Episode 185 with Kailas Nair, Chief Growth Officer and Co-founder, and Jon Kornik, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Plentify, an award winning clean tech AI company transforming home energy management in Africa and beyond.
Kailas Nair and Jon Kornik bring a wealth of experience from global leaders such as McKinsey, Google, Tesla, and Vitality to this conversation on how artificial intelligence and innovative hardware can make electricity more affordable, reliable, and clean for African households. In this episode, they share how Plentify’s solutions, including the HotBot and SolarBot, help households shift energy consumption to cheaper and cleaner times, stabilise strained grids, and maximise the value of solar energy.
They discuss how a demand side focus, combined with user-centric design, is unlocking new opportunities for African utilities, communities, and consumers. From securing multi-million dollar deals and international funding to being recognised in the Bloomberg 50 Startups to Watch and shortlisted for the Earthshot Prize, Kailas and Jon reflect on the challenges and opportunities of scaling a climate tech business from South Africa to global markets.
What We Discuss With Kailas and Jon
- The personal and professional journeys that led them from global careers at Google, McKinsey, and Vitality back to South Africa to tackle the energy crisis.
- How Plentify’s AI-powered HotBot and SolarBot help households shift energy use to cheaper, cleaner times while stabilising strained electricity grids.
- Why focusing on the demand side of the energy equation can unlock new solutions for Africa’s affordability, reliability, and sustainability challenges.
- Lessons learned from scaling a South African climate tech startup into global markets and tailoring solutions for diverse African energy contexts.
- Strategies for building credibility and securing investment in Africa’s clean energy sector.
Verto Corner
In this week’s Verto Corner, Cornelius Coetzee, Verto’s Country Director for South Africa, shares his perspective on how smarter cross border payment strategies can give importers and exporters a real advantage.
He outlines the hidden “icebergs” in international trade such as changing regulations, levies and tariffs that can quickly erode profitability if not managed well.
Cornelius explains how improving payment processes is not only about reducing costs but also about building resilience, improving cash flow and strengthening competitiveness in fast changing markets.
Discover how our Verto's solutions can help you accept payments, manage expenses, and scale effortlessly.
Did you miss my previous episode where I discus Building a Borderless Economy: How Itana is Creating Africa’s First Digital Special Economic Zone? Make sure to check it out!
Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn – Terser Adamu
Instagram – unlockingafrica
Twitter (X) – @TerserAdamu
Connect with Kailas and Jon:
LinkedIn – Kailas Nair and Jon Kornik
Twitter – @plentifyHQ
Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: