Synnefa has raised $300,000 to deploy IoT-solar dryers across Kenya and is seeking to raise $2 million in seed funding by 2026 to scale its solutions to 150,000 farmers across East Africa.
The firm says the expansion will help prevent more than 50,000 metric tons of food loss, create employment opportunities for youth-led enterprises, and cut thousands of metric tons of CO emissions linked to wasted harvests.
Early this month, a Synnefa – Solidaridad partnership received $300,000 in grant funding from World Resources Institute’s Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G), to scale IoT-enabled smart solar dryers in Kenya. The two firms were among 14 climate startups that were awarded $3.8 million for their innovations in climate technology.
Climate startups are powerful engines of innovation and play a key role in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future, said Robyn McGuckin, Executive Director, P4G. From working closely with these entrepreneurs, weve seen how targeted funding and hands-on support can unlock their full potential helping them scale faster, create jobs, boost local economies and deliver climate solutions that the world cant afford to wait for.
The Synnefa – Solidaridad partnership is expected to help over 800 smallholder farmers Makueni County, Kenya to enhance drying efficiency by 54%, reduce drying time from weeks to just 23 days and help farmers cut post-harvest losses by 45% and improve post-harvest drying for coffee, fruits, vegetables, grains and spice value chains.
Synnefa builds Smart Greenhouses, FarmShield IoT, FarmCloud and Smart Solar Dryers to help farmers manage water scarcity, boost yields and reduce food waste and has reportedly helped over 7,000 farmers with its Smart Solar Dryers preventing losses across coffee, grains, vegetable and fruit sectors. It’s other product FarmCloud supports real-time decision-making with agronomic and climate data.
Solidaridad creates sustainable and inclusive supply chains and in Kenya, it’s working with national and county governments, research institutions and private sector actors to ensure alignment with agricultural policy, strengthen farmer capacity and advance climate-resilient production systems. The partnership will train farmers on use of IoT technology, advocate for financial incentives and supportive regulations, raise awareness among farmer cooperatives and youth enterprises, and also deploy IoT-enabled smart solar dryers through a rent-to-own model for farmer cooperatives and a Dry-as-a-Service model for youth enterprises.
Other partnerships that received funding include Parsons Kinetics – ACOSOL which runs wind turbines in Colombia and ReservoAir – Kopernik porous pavers that absorb water 100x faster than conventional paver and reduces the risk of flooding in Indonesia. P4G awarded $3.8 million in grants and technical assistance to 14 startups from Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. The other partnerships will focus on advancing impact in Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Vietnam.
P4G bridges these gaps by pairing startups with nonprofits and technical experts to strengthen their business models, ESG strategies and market positioning. P4G also connects startups with government agencies, facilitates policy dialogues and hosts workshops to foster a more enabling environment for climate businesses.
One of the newly funded partnerships, VOX Cool ASSIST Vietnam, will use its funds to scale Cold Battery technology an affordable, low-emission cooling solution that stores thermal energy for when its needed most. By ensuring reliable, energy-efficient refrigeration, it cuts electricity costs, reduces fossil fuel reliance and prevents food spoilage.
Since 2018, P4G-backed partnerships have raised over $211 million in commercial and non-commercial investments, created over 17,000 green jobs, produced nearly 7.9 million metric liters of clean water.
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https://techmoran.com/2025/10/28/synnefa-solidaridad-ioth-solar-dryers-among-14-climate-startups-awarded-3-8m/
