Sun King, an off-grid solar energy provider, has secured $40 million in equity financing from London-headquartered Lightrock, to its mission of delivering affordable electricity to underserved regions. Headquartered in Nairobi, the company already brings power and light to more than 50 million people across Africa, backed by a model that integrates solar generation, appliances, installation, and pay-as-you-go financing.
The new capital will allow Sun King to speed up its expansion across Africa (already operates in 11 countries) and Asia while advancing a growing pipeline of energy solutions for households and small businesses. The company is preparing for an even larger scale-up.
By 2030, Sun King plans to deploy more than 50 million additional solar kits, reaching 200 million people. Its physical footprint will expand dramatically, with retail outlets expected to grow from 470 to around 1,650 and the agent workforce doubling to roughly 90,000. This push is critical in a region where 600 million people still lack electricity.
A distribution engine built for last-mile access
Sun King was co-founded in 2007 by three University of Illinois engineering graduates: T. Patrick Walsh and Anish Thakkar, to provide solar-powered solutions for off-grid communities in Africa and Asia. The company sets the gold standard for off-grid solar performance and design as part of its mission to power access to brighter lives.
Its systems range from ultra-affordable home kits to multi-kilowatt setups capable of powering schools, farms, health clinics, and commercial operations, replacing unreliable grid access and polluting fuels like kerosene and diesel.
Since its debut, the company’s growth has been rapid and steady. In 2017, it supplied just 10,000 kits per month; today, it distributes 330,000 monthly through a network of more than 470 retail shops and 35,000 field agents. These agents handle sales, installation, support, and repairs, creating one of the largest clean-energy service networks on the continent.
Innovating beyond power to strengthen livelihoods
Beyond lighting and power, Sun King is widening its product ecosystem to include the appliances customers rely on most, such as fans, refrigerators, smartphones, and other essentials that support connectivity, cold storage, and comfort. All products are offered through flexible pay-as-you-go financing, which has already unlocked $1.4 billion in consumer credit for low-income households.
The company also aims to deploy 3.8 GW of decentralised solar capacity by 2030, delivering the equivalent of multiple coal power stations directly to homes and businesses without grid dependence. Future innovations include clean-cooking technologies, productive-use equipment like milling machines, and new digital tools designed to raise household incomes and strengthen local food systems.
Arul Thomas, Partner at Lightrock, said, “Sun King exemplifies the type of proven, scalable solution we seek to support at Lightrock. The team’s execution ability in growing to serve 50 million people is truly laudable, and we are delighted to partner with them as they continue expanding their customer offering, operations, and international presence to address the critical global challenge of energy access.”
“Lightrock brings a deep understanding of our customers’ needs and a clear commitment to expanding access to energy,” said T. Patrick Walsh, CEO and co-founder of Sun King. “Sun King has grown from delivering 10,000 solar kits a month in 2017 to more than 330,000 each month today. We are working to expand to one million solar kits each month by 2030 to meet the basic energy needs of, at least, 200 million people, and this investment is part of the overall financing required to reach that operational scale.”
