Melanin Keïta is Empowering African SMEs to Transition Toward Sustainable, Green Practices

Born and raised in a multicultural environment, Mélanie’s journey reflects her passion for leveraging finance as a tool for social and environmental transformation.  

Mélanie is the co-founder of Melanin Kapital, a pioneering climate fintech platform that empowers African SMEs to transition toward sustainable, green practices.

Under her leadership, Melanin Kapital has transformed from a traditional crowd-lending platform into a dynamic hub that combines access to affordable green credit with carbon offset solutions.

The platform harnesses advanced climate data to evaluate and support SMEs, addressing critical challenges such as financial inclusion and climate resilience in emerging markets.

The company’s mission is both ambitious and impactful: to enable 1 million African SMEs to access $1 billion in green credit while reducing 50 million tons of CO₂ emissions by 2030.

Mélanie’s work not only bridges the financing gap for businesses but also accelerates Africa’s progress toward achieving its climate goals and building a sustainable future.

Her focus is rooted in solving the dual challenges of financial exclusion and climate vulnerability faced by African SMEs.

Traditional financing systems often overlook these businesses, leaving them unable to scale or adopt eco-friendly practices.

Mélanie is addressing this gap by creating an ecosystem that integrates finance with sustainability.  

Her innovative approach to merging climate action with financial technology has earned Melanin Kapital recognition as a leader in Africa’s green transition.

The platform also supports the global carbon market by helping SMEs monetize their carbon reduction efforts through carbon credits.

Mélanie Keïta’s exceptional contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including being named in Forbes 30 Under 30 (2021).