Oniriq, which has just successfully completed a participatory fundraising campaign, will set up a branch in Dakar in August 2018 and will produce its solar kits in Senegal, with the ambition to spread to other African countries.
Oniriq‘s Solarbox solar kit presales (100 copies), are already available on the micro company’s internet platform. Proposed at the unit price of 350 euros TTC, the kit will be delivered in seven African countries. However, it should be noted that Solarbox is already in experimental use in 20 rural households in Senegal, where it provides independent power, internet connection and entertainment.
The Solarbox kit
The kit includes a 50 watt solar panel, a Wi-Fi hotspot, an energy storage box, 3 hanging lamps and 1 19″ HD flat screen TV. Oniriq has equipped its storage box with removable and recyclable batteries. It is a complete solar kit for the whole family, accessories for lighting, entertainment and electricity, all electronic devices.
Over the next five years, startup Oniriq intends to sell 100,000 copies of its product in Africa. Its distribution in Senegal will be flexible, with staggered payments. Users will gradually reimburse their kit (350 euros) via the Orange money service and the partnership of the National Communications Company (Sonatel) for the telecom infrastructure, including possible access to optical fibre.
Oniriq was founded by Rodolphe Rosier in December 2016. Cleantech start-up is supported by the French investment bank, Bpifrance, which supported its development with 30,000 euros. The startup also completed on June 21, 2018 a participatory fundraising campaign on Ulule for 8,500 euros. It will help finance the production in Senegal of the first 100 solar kits and transport to six other African countries. This will also validate the model. From September 2018, a €300,000 equity capital raising (with share exchange) should then enable Solarbox kits to be produced on an industrial scale.
Boris Ngounou
