1. P U R S U I N G L I G H T I N G F OR U N D E R S E R V E D C O M M U N I T I E S
T H R O U G H OP T I M A L E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y, L O C A L T E C H N O -
L O G I C A L D E V E L OP M E N T, A N D Q U A L I T Y J OB C R E AT I ON
Act/if Electropower - GSBI™ Class of 2010
Headquarters: Mexico City, Problem Statement:
Mexico Many slums and rural towns in Mexico have either no adequate
Established: 2006 public lighting or no lighting at all. Numerous studies have linked
this to higher crime rates, lower productivity and other safety
Impact Areas: Mexico, Central risks. Installing public lighting is normally too expensive an en-
and South America, Southern Europe, deavor to be self-financed by underserved communities and
USA resources are most of the time scarce or hard to access for local
Type: For-Profit governments.
Sectors: Clean Tech & Energy
Staff Size: 13
Annual Budget: $600,000
Major Funders: Self-funded,
seed capital loan from Mexican
government
Theory of Change:
Act/if provides energy-efficient
lighting and solar power to im-
prove the quality of life for custom-
ers at the base of the pyramid.
Solution:
Act/if provides the lowest cost high quality solar powered LED
systems for public lighting in underserved Mexican slums and
rural towns. Our locally manufactured preassembled solar LED
street lamps have a 50% lower cost and allow a 75% reduction
in installation time.
“Each dollar invested will bring safety, productivity and improved living standards to one
person in slums and rural areas. In less than 3 years, nearly 500,000 will be served.”
- Antonio Ernesto Schettino Benítez, General Director
| www.actifpower.com | aschettino@actifpower.com | +1 52 55 5025 6189 |

2. P U R S U I N G L I G H T I N G F OR U N D E R S E R V E D C O M M U N I T I E S
T H R O U G H OP T I M A L E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y, L O C A L T E C H N O -
L O G I C A L D E V E L OP M E N T, A N D Q U A L I T Y J OB C R E AT I ON
Milestones Achieved: Impact to Date:
• 4 indigenous communities in Chiapas with public lighting,
2006: First fund raising accomplished serving 7,000 people
through private partnership (now dis- • 195 tons of CO2 prevented from being released into the
solved) atmosphere (300 kg/year/lamp)
2007: Government loan obtained • 7 direct and 30 indirect jobs created, 3 in engineering and
through seed capital program design
2008: Proof of concept and first 20
solar lamps sold
Projected Earnings:
2009: First office LED lighting sold to
Bayer Chemicals office in Mexico City
2009: First 200 solar lamps purchased
for rural community: Nuevo Grijalva,
Chiapas.
2010: First export accomplished (Air-
port, Seville, Spain)
Growth Plan:
2010: Ship 500 units Projected Social Impact:
2011: Raise $500k working capital;
quality managing partner; reach break
even
2012: Secure one large deal for 2013
(20k units)
“My husband was mugged twice
in the alley last year. We were
afraid every night when he
came home from work. Now it Investment Required:
is safer since there is light in the $500,000 in working capital debt at the market rate with a
neighborhood.” - Rosa Camacho, 3 year term.
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
This profile was developed during the 2010 Global Social Benefit Incubator™, the signature program of
Santa Clara University’s Center for Science, Technology and Society.
Updated 8/26/2010. www.scu.edu/sts/gsbi
| www.actifpower.com | aschettino@actifpower.com | +1 52 55 5025 6189 |