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2024 KCP Application
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Koolboks
Org Type
For Profit
Year Founded
2018
Project
Company
Financials
Customers & Partnerships
Primary Project Category:
Secondary Project Category:
Carbon Sinks (Natural & Engineered)
Energy
Finance
Social & Cultural Pathways
Transport and Mobility
Year Project Originated:
Project Summary / Description:
The Koolboks project aims to provide sustainable and affordable refrigeration to people without access to cooling, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa where an estimate of 1 billion people lack cooling access. In June 2020, Koolboks tested consumer response through a pilot program aimed at women fish traders in Lagos. The result of this pilot and our founder having witnessed the negative impact of inadequate refrigeration in developing countries, felt compelled to find a solution. The Koolboks refrigerators use solar power and water to provide continuous refrigeration for up to 4 days, even without electricity and limited sunlight. By storing energy in the form of ice, Koolboks has reduced the cost of owning an off-grid refrigerator by 40%. The company's Pay-As-You-Go technology allows for a lease-to-own model where customers can access the refrigerators while making small payments.
How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:
Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses), Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)
Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):
Impact on Underrepresented Groups:
Most perishable goods sellers in Africa are women, who often lack access to capital or loans to start a business. Additionally, some of these women completely depend on refrigeration for income generation. Koolboks targets this demographic and seeks to empower them in setting up and thriving in their businesses. Koolboks does this by enabling access to refrigerators, one of the most expensive assets needed to start a business that depends on refrigeration for income generation. Additionally, most of our sales representatives are women, as we believe no better gender to sell to women than women. We ensure gender equity in our recruitment and encourage women to take up leadership positions in the organization. While our project focused on women, we engage youths in our operations as solar installers and direct sales agents.
Sub-Categories:
Renewables
Nature-based
Agriculture
Methane
Plastics
Built Environment
Energy Efficiency
Restoration
Biodiversity
Energy storage
Rural
Urban
Circular Economy
Oceans
Forests
Waste
Carbon Removal
Electric Transportation
Cooling Solutions
Technology
Advocacy
Biomass
Conservation
Clean Cooking
Environmental justice
Research or Economic Modeling
Measurement, Reporting & Validation
Communications
Website:
https://www.koolboks.com/
Mission Statement:
Koolboks is a Paris based cleantech startup, with a growing global footprint and with operations in Nigeria and Kenya. Koolboks seeks to democratize the way the world experiences cooling in underserved markets in the world. Koolboks products are distributed across 15 African countries through our distributor partners.
Link: LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/koolboks/
Greatest Current Funding Need: