French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge 2025 for African Start-ups

The aim of the Digital Energy Challenge is to support the development of innovative solutions for increased energy access, to facilitate the integration of renewable energies and to improve energy operators’ performance.

Since the launch in 2020, the Challenge, supported by the European Union, AFD and ADEME, has boosted more than 30 Start-up and Energy Utility projects. Following this success, the Challenge is being conducted for an additional year in 2025.

• Table of Content
• About France Government
• French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge
• Aim and Benefits of French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge
• Requirements for French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About France Government

French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge

Aim and Benefits of French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge

• For the 2025 edition, the Challenge will award 3 to 4 Start-up projects and one Technology Provider who will partner with the identified energy utility in Senegal, Senelec. A total budget of €1M will enable grant-based funding, technical assistance and strategic guidance.

Challenge winners can benefit from:

• A financial contribution in the form of a grant for equipment/software purchases, training or recruitment costs.
• Technical assistance for the winning Partnership Challenge project and the start-up projects on a case-by-case basis, such as project management support, strategic and technical expertise, and accounting/reporting assistance.
• A bootcamp run by cross-sectoral experts to support project implementation, foster synergies between project winners and share best practices.
• Increased visibility for the project through widespread social media communication campaigns piloted by AFD during the selection phase, award ceremony, bootcamp and for a period of time after these events.

Requirements for French Agency for Development (AFD) Digital Energy Challenge Qualification

The 2025 Call for Projects targets projects for implementation in Africa and owned by:

Start-ups in the pre-seed phase or with early-stage activities. NGOs can apply under the Start-up category (see more details on the eligibility criteria for Start-ups).

Innovative technology or service providers who have already developed a digital solution to be tested (see more details on the eligibility criteria for technology providers)

What activities are included?

Projects must have a core element of digital technology (telecom, computer or cloud-based). They must be innovative, either intrinsically or in relation to the local market or country.

For the Start-ups Challenge only, projects must be local with project management activities in the country where the project is based.

For the Start-ups Challenge, the project scope must adress one of three themes:

• Universal electricity access and mini-grids
• Efficient grid management
• Resilience and decarbonization of power systems

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Application Timeline:

• 10th March 2025: Launch of the Call for Projects
• 16th May 2025 – 23h59 CET: Deadline for submission of applications

For more details, visit Digital Energy Challenge webpage