Harnessing the Sun to Drive IoT in Madagascar

The Madagascar-based Jirogasy, which designs, manufactures and assembles solar IoT systems and computers, is fundraising as it plans growth into new markets. Formed by brothers Yann and Lauric Kasay, as well as two other co-founders, after a crowdfunding campaign in 2018, Jirogasy aims to innovate and create appliances that address local challenges. Its key early offering is the Jirodesk 2. “It is pretty hard to use a computer in off-grid areas of Madagascar and the difficulty stops entire fringes of local populations from accessing modern tools of work, education and social life. This further contributes to their marginalisation in Madagascar, which is one of the least developed countries,” Yann told Disrupt Africa. The company is selling these computers mainly to schools and medical clinics, but it is also targeting public administrations, SMEs and the general public. Very innovative, and very new, with Jirogasy looking to build a market-leading position. And for that it is fundraising again. Recently, Jirogasy took on funding from the Jua Fund, and was accepted into Seedstars and Shell Foundation’s acceleration programme, all of which Yann hopes will help it towards securing a wider round to help it fulfill its expansion ambitions.

SOURCE: DISRUPT AFRICA