After participating in the Shared Value Africa Initiative’s Purpose Playbook Training, Kiru Energy embraced a purpose-driven approach to business, focusing on solving social and environmental challenges. With support from the SVAI community, the clean energy startup expanded its operations and found valuable mentorship, working towards their goal of contributing to a prosperous and self-sustaining Africa. The founders reflect on their journey.

Our journey with the Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) started three years ago when we participated in the African Innovation Week 2020. It was a stroke of luck that we were among the fastest fingers to have responded to the email from the Shared Value Africa Academy inviting entrepreneurs to participate in the Purpose Playbook Training which demanded a 3-hour time commitment for four weeks. Not knowing how it would play out and where it would lead, we stepped into the programme in faith and a positive attitude expecting to grow and improve as leaders.

The Purpose Playbook Training was timely for our journey because we needed to define our business beyond the end goal of profit. The training inspired us to think through our purpose as a business and gave us fresh perspectives on innovation, business models and the impact we make on society. It showed us the shared value approach of profit with purpose as a competitive advantage through solving social and environmental challenges with new business models and strategies in the areas we operate.

Ever since the Purpose Playbook Training, we have been offered various opportunities by the SVAI to expand our knowledge, network and to showcase the impact of our work in Nigeria and across Africa. Especially the African Shared Value Leadership Summits, CEO forums, Africa Entrepreneurs Forum and the Investor Readiness Workshops. We have expanded our business operations from Owerri city to Lagos City serving four customer segments in the clean energy industry. Through the concept of a Shared Value business, we have identified new markets within our industry and created solutions to meet their needs

At Kiru Energy, our journey has not been without its challenges. However, with a community like the Shared Value Africa Initiative, we have found mentors, advisors, comrades and fellow entrepreneurs who inspire and support us to achieve beyond our wildest dreams.

We are ever grateful to the leadership team at the SVAI who consistently put us on the spotlight affirming their belief in our mission and potential. In 2023 and beyond, our aspiration as a business is to become a leading clean energy powerhouse to help build a prosperous and self-sustaining Africa where everyone living and working here can have the resources and environment to make their own dreams come true.

www.ourkiru.com

Kiru Energy is founded by Chibunna Ogbonna and Benedict Okpala and is a clean-tech company providing smart clean energy solutions for households and businesses in Africa.