With a background in economics, he has served as an investment analyst for global corporations. Currently, he leads a firm that provides financial support for the acquisition of solar energy equipment to underserved communities.

South African entrepreneur Michael Heyink (photo), a University of Cape Town Economics graduate, co-founded and now leads Yellow, a startup focused on distributing and financing affordable solar home systems for low-income rural households.

Established in 2018 by Heyink and Maya Stewart, Yellow offers a solar system package that includes a panel, battery, four lamps, a cell phone charger, and a radio. The company also markets smartphones and larger solar systems.

Yellow has developed Ofeefee, a comprehensive sales force network solution for last-mile delivery. This platform automates recruitment and training, offers engaging incentives, and includes an e-commerce and task management engine to streamline informal processes. It facilitates digital inventory, delivery, and warranty service management, and provides real-time credit scoring and portfolio management services.

With its headquarters in South Africa, Yellow operates in Malawi, Rwanda, Madagascar, Uganda, and Zambia. The company employs over 1,000 agents and serves more than 480,000 customers across Africa. In June 2023, Yellow secured $14 million in Series B funding to bolster its presence in existing markets.

Before founding Yellow, Heyink worked as a strategy consultant at Monitor Group from 2012 to 2014. He later joined Agis Investment as an investment analyst in 2015, and subsequently worked as a private equity analyst at Metier, a private equity fund manager.

Melchior Koba