German impact crowdinvesting platform bettervest and CEI Africa, a foundation funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW, have officially launched a strategic collaboration to advance access to sustainable energy across Africa.
On March 31st, both organizations signed a Technical Assistance Agreement, through which CEI Africa is providing EUR 180,000 to bettervest. This funding will be used to strengthen the platform’s market development, laying a solid foundation for impactful, long-term collaboration.
The collaboration aims to open new channels for mobilizing private capital toward clean energy initiatives in regions where energy access is most urgently needed. The Technical Assistance Agreement marks a first step in aligning public and private efforts to scale climate solutions through innovative finance.
“This collaboration is a key milestone for us,” said Benedikt Hoffmann, Co-CEO of bettervest. “Thanks to CEI Africa’s support, we are not only strengthening our internal operations but also preparing to facilitate increased investment in clean energy projects across Africa.”
“We are excited to work with bettervest to advance energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa by mobilising private capital through innovative financing models,” said Claudia Vroom, member of the Executive Board of CEI Africa, “Their crowdfunding platform plays an important role in market development by connecting individual investors to impactful clean energy projects that improve lives and combat climate change.”
This new collaboration reflects a shared commitment to innovative financing mechanisms that support climate action and inclusive development. Further steps in the collaboration will be announced in due course.
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About bettervest
bettervest is a Frankfurt-based crowdinvesting platform that enables individuals to directly fund sustainable energy and climate projects worldwide. Since its founding in 2012, the platform has financed over 130 projects across the globe, helping to avoid more than 2 million tons of CO₂ emissions. With a strong commitment to transparency and measurable impact, bettervest connects purpose-driven investors with meaningful climate solutions—particularly in regions most affected by climate change.
About CEI Africa
CEI Africa was established by the German development finance institution KfW on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in 2021 to improve access to energy for rural and peri-urban households and enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2022, the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) joined as a contributor to CEI Africa. CEI Africa is managed by Triple Jump and implemented together with partners Persistent and GreenMax Capital Group. CEI Africa works with financiers, off-grid solar and mini-grid experts, to develop investment solutions that bridge the financing gap in the most challenging access to energy sub-sectors.
About KfW
KfW is Germany’s national promotional bank. On behalf of the German Federal Government and its ministries such as BMZ, KfW supports development cooperation projects around the world, with a strong focus on climate and energy, sustainable economic development, and poverty reduction. KfW plays a central role in implementing the German government’s development policy through financial cooperation.
