Powering Africa: How Open Access Is Scaling Clean Energy

How do you take a renewable energy startup and scale it into one of Africa’s leading clean power providers?

In this episode of The Founder Files, we sit down with James Irons, co-founder of Open Access Energy, a company transforming how power is generated and distributed across the continent. From early struggles with cancelled projects to raising capital and powering mines, factories, and communities, James shares the behind-the-scenes journey of scaling a business at the heart of Africa’s energy future.

We dive into:
• Why Africa’s energy crisis is also its biggest opportunity
• The challenges of regulation, funding, and market trust
• How Open Access partners with mining and industry leaders to power growth
• Lessons in resilience, leadership, and navigating the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to solve some of Africa’s toughest infrastructure challenges, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

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