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Rockefeller Foundation Launches First Class of Big Bets Fellows Focused on Africa

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Inaugural class of 10 changemakers driving bold, community-led solutions across Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and TanzaniaCohort represents best of African leadership and innovation across multiple sectors including health, agriculture, clean energy and more

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — During its second annual AfricaXchange Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, The Rockefeller Foundation launched the inaugural class of Africa Big Bets Fellows who are focused on driving transformational change across the continent. Ten leaders from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania will participate in an intensive five-month fellowship designed to elevate their innovative solutions for advancing energy access, food security, financial inclusion, economic opportunity, healthcare, climate resilience, migration, and more. The inaugural Africa Big Bets Fellows cohort marks the 60th anniversary of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office, which opened in 1966, with the Foundation supporting charitable initiatives across health, food, energy, climate, economic opportunity, and more for over a century.

“For decades, The Rockefeller Foundation has been honored to work with the dreamers, leaders, thinkers, scientists, innovators, and others who have shaped Africa’s future,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “Through the Africa Big Bets Fellowship, we are backing a new generation of leaders who are scaling ideas that expand opportunity, strengthen resilience, and improve lives across Africa.”

Across Africa, communities continue to face barriers to opportunity and resilience, from limited access to energy and finance to growing climate and migration pressures. Today, approximately 600 million people across the continent live without access to electricity, accounting for more than 80% of the global population without power. And despite being on the frontlines of the climate crisis, Africa receives only around 12% of global climate finance. This gap is especially stark given the continent’s vast natural resources. With the right planning and investment, up to 76% of Africa’s energy needs could be met by renewable sources by 2040.

“This year’s Big Bets Fellows reflect the strength of African leadership in tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges,” said William Asiko, Senior Vice President, Africa Regional Office, The Rockefeller Foundation. “Their work shows how locally driven innovation across areas such as food systems and clean energy can deliver solutions that are scalable, globally relevant, and improve lives across the continent and beyond.”

The first 10 Africa Big Bets Fellows, who were selected from a diverse pool of nominees from the Big Bets network and external partners, will participate in a five-month intensive program. With peer learning and access to global networking, the fellowship is designed to help scale their ideas and innovative solutions to advance universal energy abundance, strengthen food security and nutrition, and increase access to healthcare, financial tools, green jobs, real-time data on migration, climate solutions, and more:

Ghana – Osei Kwadwo Boateng: Ensuring people in rural Ghana can get the care they need by bringing affordable, high-quality primary healthcare directly to their communities through mobile clinics, tele-health, and local health workers.Ghana – Richard Matey: Supporting a cleaner Accra by helping the city turn organic waste into useful products while creating fair, green jobs for local communities and informing research relevant to policy discussions.Kenya – Rosinah Mbenya: Ensuring more children in Kenya have access to agroecological school meals while supporting local farmers to access stable local markets by linking school food programs to regenerative agriculture.Malawi – Nthanda Manduwi: Enabling the next generation of farmers and innovators by combining autonomous farming technologies, AI-powered simulation tools, and hands-on training to increase productivity, strengthen food security, and build climate-resilient production systems.Nigeria – Adédèjì Ọlọ́wẹ̀: Helping millions of Nigerians access fair credit and better financial services by safely unlocking the bank data that can connect people to the financial tools they need.Nigeria – Nina Mbah: Supporting Nigerian communities to choose clean energy by building awareness, sharing trusted stories, and celebrating local champions leading the transition through a reality show series.Nigeria – Smart Israel: Helping communities facing displacement and climate stress grow their own fresh food year-round,even where land and water are scarce- by supporting solar-powered farming.Nigeria – Stanley Anigbogu: Bringing clean, reliable electricity to off-grid and refugee communities by building solar-powered hubs from recycled materials where people can charge devices and learn about climate solutions.South Africa – Sydelle Willow Smith: Building a youth-led network of solar-powered mobile cinemas to bring African stories, trusted public information, and new economic opportunities to underserved communities across the continent.Tanzania – Careen Joel: Helping climate-affected communities in Tanzania make safer decisions about migration and local resources by providing clear, real-time information they can use.

This year’s Africa Big Bets Fellows were announced at the 2026 edition of AfricaXchange — an annual convening of funders, practitioners, and changemakers focused on advancing innovative, locally led development across the continent. Hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office, AfricaXchange 2026 centers on deploying the philanthropic capital needed to drive self-determination. At its core was a clear ambition: to ensure that Africa’s future is built, financed, and led by Africans, a vision captured in this year’s theme, “money, markets, and mindsets.”

For over 110 years, The Rockefeller Foundation has worked in Africa to address critical issues of poverty, health, food security, energy access, and economic instability. Established in 1913, the Foundation was the first U.S. philanthropic organization to engage in extensive health work in Africa. The next chapter got underway around the time that The Rockefeller Foundation opened its Africa Regional Office in Nairobi in 1966 and shifted its strategy from largely focusing on single-disease eradication campaigns to multidisciplinary development programs focusing on long-term institutional stability and food security. Even before the creation of the Africa Regional Office, The Rockefeller Foundation supported hundreds of exceptional individuals through fellowship programs like the Warren Weaver Fellowship which ran from 1989 to 2000 and its “RockyDocs” programs which supported more than 130 fellows between 1984 and 2000.

Today, approximately one-third of The Rockefeller Foundation’s total funding is dedicated to the continent, with its largest grants centering on expanding access to electricity, supporting nutritious school meals, often sourced from local produce grown through regenerative methods, and strengthening community health systems with data-driven decisions. The Africa Big Bets Fellows represent the next chapter of this legacy, backing leaders whose ideas are already delivering impact, and accelerating solutions. The first Africa cohort follows the successful launches of Big Bets Fellowships over the last two years in Latin America and the CaribbeanUnited States, and Asia-Pacific

About The Rockefeller Foundation
Investing $30 billion over the last 113 years to promote the well-being of humanity, The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on unlikely partnerships and innovative solutions that deliver measurable results for people in the United States and around the world. We leverage scientific breakthroughs, artificial intelligence, and new technologies to make big bets across energy, food, health, and finance, including with our public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC). For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn, Instagram @rockefellerfdn, YouTube @RockefellerFdn, and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.

 

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Reliance Digital Launches ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day Campaign Celebrating the Many Expressions of Fatherhood

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MUMBAI, India, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reliance Digital has launched ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day campaign to celebrate the many expressions of fatherhood. Built around a simple cultural observation, while “Maa ki Mamta” has long been a part of India’s collective vocabulary, there has never been a word that captures the distinct ways fathers express love, the campaign introduces ‘Baaptaa’ as a tribute to the many shades of fatherhood.

Conceptualised as an original music-led campaign, Baaptaa celebrates fathers not as idealised figures, but as they are experienced in everyday life, protective, dependable, emotional, quirky, practical, occasionally embarrassing, and always present. Through a relatable narrative, the campaign acknowledges the countless ways fathers care for their families, often through actions rather than words.

Watch Video: https://youtu.be/9XyUsJB33Ds?si=PM67vhxrzth1JEkz 

At the heart of the campaign is an original music video told from a father’s perspective, capturing the different roles he plays across life’s moments and milestones. The film brings to life the humour, warmth and unspoken affection that characterise father-child relationships, while giving a name to a form of love that many recognise but few have articulated.

The campaign stems from a simple insight: while motherhood has often found expression through familiar phrases and popular references, the unique language of fatherhood has remained largely undefined. Baaptaa seeks to fill that gap by creating a term that reflects the everyday gestures, practical wisdom and quiet sacrifices that fathers make.

Father’s Day communication often leans into familiar emotional territory, but Reliance Digital’s campaign celebrates fathers in a way that feels more culturally authentic and relatable. The idea for ‘Baaptaa’ came from a simple observation — mother’s love has been immortalised in a number of heartfelt, emotional songs, there needed to be an anthem dedicated to dad’s love. And thus was born Baaptaa – a love language that is often awkward, practical, protective, humorous and deeply felt, even if rarely verbalised. It’s a celebration of fatherhood in all its wonderfully imperfect forms immortalized by a song that you won’t be able to stop humming.

Shop for the widest range of electronics at Reliance Digital and thank your father for his Baaptaa.

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REPT BATTERO Deepens Inter Milan Partnership, Brings Latest Innovations to Intersolar Europe 2026

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MUNICH, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As global audiences follow the world’s biggest football tournament this summer, another international stage is preparing to bring together innovators, businesses and industry leaders from across the energy sector.

From June 23 to 25, REPT BATTERO will participate in Intersolar Europe 2026 in Munich, Germany, showcasing its latest developments in energy storage, sustainability and global business expansion.

