Powering Africa: How Open Access Is Scaling Clean Energy, James Irons

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/3b/4f/98/3b4f9824-4e88-1b4c-b97a-4cdebd6afd58/mza_9712874782664570915.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

The Founder Files

Metavolve

145 episodes

6 days ago

Rated #1 Podcast for Entrepreneurs in South Africa in 2023 by Feedspot. The Founder Files is where founders come to explore proven growth strategies and real entrepreneurial challenges. Hosted by Cameron Coutts, each episode unpacks the complex journeys of scaling businesses, delivered by entrepreneurs who've walked the path. No script, no filter – just a fireside chat between growth-driven founders. If you’re seeking practical advice and relatable stories to fuel your growth journey, this is your go-to resource. Subscribe now!

Business

RSS

All content for The Founder Files is the property of Metavolve and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Business

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode/38311027/38311027-1758543321641-5a59c59f6e0a3.jpg

Powering Africa: How Open Access Is Scaling Clean Energy, James Irons - Open Access Energy

The Founder Files

1 hour 51 minutes 39 seconds

1 month ago

Powering Africa: How Open Access Is Scaling Clean Energy, James Irons - Open Access 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, as the past co-founder of SolarAfrica, how he grew it into one of SA’s leading energy players before exiting. 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 • Lessons in resilience, leadership, and navigating the rollercoaster of entrepreneurshipIf 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.

----------

Unlock Your Scale-Ready Score: https://roadmap.metavolve.co/

Book a curiosity call with Cameron: https://www.metavolve.co/curiosity-call

This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.

Metavolve is a team of focused experts committed to helping entrepreneurs like you scale their businesses successfully. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/

----------

To support The Founder Files:

🔔 Subscribe and turn post notifications on

⭐ Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts

💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts

🔗 Connect with James:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-irons-89299b36/

🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefounderfilespodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-metavolve/

----------

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

08:10 How Solar Africa started in Kenya: The early challenges

21:20 First Major Joint Venture: Managing R300–400 million in CapEx

36:23 The Wheeling Revolution Explained

54:42 Open Access Energy’s role in Simplifying a Complex Industry

01:00:05 An existential founder moment: Why James Stepped Away from Solar Africa

01:01:24 Visionary vs. Integrator Partnerships

01:08:14 Entrepreneurship & Motivation Shifts

01:30:00 The origin story of Open Access Energy

01:36:23 James’s new role as Executive Chairman

01:45:38 Future of Open Access & Energy Markets