Acumen, EY, and ServiceNow Join Forces to Support Africa’s Climate Tech Startups

Acumen , in collaboration with the EY organization  and ServiceNow , launched a new program designed to unleash the potential of founders in Africa who are tackling the climate crisis. Angels Climate Tech Africa aims to equip high-impact entrepreneurs with the funding, expertise, and networks they need to grow locally-led climate solutions and create new markets for communities on the frontlines of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa.

The urgency couldn’t be greater. The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization reports that by 2030, up to 180 million Africans could be exposed to drought, floods, and extreme heat, costing African economies 2-5% of GDP annually. To address this challenge, African entrepreneurs are developing breakthrough innovations—from climate-resilient agriculture and renewable energy to data-driven adaptation tools—that have the power to safeguard communities, strengthen resilience, and accelerate sustainable growth.

Recognizing this opportunity, ServiceNow and the EY organization are collaborating with Acumen to provide critical business and technology coaching to a highly curated cohort of entrepreneurs with climate tech business models. Angels Climate Tech Africa is a part of the Acumen Angels initiative, which offers flexible capital to early-stage social entrepreneurs solving problems of poverty in their communities and provides them with financial support to test and refine their business models in service of achieving their growth and impact plans.

“Visionary social entrepreneurs are designing bold new models but face a distinct ‘growth gap’ after initial traction and before major investment. There is a lack of flexible seed capital and a scarcity of hands-on operating support. The goal of this partnership is to take the best of what each partner brings to the table to support these leaders to break through to their next stage of growth and influence.”

– Bavidra Mohan, Foundry Director, Acumen

Together, the organizations will catalyze climate tech innovation at scale:

• Acumen will lead the program delivery, leveraging its existing Acumen Angels program infrastructure and two decades of impact investing experience in underserved markets.
• EY teams will offer coaching and capacity-building workshops, helping ventures build foundations to scale.
• ServiceNow will provide critical grant funding and mentorship to ensure these innovators have the resources to succeed and make a lasting impact.

“At the EY organization, we believe in the power of entrepreneurship to address the world’s most pressing challenges. The combination of Acumen’s expertise in impact investing, ServiceNow’s commitment to funding sustainable solutions, and EY teams’ business knowledge, will empower climate tech founders to scale their innovations and drive real change.”

– Gillian Hinde, Global Corporate Responsibility Leader, EY 

This new initiative builds on a strong track record of collaboration between the EY organization and ServiceNow to drive social impact globally: including initiatives such as supporting WaterAid’s clean water initiatives, empowering young people in technology through the global nonprofit Technovation, and advancing citizen science and conservation projects such as Elephant ID and Cameras for Conservation. Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to applying innovation and collaboration to society’s most urgent needs.

“At ServiceNow, our purpose is to make the world work better for everyone, and that starts with creating greater access to opportunity, technology, and knowledge. Through this collaboration with Acumen and the EY organization, we’re combining our collective strengths to support local innovators who are creating bold, sustainable solutions to the climate crisis and building a more resilient future for communities across Africa.”

–  Lyndsay Harris-Kyei, Vice President of Global Impact and Sustainability, ServiceNow

By harnessing their collective strengths, Acumen, the EY organization and ServiceNow are dedicated to driving meaningful progress and empowering the next generation of climate tech entrepreneurs to combat the climate crisis and build a more resilient future for Africa.