Egyptian cleantech startup Tagaddod raises $26.3 million to expand across new markets
Cairo-based cleantech company Tagaddod has raised $26.3 million in Series A funding, marking one of the largest renewable energy investments to come out of North Africa this year. The round was led by The Arab Energy Fund (TAEF) with participation from FMO, the Dutch development bank, VKAV (Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures), and existing backers like A15 Ventures.
The fresh capital will fuel Tagaddod’s regional expansion across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe while strengthening its technology stack for traceable, sustainable fuel production.
Founded in 2013 by Nour El Assal and Ahmed ElFarnawany, Tagaddod’s mission is to convert waste-based feedstocks, like used cooking oil, animal fats, and industrial byproducts, into certified, traceable inputs for biofuels and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The company runs operations across Egypt, Jordan, and the Netherlands, with plans to extend into Saudi Arabia and other energy-focused markets.
At its core, Tagaddod functions as a data-driven logistics and sustainability platform. Using a mix of AI, predictive analytics, and supply chain automation, the startup collects and verifies waste materials, ensuring compliance with international sustainability standards such as ISCC certification. This digital backbone helps clients, including fuel refineries and energy buyers, meet strict global carbon reduction targets while sourcing verified, low-carbon inputs.
In a world increasingly pressured by net-zero mandates, feedstock supply is becoming a bottleneck for the renewable fuels industry. Traditional refineries transitioning to sustainable fuels are often constrained not by technology, but by reliable access to compliant waste oils and fats. That’s the gap Tagaddod is solving.
“The future of energy isn’t just about generation, it’s about smarter sourcing,” said CEO Nour El Assal, emphasizing the need for sustainable feedstocks that meet both environmental and commercial demands. The company’s technology enables real-time traceability from collection to certification, allowing industries to prove sustainability claims with hard data rather than vague pledges.
Beyond environmental benefits, Tagaddod is also building a circular economy model. The startup’s collection network taps into local communities, restaurants, and industrial partners, turning what was once a pollution source into a tradable energy asset. In doing so, it’s creating jobs, improving waste management, and cutting emissions from improper oil disposal, a growing environmental challenge across African and Middle Eastern cities.
However, scaling this model is not without friction. Feedstock collection logistics are capital-intensive, and maintaining quality across heterogeneous waste sources requires continuous innovation in traceability and processing. Yet with the backing of institutional investors who understand both the energy and sustainability markets, Tagaddod appears poised to scale responsibly.
For investors like The Arab Energy Fund and FMO, this move is part of a broader bet on renewable feedstock infrastructure, the backbone of the future bioeconomy. As global demand for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel accelerates, traceable waste-based feedstocks will become as valuable as crude oil once was.
