d.light (San Francisco / Nairobi, founded 2007) is Africa and Asia solar PAYG pioneer. 150M+ lives impacted, 30M+ cumulative products sold. $500M+ raised. Older than M-KOPA, similar model but Asia/Africa.
TL;DR
- d.light: solar PAYG pioneer, 2007.
- 150M+ lives impacted, 30M+ products sold.
- Presence: Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria) + Asia (India).
- 2022+ pivot: Smartphones + EV.
History
- 2007: founded Stanford by Sam Goldman and Ned Tozun
- 2008: first solar lanterns
- 2010: solar home systems
- 2015: 10M people impacted
- 2020: 100M
- 2024: 150M+
Products
Solar lanterns
- Rechargeable mini-lanterns
- $5-30 retail
- Replace kerosene
- 20M+ cumulative sold
Solar Home Systems
- Panel + battery + LED + radio + TV
- $100-500 retail
- 5M+ cumulative sold
- PAYG via mobile money
Smartphones (2022+)
- Tecno, Samsung partnerships
- Daily PAYG
- Growth segment
Smart TVs, fridges (productive use)
- Like M-KOPA, asset financing
EV bikes (2024+)
- Kenya pilot programs
- Battery swap
Tech
- PAYG IoT: lock/unlock modems
- Mobile money: M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Airtel Money
- ML credit scoring
- Customer apps: pay, support, reorder
Markets
Africa
- Kenya (Africa HQ: Nairobi)
- Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria
- Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana
- 70%+ Africa revenue
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Asia
- India (Asia HQ)
- Myanmar (post-2021 decline)
Funding
- $500M+ raised cumulative
- Investors: KKR, CDC Group, OPIC, AlphaMundi
- Mix equity + debt facilities
- Not yet IPO
Competitive vs M-KOPA
| Criterion | d.light | M-KOPA |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2010 |
| Cumulative customers | 30M+ | 5M+ |
| Active customers | ~5M | 4M+ |
| Market focus | Asia + Africa | Africa-only |
| Smartphones | Yes, recent | Massive 2022+ |
| EV | Pilot | Pilot/Growing |
| Funding raised | $500M+ | $250M+ |
Challenges
- Increased competition: M-KOPA, BBOXX, Sun King, Engie
- Smartphone economics: tight margins vs solar
- Asia decline: Myanmar conflicts
- Climate change: impact rural customers livelihoods
- Forex: Africa currency devaluations
Tech opportunities
- PAYG operator CRM software
- IoT module optimization (battery, GPS, lock)
- Carbon credits integration (documented 10M tons CO2 avoided)
- Multi-language LLM customer service
FAQ
Q: d.light vs M-KOPA?
A: d.light more mature, Asia + Africa. M-KOPA Africa-focused, faster growth. Converging models.
Q: Invest in d.light?
A: Private, occasional equity rounds. Potential but delayed IPO.
Q: PAYG carbon credits?
A: Documented 10M tons CO2 avoided = $50-200M potential carbon market revenue. Favorable 2024-2026 regulations (Paris Article 6).
Conclusion
2026 d.light: solar PAYG pioneer, 150M+ lives impacted. Older than M-KOPA, similar model, more geographically diversified. Smartphones + EV pivot. For Africa cleantech builders, d.light remains major case study. Solar PAYG + asset financing + carbon credits convergence = new 100B$+ market by 2030.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.