PFAN Launches its Flagship Accelerator in Pakistan

At Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN), we understand that great change starts with an idea and building a business out of an idea takes a lot of time, expertise and effort. While Pakistan’s green energy ecosystem is steadily emerging as a prominent driver of the green transition, many companies are at early stages of growth and scaling up. Start-ups have innovative ideas in the clean energy space but often lack guidance and resources. Thus, the scarcity of targeted SME accelerator services for clean energy companies, in particular, prevents the emergence of a strong private sector in clean energy, that is critical in the global response to the clean energy transition and net zero emissions climate change objectives.

To amplify and support these early-stage green-companies at the Small Medium Enterprise (SME)/startup level, we have launched our first ever accelerator program in Pakistan.

The PFAN PAKISTAN PRIVATE SECTOR ENERGY (PPSE) Project funded by USAID will include SME accelerator services as an additional component to PFAN’s traditional services. This will also help PFAN strengthen its project pipeline as early-stage companies can be prepared for our main project pipeline for investor readiness and access. Since 2006, PFAN has leveraged over $2Bn of investment for 173 clean energy projects and ventures; by also supporting companies at the earlier startup stage, there is even more potential to bolster environmental, economic and social change.

The accelerator program is delivered by the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN), an international organization with experience and demonstrated success supporting thousands of clean energy entrepreneurs in over 22 countries, including Pakistan.

The NGIN team has extensive experience of advanced acceleration of clean energy ventures in both the developed world and emerging markets. Through their previous roles as co-founders and senior management at the Los Angeles Cleantech Accelerator (LACI), supporting the growth of 120+startup companies within the incubator, NGIN team has secured $228 million in external investment and created 2,000 jobs.

NGIN’s acceleration combined with PFAN’s diverse and dynamic advisory and technical experience, the SME Accelerator in Pakistan is a unique opportunity to receive advanced entrepreneurship training, business coaching and customized support from international and local clean energy experts. This will also provide SMEs seamless entry to PFAN’s diverse technical expertise and investment advisory services.

Initially, 4 months of training will commence for all selected ventures and provide intensive online training and group mentoring followed by 6 months of tailored and rigorous 1:1 coaching for selected ventures.Accelerator graduates with the greatest potential will be eligible for international investment facilitation support from PFAN.

If you have an early-stage company with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), prototype and proof of traction in the following sectors, you are eligible to apply to the SME Accelerator:

• Rural Electrification & Energy Access
• E-mobility
• B2B Captive & Distributed Generation (eg solar, wind, hydro) ​
• Bioenergy Rural W2E (Biomass & Biogas for Agriculture)
• Urban Waste Management and Renewable Energy (W2E)​
• Recycling & Circular ​Economy Projects​ (energy)
• Energy Efficiency ​
• Industry 4.0 – CE, Digital & Fintech Nexus​
• Solar / Wind / Biomass IPPs

For more information download the SME Accelerator Slide Deck here.

Apply by 4 October: https://smeaccelerator.formstack.com/forms/application_form

Contact for queries:

Muhammad Hammad Bashir: M.SAEED@unido.org

Office Tel No:    051-8354813

Mobile no:         0321-5296546