When Ryan Lavelle witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of energy scarcity in Africa, he knew he couldn’t stand by. Drawing on decades of activism, a lifelong fascination with alternative energy, and the resilience he saw in local communities, Ryan founded Mpowa—an impact-driven ecosystem designed to simplify and scale sustainable solutions in the Global South. From overcoming skepticism in the sustainability space to mentoring projects that transform lives, Ryan is on a mission to bring power, opportunity, and hope to communities that need it most.

“Mpowa turns ambition into real impact where it’s needed most.”

What first made you want to start Mpowa?

I started the business out of a strong impulse to do something about energy scarcity in Africa, having experienced first-hand the deplorable living conditions there, partially through field work we did for a previous (failed) startup in cancer diagnostics, but also through my marriage to a Zimbabwean lady. During this work I got inspired by the enthusiasm and determination of young African people to develop themselves, despite the harsh and limiting conditions they find themselves in. My determination to solve energy scarcity was itself an outgrowth of a more than 20 years of activism on global geopolitical issues related to international development, mixed with a personal lifelong fascination with alternative energy and the work of e.g. Nikola Tesla.

In one sentence, how would you describe what Mpowa does?

As an exponential impact ecosystem, Mpowa is designed to simplify and reduce the risk of funding impact initiatives in the global south, by a combination of local community curation, mentoring and oversight, supported by an advanced technology platform “Impactivator” that orchestrates and monitors the “end to end” incubation and execution of projects.

What was the hardest part of getting your company off the ground?

Given the scale of our ambitions at Mpowa, the complexity of the problem space, and the overall skepticism of “big ideas” – and especially anything to do with cryptocurrency – in the close knit world of sustainability, it has been an uphill struggle to build the brand trust and proof of impact, without access to significant capital. This has been a heavy burden on the founders.

Can you share a moment that made you feel proud of Mpowa’s impact?

Being nominated as a finalist in this year’s Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards and making it through to the finals. This was a huge achievement considering our stage as a business.

How do you make sure your technology really helps people on the ground?

Our business is premised on community first, so everything we build is done in consultation with real community level stakeholders, local country/community managers and of course our heroes who are the ones driving local change. It is this “build for purpose” with direct field trials that ensures we are solving real world issues in a way that directly benefits local communities.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a founder?

Be humble, always be listening and learning from those around you, the industry itself and feedback you get from people. Even negative feedback is data and information we that we need to improve, sharpen our ideas and do better. Being an entrepreneur is grueling, and you need a lot of resilience and emotional stability to handle the ups and downs. 

How do you choose which projects or investments to focus on?

There is no simple formula but I am usually drawn to ideas and projects which have something unique and innovative at the core, with a strong impact focus and mission orientation. An example of this is Neumi, a water mist based health product I came across recently that has revolutionary potential for combating disease and aging. I was so impressed with the company and its products that I decided to get directly involved.

What’s your secret to keeping your team motivated and inspired?

Being consistent, positive, and focused on outcomes no matter what obstacles are thrown in the way. Integrity and honesty also play a big part in building and maintaining trust.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to build a business that makes a real difference?

Focus first on your personal “why”, what is motivating and driving you to do this? You will need to tap into those reserves of emotional drive to sustain your energy through the long dark nights of the soul when you doubt yourself and want to give up. Sometimes it is only when asking yourself the question of “if not me, then who will solve that problem for those people?” that differentiates between the ultimate success and failure of any venture.

Looking ahead, what’s your dream for Mpowa in the next five years?

We aim to be operating globally and transforming lives in communities wherever the need is greatest. I want to empower at least 1 million lives towards sustainable abundance within 5 years.

“Technology only works when it serves real communities.”