On October 16 and 17 this year, social entrepreneurs in clean technology fields including wind, solar, hydro, biofuels, geothermal and coal will pitch their environmental conservation ideas to investors in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Viridis Africa, which will host the clean technology business and investment matchmaking conference, expects applications from upcoming businesses entrepreneurs, established business people and corporate firms majorly in the environmental and energy resource areas. Water treatment and recycling friendly technologists are also encouraged to attend.
Speaking to HumanIPO, Viridis Africa’s media partner Suza Adam said Africa has a dire need for improved energy infrastructure, and faces many funding obstacles in launching new business ventures in renewable energy and other clean tech fields.
“There are other clean tech conferences in Africa, however none that allows entrepreneurs to raise capital,” she said. Adam is also the founder of Spindle Communications, a South Africa-based boutique public relations and investor relations advisory firm.
Viridis Africa, a venture capital and private equity investment conference focuses only on clean technology in Africa. The entrepreneurs present a business plan for investment to an audience of investors.
Apart from the clean technology subsectors, Adam explained that they will also cover firms in energy storage like fuel cells, advanced batteries, hybrid systems. The conference will in addition feature infrastructure management, transmission and building efficiency, smart grids, waste heat recovery.
Others to be featured will include water treatment, water conservation, wastewater treatment, desalination and recycling and waste treatment.
The 2-day event will also introduce parties with complementary technologies and business models to enable the companies explore mutually beneficial opportunities.
Funding for firms in clean technology is available at an estimated US$300 million.
Viridis Africa provides access to capital and improve the networking capabilities of entrepreneurs on the African continent in the field of clean tech. Equity taken is subject to the investor and entrepreneur agreement.
The second of its kind, the conference is relevant to cleantech entrepreneurs, researchers working on water, energy and environmental issues, government agencies involved in water, renewable energy and environmental issues, electricity and water utilities and planners, environmental consultants, investors including institutional, private equity, venture capital from outside Africa.
The cleantech entrepreneurs present their particular interest, investment criteria and inviting principals to submit their business proposals.
Viridis Africa’s clean technology investment and business matchmaking was first held in October last year. This year’s will be hosted at Killarney Country Club, Lower Houghton in Johannesburg, South Africa.
