News

ECPA-Supported Initiative Wins Award in Peru

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

StartupPerú, a government program to encourage entrepreneurship, has awarded a grant to an ECPA-supported initiative, PowerMundo, recognizing it as a Dynamic and High-Impact Enterprise. ECPA congratulates PowerMundo and its team for the work they are doing to bring solar-powered lighting to remote areas of the country.

PowerMundo has implemented a pay-as-you-go system which allows users to buy solar-powered lamps via small weekly payments made using a cellphone app. The project has put this type of clean technology in the hands of many low-income families, enabling them to replace polluting, dangerous forms of lighting such as diesel lamps.

PowerMundo’s initiative—“Improving Lives with Solar Energy, Innovative Financing, and New Digital Technology”—will receive a grant of more than $42,000 (137,000 nuevos soles) as well as technical support from experts at StartupPerú. Run by the country’s Production Ministry, StartupPerú aims to give a boost to Peruvian startup companies that offer innovative products and services. It also provides support to companies that develop creative solutions to complex problems, so that they can grow and thrive over time.