Ampersand Energy

Happy Mazingira Day! 🌍💚 At Ampersand, every day is Environment Day as we ride towards a cleaner, greener future. Our mission to cut carbon emissions resonates deeply with the spirit of Mazingira Day. We're proud to be at the forefront of sustainable transportation in East Africa, proving that eco-friendly solutions can drive both economic growth and environmental protection. The numbers speak for themselves: 🏍️ Each Ampersand e-motorcycle saves approximately 1935 kg of CO2 per year 🚀 With over 1,000 e-motorcycles on the road in Kenya, that's a total of 2,198 metric tons of CO2 saved annually! That's equivalent to Planting about 100,000 trees🌳 Together, we're not just transforming mobility – we're breathing cleaner air into our communities and building a more sustainable future for generations to come. Join the electric revolution and choose Earth. 🔋🏍️ #MazingiraDay #SustainableMobility #AmpersandEnergy

⚡️ Electrifying East Africa’s Moto-Taxi Industry: Social & Economic Impact ⚡️ In our last post, we explored the broader moto-taxi industry in East Africa. Now, we’re looking at the social impact of electrifying the sector, focusing on findings from our work with our friends at Ampersand Energy in Kenya and Rwanda. While environmental benefits are clear, the socio-economic advantages of transitioning from petrol to electric motorcycles (e-motos) are just as crucial. To understand this at a more human level, we listened to what 272 e-moto drivers had to say: ✅ 87% of drivers in Kenya and 86% in Rwanda reported higher earnings with Ampersand e-motos compared to petrol bikes. ✅ 71% of drivers in Kenya and 60% in Rwanda said they’d stick with Ampersand even if fuel prices were cheaper – citing both economic and environmental reasons. The impact potential is huge: With over 3 million moto-taxi drivers in Kenya by some estimates, electrification could not only transform the industry but also improve the livelihoods of millions. Additionally, Ampersand is addressing key barriers to e-moto adoption by reducing recharging downtime through their battery swap stations, ensuring drivers can stay on the move. However, challenges remain – especially beyond city limits, where more infrastructure and longer battery life were frequently requested by drivers. 🌍 Despite these obstacles, Ampersand has already helped avoid 11,500 tons of CO2 and powered 150 million kilometers of travel. As Ampersand and other EV players scale, the environmental and economic benefits will only continue to grow. Stay tuned as we continue our work with Ampersand, understanding the social, economic, and environmental changes electrification brings to drivers, passengers, and cities across East Africa. #EV #Sustainability #Ampersand #BodaBoda #ElectricVehicles #MotoTaxis #GreenTransport #Weaverbirds  🔗 Full Blog Post: https://lnkd.in/dUQF-jKS 👋 Want to learn more about Weaverbirds? Drop us a line!

Avoiding billions of emissions and improving the livelihoods of millions: a global transition to electric vehicles ⚡🚗 At Ampersand Energy, an electric mobility company based in Nairobi, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits a transition to electric vehicles can bring. Ampersand provides motorcycle taxi drivers with battery-based motorbikes that are quick to recharge and maintained cost-free. Their fleet of e-motorbikes has nearly doubled the take-home pay of the drivers who use them, as drivers can avoid expensive fuel costs. The battery hub also provided new jobs to the community and avoided the release of approximately 11.5 tonnes of emissions, improving the air quality for Nairobi residents. Ampersand is just one example of the leadership that will deliver a truly global electric vehicle transition. The IKEA Foundation is supporting Drive Electric Campaign to help leaders in emerging markets to ‘leapfrog’ over dirty combustion vehicles to sustainable, zero-emission transport for all. 📢📢 Progress across the energy transition is far too uneven. It is our collective responsibility to ensure no regions or countries are left behind. Either we think and act as if we have one home and one planet, or none of us will succeed. Thank you so much Josh Whale and your great team for showing us the Ampersand facilities and Jacqueline Novogratz for accompanying us. Meeting the workers on the ground, listening to their stories and hearing first-hand the impact that the initiative delivers, was truly inspiring. #ClimateWeekNYC #DriveElectric #ClimateAction #SustainableTransport #EVTransition #ClimateWeekIKF2024 ClimateWorks Foundation

We are proud to have been part of history at Kenya's record-breaking EV Parade! 🏆🌍 Last week, we joined the largest electric vehicle parade ever seen in Kenya and Africa, setting a new EV parade record! This incredible feat marked the perfect conclusion to Africa E-mobility Week, showcasing the continent's commitment to sustainable transportation. A huge shoutout to the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK) for organizing this groundbreaking event. Together, we're driving the future of clean mobility in Africa! 🔋🏍️  #AmpersandEnergy #AfricaEmobilityWeek #EVParade

Please welcome...🥁...solar-powered charging and batteries for our E-bikes as we rev up Kenya’s E-mobility transition together with CrossBoundary Group!🏍 ☀   As announced during Africa E-Mobility Week, we are excited to be teaming up with CrossBoundary Energy to power our bikes with solar energy at strategically located charging stations in Nairobi, enabling us to scale more quickly and even more sustainably! ☘ “The availability of reliable, affordable charging infrastructure is essential to scaling our operations and meeting the growing demand for e-mobility in Kenya. With CrossBoundary Energy’s solution, we are confident we can expand faster and more efficiently, bringing our e-bikes to more riders across Kenya and East Africa. By leveraging solar power this expansion will be even more sustainable, cutting carbon emissions faster.” - Hezbon Mose, Kenya Country Director here at Ampersand. “This launch is exciting for many reasons – firstly, it marks the start of CrossBoundary Energy’s foray into the e-mobility sector, in which we hope to play the same role we have played for C&I solar and mini-grids – accelerating private investment and driving growth. Secondly, because we are working with a partner with a strong track record and ambitious plans for East Africa, we hope to play an important part in supporting Ampersand to achieve their plans to scale.” - Tombo Banda, Managing Director and Head of CrossBoundary’s Innovation Lab. Find out more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dfNjsGT9 #SolarPower #EVTransition #Kenya

