Gamos East Africa

What Gamos East Africa does

Gamos East Africa is a Nairobi-based research and stakeholder engagement firm incorporated in Kenya in 2021 as the regional subsidiary of UK-based Gamos (founded 1989). The firm specializes in eCooking — the electrification of cooking — and adjacent clean energy access work across East Africa. Its portfolio combines strategic policy advisory, market development programmes, applied research, and a small proprietary software product (SunSafe), delivered through partnerships with government, utilities, academia, and development donors.

The firm's core offerings include the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) Programme (co-designed with Loughborough University and UK FCDO), the Kenya National eCooking Strategy (KNeCTS) and Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy advisory work for the Ministry of Energy, the eCooking Capacity Building & Market Development Programme (eCAP) with Kenya Power under UK PACT funding, the SunSafe Android application for QR-code-based solar system sizing (co-developed with Strathmore University), institutional eCooking pilots in schools and hospitals, and the EDM East Africa Hub for energy delivery model training. Gamos East Africa also convenes the monthly eCooking Community of Practice webinars and leads Workstream 1 of the Global eCooking Coalition across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Ethiopia.

Revenue is generated entirely through donor-funded programmes — primarily grants from UK FCDO, GIZ, UK PACT, Rockefeller Foundation, and the broader MECS consortium — under a professional services model. The firm does not sell commercial products or charge transaction-based fees. With 7 key team members organized around two co-directors, a technical lead, a programmes coordinator, two research associates, and a research assistant, the firm operates as a lean consultancy that explicitly describes itself as a "small organisation with a big reach," relying on partner networks for delivery scale.

Name

Gamos East Africa

Legal name

Gamos East Africa

Website

https://gamoseastafrica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gamos East Africa is a Nairobi-based research and stakeholder engagement firm that advises governments, utilities, and donors on eCooking policy, market development, and clean energy transitions across East Africa, operating through donor-funded programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor-funded research programmes: Revenue generated through donor-funded programmes such as the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) Programme, UK PACT, and various climate and development grants from international donors including UK FCDO, GIZ, and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gamos East Africa conducts strategic research, stakeholder mobilisation, and capacity building for the electrification of cooking and energy access across East Africa. Its work supports governments (e.g., Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Kenya Power) in developing clean cooking strategies, builds markets for eCooking appliances, and delivers technical assistance through programmes such as MECS, KNeCTS, eCAP, and the EDM East Africa Hub. The organisation developed the SunSafe Android app for sizing solar systems and assessing component compatibility via QR-code labels.

Product overview

Gamos East Africa operates as a consultancy and research organization specializing in strategic research and stakeholder mobilisation for clean cooking and energy access solutions. The portfolio includes the SunSafe mobile application for solar system sizing, the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) Programme, Kenya National eCooking Strategy (KNeCTS), eCAP capacity building programmes, and various institutional eCooking projects. These offerings work together to facilitate the electrification of cooking across East Africa, combining technology products (SunSafe app), strategic planning (KNeCTS), market development (eCAP), and technical assistance (EDM Hub).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SunSafe Mobile Application An Android smartphone application that sizes solar systems and assesses component compatibility by reading QR-code labels on each component, designed for staff with minimal electrical expertise to deliver safe, cost-effective off-grid solar solutions.
• Strategic Research Services on Clean Cooking and Energy Access

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant cost, time, and water savings demonstrated in schools and hospitals using Electric Pressure Cookers (EPCs) over traditional cooking methods
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Loughborough UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Long-standing partnership since 2013, working closely on the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) Programme. Gamos and Loughborough designed and implemented MECS together with UK government (DfID/FCDO) to bring together clean cooking and electricity access sectors.
• Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGamos played critical role in designing MECS Programme with Loughborough University and UK government. MECS aims to bring together clean cooking and electricity access sectors to create market-ready innovations and enabling policies for electrifying kitchens across Global South.
• Kenya PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGamos East Africa works closely with Kenya Power to help them respond to emerging opportunities for electrification of cooking in Kenya. Partners on eCAP to build capacity and develop the market for eCooking.
• Kenya Ministry of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks closely with the Ministry of Energy to help respond to emerging opportunities for electrification of cooking. Supporting development of Kenya National eCooking Strategy (KNeCTS) and Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development partner collaborating on clean cooking and energy access initiatives in East Africa.
• Rockefeller FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering on institutional eCooking projects, piloting eCooking appliances in schools involved in feeding programs.
• CLASPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational clean cooking organization partnering on institutional eCooking pilot projects in schools.
• EcoBoramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for institutional eCooking pilot projects in Kenyan schools.
• Kenya Power Institute of Energy Studies & Research (IESR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for testing clean cooking devices and research on eCooking adoption.
• SNV KenyamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization partnered on testing large Electric Pressure Cookers (EPCs) in schools and hospitals.
• Strathmore UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner on the SunSafe Project, collaborating to develop a mobile application for solar system sizing and component compatibility assessment.
• EDM (Energy Delivery Models) East Africa HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between EDM Project based at STEER Centre, Loughborough and Gamos East Africa. Delivers training and technical assistance to project developers for inclusive design and implementation of energy-enabled development projects.
• STEER Centre, LoughboroughmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner hosting the EDM Project and collaborating on energy delivery models in East Africa.
• Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizing eCooking Community of Practice webinars and events with Kenya Power and ACTS. CCAK is the industry association for clean cooking in Kenya.
• African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizing eCooking Community of Practice webinars and events with Kenya Power and CCAK.
• Bidhaa SasaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLast Mile Distributor (LMD) focused on inclusive appliance distribution models. Co-founder presented findings on tailormade products for Kenyan market.
• Climate Compatible GrowthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting strategic workshops and hosting Clean Cooking Special Interest Group (SIG) activities in Kenya.
• Global eCooking Coalition (GeCCo)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational coalition working on eCooking adoption. Gamos East Africa leads Workstream 1 in partnership with MECS Programme and GeCCo to address barriers to scaling eCooking across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Ethiopia.
• Solar4Africa.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on off-grid solar energy solutions, particularly for cooking, in rural communities. Presented lessons from Kachione LLC pilot in Malawi.
• Kachione LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany providing off-grid solar energy solutions particularly for cooking to rural communities in Malawi. Pilot project on affordable solar home systems with eCooking.
• Solar-Electric Cooking Partnership (SOLCO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership working on solar-electric cooking initiatives across Africa, presented initiatives at eCooking CoP dialogue.
• EnDev (Energising Development)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral donor programme supporting access to sustainable energy in developing countries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Practical Action: UK-based international NGO conducting strategic research and stakeholder engagement on energy access and clean cooking in the Global South. Directly parallel to Gamos East Africa in mission, consulting model, and donor-funded programme structure.
• Tetra Tech International Development: Global consulting firm with large international development practice covering clean energy and clean cooking advising across Africa. Comparable in donor-funded technical assistance and research model, though operating at much larger scale.
• Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) Programme: UK government-funded research programme that Gamos East Africa co-designed with Loughborough University. Sister programme operating at the same intersection of clean cooking, electrification, and policy research in the Global South.
• Energy 4 Impact: NGO providing advisory and capacity-building services to clean energy enterprises across Africa. Closely comparable in the enterprise-focused services model serving energy access and clean cooking markets in East Africa.
• Climate Compatible Growth (formerly GVEP International): UK-based energy access research and convening programme with strong East Africa presence. Highly comparable in donor-funded research, stakeholder mobilization, and policy advisory services in the same thematic space.
• DAI Global Development: International development consultancy with energy and clean cooking advisory work in Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable in donor-funded professional services model delivering policy and market development outcomes for governments and donors.
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation: Dutch development organization with major clean cooking and energy access programmes in Kenya and East Africa. Comparable in mission, donor-funded services model, and on-the-ground institutional engagement in the same geographies.

Broad incumbents

• EnDev (Energising Development): Multi-donor programme supporting energy access across 25+ countries, hosted by GIZ. Operates at broader scale and longer programme cycles than Gamos East Africa, with overlapping donor relationships and subject-matter focus.
• World Bank ESMAP (Energy Sector Management Assistance Program): Global multi-donor trust fund at the World Bank funding technical assistance and research on energy access and clean cooking. Operates at much larger scale and breadth but addresses the same policy and market development questions in overlapping geographies.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German federal development agency running large-scale clean cooking and energy access programmes across Africa. Far larger and broader than Gamos East Africa but competes for the same donor-funded mandates and technical assistance work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GamosEastAfrica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gamoseastafrica2872
• Facebookweb.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553938045789
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gamos-east-africa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Gamos East Africa