Helping Entrepreneurs Power Up

Sangita Sen (center) with a power generator set up by her enterprise SunnyRay Solutions, which offers custom solar power systems for the domestic, industrial and commercial sectors. (Photograph courtesy SunnyRay Solutions)

India has set a goal of adding 500 gigawatts of non-fossil power to its grid by 2030 and committed to achieving the net zero emissions target by 2070. The private sector will play a key role in this energy transition process. One such company is SunnyRay Solutions, which offers custom solar systems for the domestic, industrial and commercial sectors. With help from the U.S. Consulate General Kolkata-supported Global Links Initiative entrepreneurship program, it has expanded its services to several cities in West Bengal. Sponsored by the U.S. State Department, the Rick and Susan Goings Foundation and Rollins College’s Crummer Graduate School of Business, the Global Links Initiative provides in-depth business training in social entrepreneurship and practical business skills to female scholars who, in turn, mentor female entrepreneurs in her home country.

Based in Kolkata, SunnyRay Solutions provides multiple services, including site visits, design, procurement, installation, conversion and maintenance of solar products and solar plants. It has also expanded as a system integrator, and generates annual sales of around $5 million, shares founder and CEO Sangita Sen.

Sen wants the company to be part of the international efforts to combat climate change. The company’s vision of empowering communities through energy independence includes bringing sustainable power to underserved areas, driving economic development and improved quality of life, she adds.

The company also conducts awareness campaigns on the benefits of solar power plants and conducts solar training classes. “We see this as instrumental in empowering many women and the younger generation with revenue and employment opportunities,” Sen says.

Harnessing solar power

Sen, who has a degree in electrical engineering, spent 14 years in the Indian power sector, which is traditionally dependent on fossil fuels. Her transition to the solar field began with an entrepreneurship course offered by the Government of India’s Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. “I delved into the course and molded myself into an entrepreneur,” she says.

Sen says her start-up received invaluable support in 2019-20 from the U.S. Consulate Kolkata’s The Global Links Initiative, an entrepreneurship program that empowers women small business owners. The program helped SunnyRay Solutions improve its business presence on social media, build connections, gain industry exposure and diversify product offerings, she says.

In 2020-21, SunnyRay Solutions received support from The Global Links Impact Investment Forum to scale up its business and initiate BharatRays, a new venture led by Sen, and a successor to SunnyRays Solutions, to promote solar energy on a large scale.

In 2023, Sen participated in DreamBuilder, an online training program run by the Arizona State University, under the U.S. State Department’s Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program.

ALSiSAR Impact, an investment venture that partners with The Global Links Initiative, provides continuous mentorship, access to networks and legal and financial advice. “The organization provides a wealth of knowledge to help BharatRays Solutions navigate challenges and avoid pitfalls,” notes Sen. “Networking creates opportunities for potential clients, partners and investors for visibility and credibility within the business ecosystem. Meanwhile, their professionals help us create compelling messaging to reach our target audience and manage our online and offline presence. Equally important is the legal and financial advice they provide in terms of incorporation, contract drafting, compliance and financial planning.”

Scaling up

BharatRays Solutions recently announced ambitious goals. “We are aiming for 80 percent growth within the next five years,” says Sen. “We also anticipate the fulfillment of our dream of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the near future.” Through an IPO, a private company sells shares of its stock for the first time to the public and becomes a public company.

“We are not just about solar panels; we aim to offer comprehensive energy solutions,” notes Sen. “This includes integrating cutting-edge energy storage systems and smart grid technologies.”

Hillary Hoppock is a freelance writer, former newspaper publisher and reporter based in Orinda, California.

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