15 May 2026: Lightrock, the London-headquartered investment platform, today announces the launch of Accelerate7, following the final close of a USD $500 million fund dedicated to backing businesses advancing United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7).
Accelerate7 will invest in growth-stage companies across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia, with a typical initial ticket size ranging from USD $10 million to USD $50 million. The strategy is focused on investing in companies across three core sectors: Access to Electricity, Clean Cooking and Enabling Technologies and Solutions such as electric mobility and energy storage. Deployment in Southeast Asia will be supported by Singapore-headquartered TRIREC, who are operating in partnership with Lightrock to further Accelerate7’s mission.
The strategy has already completed four investments: SolarSquare, a rooftop solar system provider; Sun King, an off-grid solar energy company; Euler Motors, an electric vehicle manufacturer; and ATEC Global, an IoT-enabled clean cookstove provider.
Over 660 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity, while approximately 2.1 billion people rely on polluting or hazardous fuels for cooking*. These challenges remain a major constraint on economic and social progress. Through Accelerate7, Lightrock aims to back businesses that expand access to modern energy, improve livelihoods, and generate attractive returns, while helping mobilise additional capital into this growing market.
Each Accelerate7 portfolio company will report regularly on its impact performance, including its contribution to SDG 7: ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Portfolio companies will also benefit from Lightrock’s proprietary impact measurement and management approach, complemented by support from a dedicated technical assistance facility, specialist impact and value-creation professionals, and Lightrock’s advisor network.
Accelerate7 is backed by a group of leading investors and major energy corporates, including Equinor, Shell, TotalEnergies, and LGT, among others. With the launch of Accelerate7, Lightrock’s capital dedicated to energy transition, energy access and climate investments now totals approximately USD $2 billion, representing a significant share of the firm’s assets under advice.
“Across the Global South, access to reliable energy and modern cooking solutions remains one of the clearest drivers of economic opportunity and improved quality of life. With Accelerate7, we are backing businesses that have already demonstrated strong execution and are ready to scale. Our focus is on finding proven operators with resilient business models that can deliver both meaningful impact and long-term value.”
The launch of Accelerate7 is an important milestone for Lightrock, and a strong example of how our platform continues to evolve. It builds on our broader commitment to supporting businesses at the forefront of energy transition and access, while bringing together the strength of our network, our investment expertise, and the conviction of our partners. We are grateful for the trust placed in us and excited to partner with impactful businesses as they work to expand access to modern energy and clean cooking solutions.”