Adding to the excitement, an Inter Milan legend will make a special appearance at the REPT BATTERO booth, meeting customers, partners and visitors from around the world. The appearance follows the company’s recent partnership with Inter Milan, which named REPT BATTERO as the club’s Global Official Battery and Energy Storage Partner.

But beyond products, exhibitions and football, the story REPT BATTERO hopes to tell is about something larger: how a young Chinese battery company is evolving into a global energy brand.

Growth Comes First

For any company looking to expand globally, one question comes before all others: is the business ready?

For REPT BATTERO, the answer is increasingly being reflected in its performance.

According to its 2025 annual results, the company reported revenue of approximately €3.1 billion, up 36.7% year on year, while net profit reached approximately €87 million, marking the company’s first full year of profitability. Annual battery shipments totaled 82.7GWh, representing year-on-year growth of 89.2%.

Energy storage continued to be a key growth driver, generating approximately €1.7 billion in revenue in 2025, an increase of 86.8% compared with the previous year.

The momentum has continued into 2026. In the first quarter, REPT BATTERO ranked No.1 globally in both residential energy storage cell shipments and commercial & industrial energy storage cell shipments, while ranking among the world’s top five in energy storage cell shipments overall. The company has also maintained BloombergNEF Tier 1 Energy Storage Supplier status for eleven consecutive quarters.

These achievements are not simply the result of rapid growth. They reflect years of investment in product development, manufacturing capability, customer relationships and operational excellence.

For REPT BATTERO, globalization is not a sudden ambition. It is the natural next stage of a business that has steadily built the foundations required to compete internationally.

Globalization Beyond Exporting Products

For many companies, globalization begins with exports.

But long-term success requires much more than shipping products overseas.

Customers increasingly evaluate suppliers not only on technology and price, but also on local service capabilities, supply chain resilience, regulatory readiness and long-term reliability. This is particularly true in Europe, where the energy transition continues to drive demand for trusted and sustainable partners.

Over the past several years, REPT BATTERO has been steadily strengthening its international footprint.

The company established its European subsidiary in Munich in 2023 and has since expanded its overseas presence across Germany, the United States, Indonesia, Australia and Japan. Today, REPT BATTERO’s business network spans six continents, supporting customers across a wide range of energy storage and mobility applications.

At the same time, the company is advancing construction of its first overseas manufacturing base in Indonesia, a major milestone in its global manufacturing strategy.

Europe remains one of REPT BATTERO’s most important markets. Earlier this year, during KEY – The Energy Transition Expo in Italy, the company signed energy storage supply agreements totaling 8.3GWh with seven European partners. REPT BATTERO has successfully delivered and deployed energy storage projects in Germany, Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and Latvia, further strengthening its presence in Europe.

Taken together, these developments demonstrate that REPT BATTERO’s global strategy extends far beyond exports. The company is building local presence, local partnerships and long-term capabilities designed to support customers worldwide.

Building a Global Brand

As technology, products and services enter global markets, another challenge emerges: building recognition and trust.

This is one of the reasons behind REPT BATTERO’s partnership with Inter Milan.

Announced in May 2026, the collaboration goes beyond traditional sponsorship. It includes brand campaigns, fan engagement initiatives, customer experiences and future activations across international markets.

For REPT BATTERO, the partnership represents a new approach to global brand building.

Historically, battery companies have communicated primarily through technical specifications, product performance and manufacturing capabilities. While these remain essential, global audiences increasingly connect with brands through stories, experiences and shared values.

Football provides a unique platform for that connection.

With one of the largest fan bases in world football, Inter Milan offers a global stage that transcends language, geography and culture. Through the partnership, REPT BATTERO aims to engage customers and communities in a more accessible, international and human-centered way.

The goal is not simply to increase visibility. It is to help a broader audience understand the innovation, ambition and long-term vision behind the company.

Youth Is About Agility, Not Image

Founded in 2017 and entering production just one year later, REPT BATTERO remains a relatively young company by industry standards.

Yet its development has been remarkably rapid.

The company became one of the fastest battery manufacturers in the industry to surpass RMB 10 billion in annual revenue. Since then, it has continued evolving—from rapid expansion to profitability, from domestic growth to international development, and from product exports to global brand building.

At REPT BATTERO, being young is not about image. It is about agility.

It means responding quickly to changing market conditions, adapting to customer needs and continuously improving across products, operations and organization.

