Category: TEAM

Project Assistant

Vanessa’s work as project assistant is mainly focused on the analysis of data, software modelling and minigrid network design. She has a master degree in Energy Conversion and Data Analysis and fluently speaks English, French and German. Before joining us in 2020, she worked as a working student at Innogy in the field of Grid development and Energy supply, with focus on the development and implementation of a software model for wind energy generation and weather data analysis. She used to work for the Green Girls Organisation based in Cameroon as the Technical Coordinator conducting training modules for renewable energy generation and installing solar home systems and isolated biomass energy units.

Minigrid Expert Togo Office

Thomas holds a BSc and a MSc in Renewable Energies from University of Applied Science in Berlin. He joined us in 2018 and has been working on a variety of projects ranging from technical design of minigrids, providing TA to minigrid developers, to carrying out feasibility studies and technical due diligences. Since 2020, he is based in Lomé, Togo, as long-term expert to provide minigrid know-how to the rural electrification agency under a consulting contract with GIZ ProEnergie. Thomas speaks German, French and English.

Operations Research Scientist and Mini-grid Expert

Tatiana received her PhD in applied mathematics from Humboldt University Berlin and the Berlin Mathematics Research Center MATH+, a cross-institutional and interdisciplinary Cluster of Excellence. She has more than five years of consulting and project management experience with three years in the area of rural electrification projects in several African countries. Her expertise includes the development of business, financial and risk management models. She co-developed our KeyMaker Model and is currently designing a new hybrid system optimization tool for our MicroPowerManager software. Tatiana has served as lecturer at several universities and speaks Spanish, English, German, and French.

Minigrid Expert

Sylvain has a Master’s in Computer Networking and Telecommunications and a Master of Science in Environmental Technology and International Affairs from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and Vienna University of Technology. He has more than 11 years of professional experience, including 3.5 years in telecommunications, more than one year with GIZ and more than 7 years with us in rural electrification. Sylvain is an expert in financial and business model development, policy and regulation, and technical feasibility studies for minigrid projects. He is based in Graz and speaks French, English, German and Spanish.

Minigrid Expert

Muriel has more than 3 years of work experience in the field of renewable energy. She has worked on the entire process of minigrid project development from site selection, demand assessment, technical design and financial modelling during her time as project manager for a minigrid developer in Madagascar and her previous internship with us. She further gained experience in academia where she did research on topics such as the electrification of rural health centers in Northern India or the cost benefits from accurate electricity demand data for Sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a BSc. in environmental sciences from ETH Zurich and a MSc. in energy management from EPFL in Lausanne.

Team Leader Togo Office

Mouhamed is a renewable energy expert with more than 25 years of professional experience. He holds a Master’s in business engineering and an electromechanical engineering degree. Before joining us, he managed a large number of energy projects throughout West Africa for many years. He has trained government officials in project management and procurement procedures and implemented more than 50 mini-grid projects. Since 2020, he has been leading our team of experts in Togo on a consultancy assignment for GIZ-ProEnergie. Mouhamed is Senegalese and is fluent in French, English and Wolof.

Minigrid Expert

Maÿlis has a MSc. Sustainability Business and Innovation from Utrecht University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montreal. She has more than seven years of professional experience and her main tasks as minigrid expert include consulting on policies and regulations, conduction of feasibility studies and market analyses, business plan development and financial modelling of minigrid projects. Prior to joining us in 2019, she worked in the aerospace industry and as research assistant in rural electrification. Maÿlis is based in Vienna and speaks French (native), English and German.

Administrative Assistant

Mawussé Afangbom is an administrative assistant by training with a professional experience of about ten years. She has successively worked as an assistant in different sectors such as public works, public administration, non-governmental organisations. Mawussé is the Administrative Assistant in our office in Lomé for a minigrid project in partnership with GIZ-ProEnergie. She manages the offices, organizes meetings, pays our bills, manages the budget and prepares missions of our experts and partners. She is Togolese and speaks French, English and Ewe.

Software Developer

Kamuran studied software engineering at Ya?ar University in Izmir, Turkey, where he started programming with C# and .Net Framework. After graduating, he worked as a professional for five years and participated in many projects, especially popular CRM and ERP projects in Turkey. At the same time, he also carried out his own projects. Since 2020, Kamuran is our full-stack software developer, contributing to our open-source platform MicroPowerManager and other projects. He has travelled countries like Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Greece and lived in the US for some time. He is based in Izmir and speaks Turkish and English.

COO

Joanis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Imperial College London and Master’s degree in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge (Wolfson College). He has more than 10 years of professional experience in the rural electrification sector. Prior to joining us as COO in 2018, he was Country Manager of BBOXX Ltd. in Uganda and Kenya and led EON’s minigrid company Rafiki Power as General Manager in Tanzania. He specialises in technical system design, financial modelling and tariff regulation of minigrids. Joanis is based in Berlin and speaks German, English and French.

Driver Togo Office

Glitse has been the driver for our office in Togo, a minigrid project in collaboration with GIZ ProEnergie, since 2019. Before that, he worked for GIZ and the Chinese company TEA HUA. He is available to our team of experts for trips in Lomé, as well as for missions to project sites throughout the country, some of which last several days. He is also responsible for the care and maintenance of the project vehicle. Glitse is Togolese and speaks French, English, Ewe and Ise.

Minigrid Expert

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by training with a master’s degree in Renewable Energy, Dipta has been working in the minigrid sector for more than six years. He has been managing multiple projects for our clients, with experience of working with organisations like UNOPS, GIZ, JICA, ADB, the World Bank Group, IDCOL (Bangladesh), REA (Nigeria), among others. He is skilled in managing minigrid and other renewable energy projects throughout different project development stages. On top, he has been providing technical assistance to several government agencies on implementing minigrid contracts and regulations. He speaks English and Bangla.

Minigrid Expert

Christopher holds a Master’s in Business Management & Entrepreneurship Renewable Energy from the University of Applied Science Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Germany. He has been with us for 3 years and was previously a working student for 3 years and a project manager for 6 months at TÜV SÜD AG in the field of electromobility. He was actively involved in the establishment of our subsidiary Volt-Terra in Uganda and is responsible for the technical design of minigrids, the preparation and evaluation of tenders and the development of policies in various projects. Christopher is based in Berlin, he speaks German and English.

Minigrid Expert

Aslan joined us in 2017, after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Power Systems Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. With a strong background on the technical and financial aspects of decentralized energy systems, he’s recently specializing on digitalisation in the minigrid sector at all levels: from developing customized planning tools, over implementing autonomous operation schemes and remote management and monitoring solutions. Next to his work, Aslan is studying his master’s degree at Technische Universität Berlin, including courses in data science and machine learning. He is currently based in Rome, Italy and speaks German, English and Dari.

Minigrid Expert

Andrea holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, and a Master’s degree in Business Energy Engineering from the Technische Universität Berlin. She has more than five years of experience in the field of decentralised renewable energy and served as Planning and Development Specialist at the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) in Cairo, Egypt. Before joining us in 2019, she was Head of Operations for JUMEME Rural Power Supply Ltd. in Tanzania. Andrea is fluent in English, Catalan, Spanish, German and has a strong base in Arabic.

Co-founder and CSO

Jakob, our CSO, co-founder, shareholder, holds a degree in Power Systems Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. He has more than 15 years of experience as investor, developer and strategic technical and policy advisor in the minigrid field in Africa and Asia. Jakob has worked in rural communities in over 20 African countries, set up mini-grid operations in Senegal and Tanzania, and works as policy advisor with government agencies and international development organizations on policy and regulatory frameworks as well as competitive procurement processes in various countries. He is based in Berlin and speaks German, English and French.

Co-founder and CTO

Holger, our CTO, co-founder, shareholder, holds a degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. He has more than 16 years of experience as investor, developer and strategic technical advisor in the in the minigrid sector in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. His expertise includes technical design, installation, commissioning and operation of minigrids, advisory services on public procurement processes for minigrid assets, as well as the provision of trainings for private operators, government agencies and international organisations on minigrid installation and operation. Holger speaks German, English, French and Spanish.

Co-founder and CEO

Nico is our CEO, and a co-founder and shareholder. He holds a degree in Power Systems Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. Nico has more than 16 years of professional experience in the minigrid sector, advising development banks, governments and investors on setting up rural electrification programmes. He co-developed the award-winning MicroPowerEconomy business and risk management model for solar minigrid electrification and the rural industrialisation concept The KeyMaker Model. Nico is a juror for the German Innovation Award for Climate and Environment and a lead juror for the European Business Awards for the Environment. He is based in Goslar and speaks German and English.