Sorting, Tracking) (EUAFACAA), SCADA/Telemetry, Data Integration & Device Connectivity for Storage/DER Control (EUAFAKAI)
Keywords
Where SLS Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kigali
- HQ country
- Rwanda
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
SLS Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS): Subscription-based model offering zero upfront investment with predictable monthly payments. Includes enterprise-grade backup power, comprehensive monitoring, maintenance, and support. Revenue derived from monthly service fees based on capacity deployed and usage patterns.
- Software Platform Subscriptions: Monitoring and analytics platform sold as part of the BaaS package or potentially as standalone subscription. Includes real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, performance analytics, and custom reporting.
- Battery Products (New and Repurposed): Sale of premium new and repurposed batteries for diverse applications, backed by comprehensive technical support, custom configurations, installation assistance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Battery-as-a-Service with zero CAPEX and monthly subscription |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Flexible capacity from 10kWh to 1MWh for mini-grid operators |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
SLS Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SLS Energy provides Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) by repurposing retired electric vehicle and e-waste batteries into modular energy storage systems for commercial customers. The company delivers zero-upfront-cost backup power through monthly subscriptions that bundle hardware (premium new and second-life batteries), an AI-powered software monitoring platform, and full maintenance/support. Primary customers are telecom operators, healthcare facilities, hospitality businesses, and solar mini-grid operators across Africa.
Product overview
SLS Energy operates as a Battery-as-a-Service company offering an integrated hardware and software portfolio. The core offering consists of Battery Products (premium new and repurposed EV/e-waste batteries) paired with a proprietary Software Platform for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. These are delivered through multiple service models: Battery-as-a-Service (subscription model with zero upfront costs), and vertical-specific solutions for Telecom, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Mini-Grid industries. All solutions emphasize sustainability (up to 65% CO2 reduction), cost savings (up to 40%), and reliability (99.9% uptime guarantee).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) Subscription-based energy solution eliminating upfront costs with predictable monthly payments, delivering enterprise-grade backup power with complete monitoring, maintenance, and support included. Targeted at commercial customers needing reliable backup power.
- Battery Products Premium new and repurposed batteries for diverse applications, backed by comprehensive technical support including quality certification, custom configurations, and installation assistance. Sold to commercial buyers needing standalone battery hardware.
- Software Platform Advanced monitoring and analytics platform for comprehensive battery system management, providing real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, performance analytics, custom reporting, multi-site management, and API integration capabilities. Designed for enterprise operators managing deployed battery assets.
- Telecom Solutions Power solutions designed for telecommunications infrastructure, delivering 100% network uptime with up to 40% cost reduction compared to diesel generators, featuring remote management and theft-resistant systems. Targeted at telecom operators with cell towers and remote network infrastructure.
- Healthcare Solutions Medical-grade power reliability solutions providing instant, silent backup power for critical healthcare environments including operating theaters, ICU/life support, diagnostic equipment, and vaccine cold chain. Targeted at hospitals and medical facilities.
- Hospitality Solutions Silent, instant backup power solutions for hospitality operations protecting guest comfort, F&B services, entertainment systems, and safety equipment with up to 30% cost reduction versus diesel. Targeted at hotels and hospitality venues.
- Mini-Grid Solutions Flexible, managed battery storage for solar mini-grid operators with zero CAPEX, flexible sizing from 10kWh to 1MWh, no replacement risk, and predictable OPEX aligned with revenue. Targeted at solar mini-grid developers needing flexible storage.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 40% cost savings compared to diesel generators
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use SLS Energy
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SLS Energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature6 records
SLS Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered notable.
- QualcommnotableSLS Energy was shortlisted for the inaugural Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform in 2023, indicating a strategic relationship supporting African innovation in technology and energy sectors.
- RES4AfricanotableSLS Energy received the Young Talent of the Year Award from RES4Africa at COP28, recognizing African youth contributions to sustainable energy innovation.
- AFD (Agence Française de Développement)notableSLS Energy was awarded recognition in the African Start-ups Awarded for Innovations in Digital Energy Challenge, supported by the French Development Agency.