Today marks three years since I discovered an awesome experience just by scrolling through my LinkedIn feed! 😄 Three years ago, I was scrolling through LinkedIn and stumbled upon Ampersand Energy for the first time. I'd never heard of Ampersand before, but their story was so compelling that I knew right away I wanted to be part of this startup. For those wondering how I hadn’t heard of Ampersand, even while being in Kigali, well, back then, they had fewer than 40 motorbikes on the road and only a handful of swap stations. I took my shot right here on LinkedIn and sent a direct message. Two weeks later, I started consulting at Ampersand, and soon after, I joined full-time. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for this journey. Being part of a fast-growing startup is not always sunshine, but the rewards are unmatched. You get to see the impact of your work almost immediately! Today, Ampersand motorbikes are a familiar sight on the streets of Kigali and Nairobi. As Africa's first electric energy company with the longest and most successful track record of managing a commercial e-motorcycle fleet and battery-swapping network at scale, Ampersand stands out in the industry. With nearly 5,000 motorbikes on the road, they’ve covered over 150 million kilometers, farther than the distance from Earth to the sun🌞 That's a testament to the impact we're making every day. Beyond the visible growth, the positive effect on drivers' income(yes, an Ampersand motorbike can boost a driver's income up to 40%) and the environment is immense🌍 So, here’s to celebrating three years of personal and career growth, innovation, and impact! And hey, if you haven’t yet taken an Ampersand ride, I challenge you to do so next time you’re around Kigali or Nairobi. It’s a unique experience you won’t forget!

500+ Strong And Still Growing! 👨🔬 🚀 We're thrilled to announce a major milestone in our journey - we've officially grown to a team of 500+ incredible individuals! From our humble beginnings to now, each member of our family has played a crucial role in driving our mission forward. Together, we're not just changing the face of transportation in Africa; we're revolutionizing it. - 500 minds working towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. - 500 hearts beating with passion for innovation and impact. - 500 pairs of hands building the infrastructure for Africa's electric revolution. As we celebrate this achievement, we're reminded that our strength lies not just in our numbers, but in our diversity, creativity, and shared commitment to impacting lives. To every member of our team: Thank you for your dedication, your brilliance, and belief in our shared mission. You are the energy that keeps Ampersand moving forward. And we're just getting started! Here's to the next chapter of our journey, to more innovations, more impact, and the countless lives we'll continue to touch across Africa.

Ever dreamt of coding the future of sustainable transportation? 🚀🏍️ Are you a Mobile Engineer ready to join Africa's electric transport revolution? At Ampersand, Africa's first and leading EV energy tech company, we're not just changing the way people move - we're revolutionizing an entire continent's approach to transportation. We're expanding our dynamic team, and we're looking for a Mobile Engineer who can bring fresh perspectives to our mission. Why? Because we believe the best ideas come from diverse viewpoints, experiences, and skills. 🌟 What we're offering: - A chance to have a real impact  on people and  sustainable transport in Africa - A collaborative, innovative environment where your ideas matter - Opportunities for personal growth and professional development 🔋 What we're looking for: - Passion for clean tech and sustainable solutions - A knack for turning complex problems into elegant mobile solutions with a keen eye for pixel-perfect UI design - Diverse experiences that can add new dimensions to our team If you're nodding 'yes' and feeling the excitement building, then we want to hear from you! Join us in cutting carbon emissions and driving clean economic growth. Let's code a greener future together! Apply now! 🚀🌿⚡ #AmpersandEnergy #MobileEngineer #JobsInAfrica #Hiring Apply here: https://lnkd.in/d2zFkTTs

Celebrating Growth and New Beginnings! 🎓🚀 Today, we bid a bittersweet farewell to our dear colleague and friend, Kevin Mucyo Inkindi, as he embarks on an exciting journey to advance his studies. Kevin has been an integral part of our mission to revolutionize sustainable transportation in Africa. His dedication, innovative thinking, and leadership have significantly contributed to our vision and mission. From joining us as an intern 5 years ago to rising to a managerial role, Kevin's story at Ampersand is a testament to the growth opportunities and career progression we cherish and foster. While we'll miss his daily presence, we're incredibly proud to see him take this step to further his education. It's always been our goal to nurture talent that will continue to drive positive change in the world. Kevin, you'll always be part of the Ampersand family. Go and make us proud, and remember, our doors are always open for you! Thanks for everything and we can't wait to see what you'll achieve next!

We are pleased to announce new equity investments from AHL Venture Partners and Everstrong Capital, along with a reinvestment from Beyond Capital Ventures, bringing the funding total raised in the last 12 months to USD $21.5 million.   These additional investments, ahead of our Series B, will enable Ampersand to continue its expansion in East Africa where 100 million people a day use motorcycle taxis or delivery services, called ‘boda bodas’. Our electric motorcycles are 45% cheaper to run than the petrol alternatives and produce at least 75% less emissions, making them a compelling alternative.   Our CEO, Josh Whale, said: “This latest funding is a testament to the strong investor confidence in our business model as we continue to scale and innovate within the African e-mobility sector. With continued urbanisation, our mission to electrify transport, cut carbon emissions and drive clean economic prosperity is more crucial than ever.   “This additional investment will accelerate the rollout of our EV energy technology and infrastructure to the mass market, bringing us closer to our goal of deploying 5 million electric motorcycles by 2033…”   #electricvehicles #emobility #africa