International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF)
gov.uk/government/publications ISPFenquiries@odamanagement.org
Summary

The International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) is designed to enable potential and foster prosperity. It will support UK researchers and innovators to work with international partners on some of the most pressing themes of our time. ISPF will give researchers and innovators access to global talent, large-scale facilities, research ecosystems and markets to swiftly move forward ideas to greater maturity, applicability, and commercialisation. It will stimulate research impact in line with the UK’s ambition to become a global science and tech superpower. This programme is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

ISPF funding opportunities are published on individual ISPF partner websites (available in the link above) and target regions vary from partner to partner.

Energy Catalyst – led by Innovate UK
energycatalyst.ukri.org energycatalyst@innovateuk.ukri.org
Summary

Energy Catalyst, led by Innovate UK, is a well-established open call grant funding programme that runs in regular tranches to support innovators to develop new technologies and business models that can improve lives in Africa and Asia. Energy Catalyst accelerates the innovation needed to end energy poverty through both financial and advisory (incubation) support, and by building strategic partnerships and uncovering new insights. Energy Catalyst is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO)
preo.org contact@preo.org
Summary

Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) is a demand-led, productive use of renewable energy (PURE) programme which stimulates partnerships, innovation and learning to address needs and improve livelihoods of sub-Saharan African communities. PREO has three key service functions: Action Learning Projects, Partnership Services, and Technical Assistance. These functions induce and support innovations that address current industry needs, consolidate fragmented efforts, and disseminate knowledge and learnings for the betterment of rural sub-Saharan African communities. PREO aims to grant-fund around 30 Action Learning Projects through open calls, seeking to create 3,500 jobs and benefiting more than 11,000 rural households.

Organisations wishing to be kept up to date on future rounds of PREO grant funding should visit the website to subscribe to the PREO newsletter. PREO is part of the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform.

Pioneer Energy Investing Initiative: Powering Livelihoods Using Solar (PEII+)
acumen.org https://acumen.org/contact/
Summary

The Pioneer Energy Investing Initiative: Powering Livelihoods Using Solar (known as PEII+) is a multi-million dollar, 5-year initiative led by Acumen and supported by the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform. PEII+ invests early-stage capital in enterprises that provide renewable energy-powered productive use of energy (PUE) solutions. PEII+ also provides post-investment support in the form of impact measurement and technical assistance (TA) grants. Local entrepreneur accelerators also supports locally-led enterprises in India and East Africa, as well as insight and thought leadership, drawing key lessons for deploying new investment vehicles.

CrossBounday Innovation Lab
crossboundary.com/labs mglabsops@crossboundary.com
Summary

The Innovation Lab develops new cost-reducing innovations with the potential to significantly reduce mini-grid levelised cost of energy (LCOE). It seeks to demonstrate the impact of these innovations in the real world and raise funding for the innovations to achieve national scale impact. The Innovation Lab is delivered by CrossBoundary and supported by the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform.

Growing Government Engagement in Energy Access (GGE-EA)
www.club-er.org secretariat@club-er.org
Summary

The Growing Government Engagement in Energy Access (GGE-EA) project, part of the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform, aims to accelerate the deployment of mini-grids in Africa, increasing the use of affordable decentralised clean energy options for poor households and enterprises. GGE-EA delivers peer-to-peer learning opportunities to build the capacity of rural electrification officials, improve understanding of challenges and opportunities for mini-grid deployment, and support the development of new bankable mini-grid projects. GGE-EA is coordinated by the African Association for Rural Electrification (CLUB-ER), in partnership with SouthSouthNorth.

Ukraine Resilience and Energy Security (URES) Programme
apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk UKinUkraine@fcdo.gov.uk
Summary

Programme designed to build Ukrainian resilience to external threats to its energy security and lay the groundwork for a cleaner, more independent energy sector post-war. It includes a £16 million Energy Security Innovation Challenge Fund that will take forward UK-led innovations and proposals for applied research that can modernise Ukraine’s energy sector, launched in June 2023. This programme is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Follow the link provided to keep updated regarding future open funding windows.

TEA Learning Partnership
tea-lp.org nomanesi.makhonco@uct.ac.za
Summary

The Transforming Energy Access Learning Partnership (TEA-LP) is a partnership of universities committed to delivering professional graduates ready to drive the transition to sustainable energy access for all. TEA-LP provides courses for local current and future professionals in the energy access sector and aims to build on its network of 30 higher education institutions in 18 countries across Africa and the Indo-Pacific and make linkages to other energy access organisations and the private sector. It is also provides continuous professional development (CPD) courses (including a dedicated ‘Future Female Leaders in Energy’ course). TEA-LP also seeks to strengthen ‘South-South’ academic networks for energy access. This initiative is delivered under the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform by the University of Cape Town.

Future Female Leaders in Energy -part of the TEA Energy Access Talent Initiative (EATI) and TEA-LP
africanmanagers.org fiona@africanmanagers.org
Summary

Future Female Leaders in Energy Programme is specifically tailored to equip young women in entry level roles in the energy access sector with the skills they need to be future senior leaders. The programme combines online courses and experiential workshops to equip participants with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive in this rapidly growing sector. It is part of the Energy Access Talent Initiative (EATI) and delivered by the African Management Institute and University of Cape Town with support from the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform.

TEA Energy Access Talent Initiative (EATI)
www.shortlist.net/energy/ support@shortlist.net
Summary

The Energy Access Talent Initiative (EATI) aims to support the talent needs of energy access enterprises across Africa, whilst empowering local talent to pursue careers in the sector. EATI (formerly the Off-Grid Talent Initiative) develops sustainable upskilling and sourcing models to address energy access labour shortages, increase the female participation rate in the energy access supply chain, and develop the next generation of female managers, who provide the operational capacity necessary to drive energy access SME growth. EATI is delivered by Shortlist and the African Management Institute, as part of the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform.