Angaza PAYG Platform

Product Description

The Angaza Platform enables manufacturers and distributors of off-grid energy products to incorporate pay as you go (PAYG) functionality. Angaza partners with hardware companies to integrate PAYG to allow Base of the Pyramid customers to pay for products over time, thereby making these products more affordable. Angaza is a software company with core products including the Energy Hub and Activator to pair with hardware products. The Angaza offering is compatible with cable, keypad, or GSM based systems.

Target SDGs

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Angaza manages their offering of pay as you go design specifications and firmware. Some manufacturing partners are Greenlight Planet, Jua Energy and Ominvoltaic

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Powerhive and Lumeter PAYG Technology.

Manufacturing/Building Method

Custom firmware development and hardware integration delivered by Angaza based on customer product.

Intellectural Property Type

Trade Secret

User Provision Model

Companies selling energy products can obtain the Angaza platform from their contact page. End-users of the platform may obtain access codes for the systems via direct sales agents, mobile money, or via Angaza's software platform, the Energy Hub.

Distributions to Date Status

Unknown

Mobile service required

Depending on the Angaza product chosen it could be either Mobile Internet or SMS services.

Level of mobile data coverage needed

2G and above

Device(s) required

Hardware product delivering off-grid energy (e.g..SHS), Mobile phone, or and tablet.

Permanent network connectivity required

Payment structure

Cable-based (unit is physically connected to a smart phone running Angaza’s Activator using a custom cable), Keypad, Mobile (online) via the Energy Hub

Remote system diagnostics (Y/N)

Unknown

Supported product/service (specify)

Various off-grid energy devices

Design Specifications

The Angaza products for manufacturers include 3 embedded technology options that integrate into a variety of clean energy devices for communication with a PAYG device:

Cable based: ideal for small, portable PAYG devices where a sales agent equipped with the Angaza mobile App (the Angaza Activator) will be physically present.
Keypad: integrates into energy products in 2 ways -the product can be sold with an external keypad or the keypad can be integrated onto the device. This uni-directional data communication method relies on direct SMS communication to the customer and removes the need for a sales agent network in markets with mobile money.
GSM technology services: optimized for use with higher-end, non-portable PAYG products. The technology relies on the cellular network to transmit data bi-directionally between the product and Angaza's software platform, the Energy Hub.

The Angaza products for distributors include:

The Angaza Energy Hub: a web interface for PAYG distribution operations, allowing customers to manage their PAYG business.
The Activator: Angaza's mobile app supports data-driven distribution operations in the field. Sales agents and dealers can use the Activator to manage customers, troubleshoot issues, and track agent finances.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Unspecified

Replacement Components

N/A

Lifecycle

Firmware is continuously updated.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Angaza claims their cable-based technology is the lowest cost, highest reliability option for communication with a pay-as-you-go device. The company aims to provide seamless integration of the platform into a wide variety of clean energy devices.

Vetted Performance Status

Unknown

Safety

N/A

Complementary Technical Systems

Angaza platform can be connected to any power solar system, laptops, and smartphones. Also, companies can connect this product to CRM or other software to manage their sales.

Academic Research and References

Nique, M., & Smertnik, H., 2015. The Synergies Between Mobile Phone Access and Off Grid Energy Solutions. Decentralized Solutions for Developing Economies pp 185-193

Albi, E., Gasse, K. V., & Kozel, K., 2013. Market Evaluation: Viability of the SoLite3 in Uganda. Global Social Benefit Fellowship.

Daymarker Digital. 2021. “Angaza.” Angaza. March 19, 2021. https://www.angaza.com/

“Powering Access to Brighter Lives.” 2022. Sun King. September 27, 2022. https://sunking.com/

“Home.” n.d. Juaenergy.Com. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://juaenergy.com/

“Omnivoltaic Company.” n.d. Omnivoltaic.Com. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.omnivoltaic.com/

Daymarker Digital. 2021. “Features.” Angaza. March 23, 2021. https://www.angaza.com/features/

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Evaluation methods

Customer feedback, field trials and payback rate.

Other Information

Video showcasing the solution. For clarification, Angaza does not offer hardware solutions ^{interview in June 2016}.

Comments from the Community

3 Comments

Kelley Elahi says:

October 28, 2016 at 11:07 pm

Power supply type should just be “hand powered” right?
E4C.COMMENTS says:

November 21, 2016 at 3:44 am

hernan.figueroa says:

ANGAZA has also transformed itself into a “ICT technology provider” that licenses or gets a share of each payment in their technology platform. I think the competitive landscape should be updated to reflect only the companies that provide platforms as opposed to products.
Noel Wilson says:

December 12, 2016 at 5:50 pm

Target regions reference Grief claiming all around acceptance is not true. I have anecdotally heard they leak, are uncomfortable and not attractive to Haitian users (from a consultant who worked on it which may also not be true. Could this be removed from this field as this statement is not pertinient to Target Regions is it?