- StartUpEnergynotableSLS Energy fellows were shortlisted for the African Engineering Innovation Prize through the StartUpEnergy fellowship program.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SLS Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- M-KOPA: Leading PAYG solar+battery subscription operator headquartered in Kenya with multi-country East African reach. Closely comparable subscription economics, behind-the-meter BaaS-style deployments, and use of IoT/SaaS to manage distributed assets.
- PowerGen Renewable Energy: East African solar mini-grid developer with integrated battery storage serving commercial and community customers in Kenya and Tanzania. Strongly comparable to SLS on the mini-grid customer segment, battery-as-core-asset model, and East African operating geography.
- SteamaCo: IoT and analytics platform specifically designed for distributed energy and water service providers in Africa and emerging markets. Overlaps with SLS's Software Platform offering (real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, multi-site management) and shares the same target operator profile.
- Greenlight Planet (Sun King): PAYG distributed solar+battery provider with large East African installed base and lease-to-own financing. Comparable to SLS on subscription hardware+software delivery, behind-the-meter positioning, and focus on off-grid / weak-grid customers.
- Zola Electric (Off Grid Electric): Subscription-based solar+battery provider serving off-grid and weak-grid customers across Tanzania and broader East Africa, with PAYG financing and software-managed home/business systems. Most comparable to SLS on business model (subscription hardware+software, behind-the-meter deployment) and customer base (African critical infrastructure users).
- KOKO Networks: Kenya-based clean-fuel/energy platform that distributes IoT-managed infrastructure to African households and small businesses on a subscription or per-use basis. Comparable distribution/IoS-management model in the East African market and similar reliance on data-driven managed service for low-income customers.
- BBOXX: PAYG distributed solar+battery operator with deep footprints across multiple African countries and a subscription-based financing model. Directly comparable to SLS's BaaS structure, rural/underserved target segment and Africa-first deployment philosophy.
Emerging players
- Connected Energy: UK-based provider of second-life EV battery energy storage systems for commercial, grid and EV-charging applications. Closest technology peer to SLS in the repurposed-battery / second-life stack and on monitoring/management software for those systems.
- B2U Storage Solutions: US-based operator of stationary energy storage systems built from second-life EV batteries. Directly comparable to SLS on the circular-economy, repurposed-EV-battery thesis and on the software-monitored fleet storage business model, though focused on grid-scale rather than behind-the-meter.
Broad incumbents
- EcoFlow: Major portable and home/commercial lithium battery storage product company with broad global distribution. Overlaps with SLS in stationary and commercial battery storage hardware, backup-power positioning, and AI-driven battery management, but at a far broader and more consumer-oriented scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SLS Energy social profiles
Digital presenceSLS Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SLS Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SLS Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SLS Energy 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 SLS Energy
What does SLS Energy do?
SLS Energy provides Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) by repurposing retired electric vehicle and e-waste batteries into modular energy storage systems for commercial customers. The company delivers zero-upfront-cost backup power through monthly subscriptions that bundle hardware (premium new and second-life batteries), an AI-powered software monitoring platform, and full maintenance/support. Primary customers are telecom operators, healthcare facilities, hospitality businesses, and solar mini-grid operators across Africa.
Is SLS Energy a public or private company?
SLS Energy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SLS Energy founded?
SLS Energy was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SLS Energy based?
SLS Energy is headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, in the Africa region.
How does SLS Energy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) is the primary driver. The others are software Platform Subscriptions and battery Products (New and Repurposed).
Who are SLS Energy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are M-KOPA, PowerGen Renewable Energy, SteamaCo, Greenlight Planet (Sun King), Zola Electric (Off Grid Electric), KOKO Networks and BBOXX. Emerging players are Connected Energy and B2U Storage Solutions. EcoFlow is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does SLS Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for SLS Energy.
What industry is SLS Energy in?
SLS Energy's product category is Energy Storage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAEAEAC, Residential / Behind-the-Meter Storage Installation & Integration, with a secondary code of EUAEAEAA, Utility-Scale BESS EPC & Integration. Its NAICS code is 2211 and its SIC code is 4911.