Whether addressing growing demand for residential energy storage in Europe, preparing for emerging battery passport requirements, or navigating an industry increasingly focused on profitability and sustainable growth, REPT BATTERO has consistently demonstrated its ability to adapt and execute.

This combination of innovation, responsiveness and global ambition continues to shape the company’s identity as it enters its next stage of development.

See You in Munich

From SNEC in Shanghai to Intersolar Europe in Munich, the interaction between REPT BATTERO and INTER MILAN continues.

Yet the company’s story is about more than exhibitions or celebrity appearances. It is about the evolution of a young energy company building the capabilities, partnerships and brand needed to compete on a global stage.

This June, as the FIFA World Cup captures the attention of football fans around the world, REPT BATTERO will welcome an Inter Milan legend to its booth at Intersolar Europe in Munich.

When a player who once stood at the pinnacle of world football walks into the booth of a young Chinese energy company and exchanges handshakes and conversations with customers and partners from across the globe, the moment represents something larger than a partnership.

It reflects how far REPT BATTERO has come—and where it is heading next.

From a fast-growing battery manufacturer to an increasingly global energy brand, REPT BATTERO’s journey is still being written. And perhaps, that scene in Munich will be one of its most meaningful chapters yet.

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Felicitysolar Strengthens Brand Presence at SNEC 2026

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GUANGZHOU, China, June 20 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Felicitysolar presented its energy storage product portfolio, technical progress, third-party recognition, and global cooperation achievements at SNEC 2026, held in Shanghai from June 3 to June 5.

During the exhibition, Felicitysolar showcased solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial energy applications, including the 50kW C&I ESS, 125kW/257kWh system, 125kW/261kWh liquid-cooled all-in-one system, and FLB Series low-voltage residential battery pack. These products reflected the company’s continued focus on system reliability, flexible deployment, and practical energy storage needs across different scenarios.

Felicitysolar also held Chinese and English product presentations on June 3 and June 4, covering commercial and industrial energy storage systems, low-voltage residential battery packs, intelligent management platforms, and the company’s newly developed AI management platform. Through application-oriented explanations, the presentations helped customers better understand the role of Felicitysolar’s products in residential, commercial, and industrial energy management.

Third-party activities during the exhibition added further depth to Felicitysolar’s brand presentation. Intertek issued ETL certificates for Felicitysolar’s energy storage system and photovoltaic inverter products and granted the company Intertek “Satellite Program” laboratory qualification, supporting product access to the North American market and recognizing Felicitysolar’s in-house testing capability. DEKRA presented certificates related to Felicitysolar’s hybrid inverter and energy storage battery system products for European and international standards. SGS granted an Australian grid-connection certificate for Felicitysolar’s IVGM25KHP3G3 Series high-voltage hybrid inverter. EUPD Research recognition was also presented during the exhibition.

In addition, Felicitysolar received three Global Smart Energy Award honors: ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR, FRONTIER TECHNOLOGY, and INNOVATIVE SOLUTION. These awards recognized Felicitysolar’s overall development, the FLB Series low-voltage LiFePO4 battery pack, and the 50kW high-voltage hybrid energy storage system, respectively. Together with the third-party activities, the awards highlighted Felicitysolar’s continued progress in product development, quality systems, market readiness, and solution capabilities.

The company also held partner signing ceremonies for Argentina and Chile, strengthening communication and cooperation with partners in Latin America. As energy storage demand grows across regional markets, localized cooperation remains an important part of Felicitysolar’s global development.

To extend the exhibition experience beyond the venue, Felicitysolar launched an online VR booth tour, allowing customers to explore the booth layout, featured products, and related materials after the event:
https://www.felicitysolar.com/snec-pv-power-expo-shanghai-vr-tour/

Through product showcases, technical presentations, third-party activities, award recognition, localized partnerships, and digital exhibition tools, Felicitysolar used SNEC 2026 to present its brand capabilities in solar energy storage. The company will continue to focus on practical energy needs across residential, commercial, and industrial applications while strengthening its products, services, and global cooperation capabilities.

About Felicitysolar

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Guangzhou, China, Felicitysolar provides solar energy storage solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Its product portfolio covers solar inverters, lithium battery packs, integrated solar street lights, commercial and industrial energy storage systems, and related smart energy solutions.

CONTACT:
Felicitysolar Marketing Department
pr@felicitysolar.com
+86-18620102298

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