Owanga: Portable Battery Packs for Clean and Reliable Energy Access
Owanga is a cleantech company that builds and sells portable battery packs to help people access reliable energy. Our product is made to power phones, lights, laptops, TVs, and small appliances.
Overview of the project
Owanga is a Congolese energy startup offering portable, solar-compatible battery packs to replace polluting diesel generators. Our product powers phones, lights, laptops, and TVs — providing a clean, affordable solution for areas with unstable electricity.
We plan to launch in Kinshasa with 4,000 units, backed by interest from partners in both urban and rural areas. In the future, we aim to expand to larger batteries and local assembly to cut costs and create jobs. Our mission: lower energy costs, reduce pollution, and improve daily life.
To provide clean, affordable, and portable energy to communities with limited or no electricity access.
Launching
project still in progress
During our pilot with 100 business owners, average profits rose by 60% and shops stayed open 4 hours longer thanks to reliable energy. We’ve secured interest for over 500 units and aim to sell 4,000 this year. With $100,000 raised, we’re launching with 129 units. We’ve hired 15 people so far and plan to train 100 more by 2026.
“Business owners said our battery helped them stay open longer, serve more customers, and cut diesel use. They saw it as a clean, reliable, and affordable solution. The strong response confirmed the need for energy access in urban and rural areas. We’ve been named a Top 100 Clean Energy Startup for 2025 and received awards from the World Bank and U.S. Department of Energy.”
The project was funded through pre-seed investment, various pitch competitions, and a $29,000 grant from the UNDP, provided in three tranches.
organisation
“Owanga is a cleantech company that builds and sells portable battery packs to provide reliable energy. Our products power phones, lights, laptops, TVs, and small appliances. They are affordable, easy to carry, and compatible with solar panels. We support homes, shops, and schools in areas with little or no electricity. Based in Kinshasa, DRC, we are expanding to reach more people. Our goal is to offer cleaner energy and reduce reliance on polluting fuels like diesel. We’re also developing larger solutions for homes, hospitals, and schools, and partnering locally to grow clean energy access nationwide.”
<p>UNDP, World Bank, Emory University, Department of Energy and Fusen Fund.</p>