• The strategic partnership, forged through a memorandum of understanding signed in late November 2021, officially launches in Johannesburg on the 5th of May 2022 and paves the way for the two companies to work together on commercial initiatives in the African region that contribute to energy optimization, decarbonization and net-zero pathways for African cities, business and industry.

5 May 2022: Inspired Evolution, a leading specialized African investment advisory business dedicated to bespoke climate-driven investment themes: clean energy infrastructure; energy access; and energy and resource efficiency – and the value chains that support them, and Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, have agreed to collaborate on various energy-related solutions for the African region. The agreement provides for the exploration of a multi-faceted collaboration across a number of business opportunities, including Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) solutions as well as energy efficiency, microgrid and decarbonization.

The partnership will explore these opportunities across identified priority countries, industries, and market segments, through a combination of Schneider Electric’s technical expertise and EaaS solutions with offices across Africa, and Inspired Evolution’s deep networks, business model and financing expertise.

Schneider Electric is well-positioned to address these opportunities, given its leading position in EaaS with global presence, cross industry experience, and full-suite best-in-class technology and service offerings.

Inspired Evolution, as a specialized climate mitigation and energy transition investment advisory business with a broad African footprint, offers over 15 years of proven track record in clean energy, energy access and energy efficiency investments, with award-winning ESG impact performance.

The collaborative partnership will be officially launched by Christopher Clarke, Managing Partner at Inspired Evolution, Steven Faure, Partner and EaaS Lead at Inspired Evolution, and Devan Pillay, Cluster President Anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric.

Christopher Clarke said, “This joint venture is an important and strategic development in our climate finance strategy and approach that includes forging strong and meaningful partnerships with global players like Schneider Electric to help us to decarbonize, decentralize and digitize innovative and affordable clean energy solutions, financed through our Evolution funds, in contribution to transforming Africa’s energy landscape.”

As part of Schneider Electric’s promise to reduce CO2 emissions and help organizations around the world shift to become carbon positive, the company proactively works with partners to create new business models that will promote a more resilient and sustainable future.

“Partnerships are fundamental to the goal of achieving a greener, more sustainable world, and Inspired evolution have pioneered new approaches to sustainable business,” said Devan Pillay. “We believe that, by combining our areas of expertise, we will be able to make significant progress in the space of clean energy and energy efficiency and scale up these ideas to benefit organizations and societies globally.”

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About Schneider Electric: Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On. Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency. We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries. We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values. For more information, visit: www.se.com/za.

About Inspired Evolution and Evolution Funds: Inspired Evolution, investment advisor to Evolution I and Evolution II Funds, and currently raising Evolution III Fund, is a specialised clean energy infrastructure and resource efficiency investment advisory platform with offices in Cape Town, London, Nairobi, Abidjan and Mauritius. Inspired Evolution has been involved in financing the development and operations of more than 2 GW of renewable energy infrastructure generation projects and multiple growth equity investments across Sub-Saharan Africa. Evolution II Fund’s investors include the African Development Bank, CDC Group, Cyane Holdings Ltd, European Investment Bank, the Dutch Development Bank FMO, the Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation, the European Initiative on Clean, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Climate Change related to Development SICAV, SIF – Compartment Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund, Swedfund International AG, KLP Norfund Investments AS, Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners, Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets managed by Obviam and a US healthcare system. Evolution III Fund is expected to comprise the majority of its existing investors as well as new global and regional institutional investors, endowments and family offices. For more information, visit: www.inspiredevolution.co.za.