Esther Mutua

Pioneering Kenyan clean energy entrepreneur addressing energy poverty in rural Africa

Esther Mutua is the founder and CEO of M-SAWA, a Nairobi-based social enterprise leveraging AI and IoT to provide affordable clean energy solutions to rural communities. Since launching in 2021, her company has deployed over 10,000 solar microgrids across Kenya's remote regions, directly impacting 500,000+ lives. Mutua's innovation lies in her hybrid payment system combining mobile money with blockchain for transparent transactions. Her work was featured in World Economic Forum and earned her a 2023 Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy.

Before entrepreneurship, Mutua worked with UNDP on climate resilience projects. She developed the Solar-as-a-Service model while studying engineering at the University of Nairobi, which allows families to pay only for the energy they use. Her team's gender-inclusive approach ensures 60% of technicians are women, addressing both energy and gender gaps. In 2024, she partnered with SunPower Corporation to expand operations into Tanzania and Uganda. Current projects include AI-driven energy forecasting systems to optimize solar performance in variable climates.