Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high - risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. 

Risk Information

Estimated reading time: 2 min

Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.

What are the key risks?

  1. You could lose all the money you invest
    • If the business you are investing in fails, there is a high risk that you will lose 100% of your money. Most start-up and early-stage businesses fail.
    • Advertised rates of return aren’t guaranteed. This is not a savings account. If the borrower doesn’t pay you back as agreed, you could earn less money than expected. A higher advertised rate of return means a higher risk of losing your money. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
    • Certain of these investments can be held in an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA). An IFISA does not reduce the risk of the investment or protect you from losses, so you can still lose all your money. It only means that any potential returns will be tax free.
    • Checks on the businesses you are investing in, such as how well they are expected to perform, may not have been carried out by the platform you are investing through. You should do your own research before investing.
  2. You won't get your money back quickly
    • Many bonds last for several years, so you should be prepared to wait for your money to be returned even if the business you’re investing in repays on time.
    • You are unlikely to be able to cash in your investment early by selling your bond. You are usually locked in until the business has paid you back over the period agreed.
    • The platform does not offer a secondary market. While another investor may be interested in buying your investment, there is no guarantee you will find a buyer at the price you are willing to sell.
  3. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
    • Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well. A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
  4. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong
    • Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed regulated firms, does not cover poor investment performance. Try the FSCS investment protection checker here.
    • Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated platform, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.

If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here.

For further information about investment-based crowdfunding, visit the FCA’s website here.

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INVESTMENTS WITH IMPACT YOU CAN MEASURE

Many people want their investments to make a genuine difference, but it’s often hard to see what’s real and what’s just greenwash. At Energise Africa, transparency isn’t a buzzword; it’s the whole point. Because you invest directly into projects delivering clean energy solutions in sub-Saharan Africa, we can confidently report the impact your money is making.

Our team also conducts on-the-ground visits to see projects first-hand, meet the people benefiting, and share those stories back with you. And with our real-time impact reporting, across the platform and within your personal investment portfolio, you can track exactly what your money is doing, as it’s happening.

We believe money should be a force for good. By connecting pioneering solar businesses with UK investors, we’re enabling meaningful action on climate change, energy access, gender equality, and improved health and wellbeing across the region.

HERE'S OUR IMPACT

Since Energise Africa launched in 2017, our investors have (figures as of December 2025):


Helped

1.1m+

people benefit from renewable energy

Saved

734,000+

tonnes of CO2 entering the environment

Raised

£48m+

for profit-for-purposes businesses in Africa


Generated

640m+

hours of high-quality light

Supported

16,000+

sustainable businesses

Invested in

250+

ethical projects

HOW WE CALCULATE IMPACT


We work out the impact of the projects we fund by looking at the expected usage, how the products will be used day-to-day, and the benefits they’re designed to deliver. For things like solar home systems or electric vehicles, it’s usually not possible to collect real-time usage data. And with mini-grids, our funding role typically ends once construction is complete, even though the social and environmental benefits continue long after.

By estimating impact in advance, we can still give investors clear, meaningful insight, helping you understand the difference your money could make at the moment you choose to invest.


How we calculate our Impact stats

To find out how we make these calculations please visit our Social Impact Calculations page .


OUR INVESTMENTS IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES

Brian base image

Brian works full-time as an independent driver in the boda boda industry in Nigeria and upgraded to a Roam Air electric motorcycle. Brian says offering customers a quiet, clean and comfortable ride is game-changing. He also saves money on petrol, meaning his take home pay has increased. 

Jeannette base image

Our CEO Ray, visited Jeannette on a trip to DRC, whose extended family now enjoys solar lighting, a TV and battery backup at home thanks to a solar home system from Altech. Her living room has become a well-lit and welcoming centre for family life. 

Henriette base image

We met Henriette when visiting a village in Benin that has benefitted from electricity access from a OnePower Mini Grid. Henriette explained how her business has improved through an electric milling machine and her children’s school work is improving thanks to lights to study by. 


VIEW YOUR IMPACT


Energise Africa provides a personalised Impact report for every investor. It enables you to see where your investments were deployed as well as the social and environmental impact of your investments.

If you have an account with us, log in, go to the Impact section of your Portfolio and view the real-time impact that your investments are making. Check back regularly and see your impact grow!

If you haven't registered with us yet, you can do so through this link