Since 2020, Skicc Tech has been at the forefront of tackling energy challenges through advanced and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven approaches to modify agricultural practices in underdeveloped communities.
Through the use of an innovative and game-changing system called Gridbox, the company provides a holistic solution which seeks to solve food losses by generating electricity used for irrigation during the farming cycle and a container storage unit to preserve and extend the life of produce.
Essentially, GridBox is a portable, pre- engineered, AI-powered decentralized solar mini-grid that offers affordable and clean energy to communities in need.
This approach not only ensures effective food loss management, it also replaces expensive diesel generators with a revolutionary pay-as-you-go model, making clean energy accessible at a much lesser cost.
Integrating AI precision farming significantly reduces water waste, a critical issue considering agriculture uses about 70% of freshwater.
Gridbox also eliminates the need for expensive traditional infrastructure. This enables Skicc Tech to bring power directly to remote communities, bypassing lengthy construction processes.
Fully equipped with a battery backup, GridBox brings a seamless energy autonomy that ensures communities always have access to clean electricity.
This technology has made life easier for many communities who do not have electricity and therefore face many challenges with regards to pumping water from wells, rivers, or other sources. It also helps to address complications that arise because of water scarcity and droughts.
Skicc stands for simple key innovations created creatively and co-founder Tapiwa Chamboko said the idea of starting the business emerged after he had just started pursuing his Computer Science degree at Africa University.
“During my first year at university, I met my friend, Tinaye Makoni, who was also doing Computer Science. We were both passionate about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential to solve real-world problems. What started as a shared curiosity quickly blossomed into a partnership.
“We spent countless nights exploring AI and brainstorming innovative ways to harness its power to address the challenges we observed in our community. Our big break came when we participated in the Hult Prize, a global competition that challenged us to develop a solution capable of generating employment for 10 million young people within the next decade.
“While researching the root causes of unemployment, we discovered that energy poverty was a significant obstacle. Without reliable electricity, farmers faced difficulties in irrigating crops, small businesses struggled to thrive while schools also faced challenges in terms of functioning effectively.”
As Tapiwa and Tinaye continued with their discussions, the problem was evident – access to energy needed to be addressed in a sustainable way that had the potential to unlock job creation.
Motivated by this insight, Skicc Tech was born in 2020.
“From our humble dorm room, with limited resources, we worked tirelessly to develop a solution that could transform rural communities. I assumed the role of chief technology officer and Tinaye assumed the chief executive officer role.”
Tapiwa’s many responsibilities include driving innovation, technology transformation, digital growth, research and development. Tinaye, on the other hand, leads a team of engineers and designers, who work with clients from different regions and domains to deliver innovative decentralized energy solutions and customized scalable AI products and services.
Tapiwa becomes very excited when talking about the impact of GridBox and how it has positively transformed the lives of farmers.
“GridBox empowers farmers through solar-powered irrigation, supports agro-processing for small scale industries, and ensures energy for schools and clinics. Since its launch, GridBox has made a significant impact, benefiting over 3,000 people in Manicaland.
“Farmers have experienced increased crop yields, households have reduced their reliance on expensive and polluting diesel generators, and schools now have the power to support learning and technology.”
One of the biggest challenges the company has faced involves securing significant funding to expand its operations. They managed to overcome this obstacle by leveraging partnerships, showcasing their impact as well as focusing on demonstrating the value of their technology to potential investors.
There is enough evidence to show that Skicc Tech – which currently has six permanent employees – is on a growth trajectory.
Despite being a young company, Skicc Tech has already been recognized by the World Bank as one of the top 20 start ups using green solutions to address water challenges in Africa. They were also selected among the 20 best green energy startups in Africa by the Milken and Motsepe Foundation for the 2023 Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy. And, despite the many challenges associated with running a start up in Zimbabwe, Skicc Tech is already working towards growing their business so that it has the capacity to serve more people who have expressed an interest in their technology.
Says Tapiwa: “We are planning to expand our mini-grid capacity to 10 times its current size and we intend to grow our team to support this expansion. In the next five years, our goal is to positively impact over 1 million people across Zimbabwe by providing clean and affordable energy solutions.”
In a country where solar energy has become an important aspect of solving Zimbabwe’s electricity supply challenges, Skicc Tech has an important role to play in this sector. Zimbabwe’s vast solar potential and lithium reserves present an opportunity to scale the company’s solution nationwide and eventually across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Through GridBox, Skicc Tech envisions electrifying thousands of communities, creating jobs, improving livelihoods, and reducing environmental harm.
“It is incredible to reflect on how this journey has progressed so far. Today, Tinaye and I remain resolute in our mission to make Skicc Tech a driving force for sustainable development and economic empowerment in Africa.”
Skicc Tech, which has won multiple awards and recognition for its excellence and impact, is well on the way to making a positive impact by providing sustainable energy solutions. What started off as a shared passion for entrepreneurship and cutting-edge technology between two friends studying towards the same qualification at university has blossomed into a business that has the capability to grow beyond what the two of them could ever have imagined.