An idea born from a desire to make lives better is coming to fruition for Colorado College biochemistry and math major Paul-Miki Akpablie ’16.

As a child growing up in Ghana, Akpablie experienced prolonged power outages in his village that could last for weeks and even months, often causing him to do homework in the dark.

“I’ve wrestled with these questions about energy in Ghana for most of my life,” he says. “So, in 2013, I created Kadi Energy and developed the Ray 20, the first inexpensive but reliable energy source in the West African market.”

Akpablie says the tight-knit CC community and a team of volunteers have supported him, as have gifts by alumni and friends to Colorado College’s Annual Fund, which helps support experiences that lead to innovation like the college’s annual Big Idea competition, which challenges students to develop a start-up and pitch it for a piece of the $50,000 prize.

“Being a finalist in this competition convinced me I could grow a viable business to address social concerns,” Akpablie says. “The Annual Fund also helped support my travel expenses when I was invited to attend the renowned Africa Business Conference at the Harvard Business School and a conference at Northwestern University.”

The Ray 20, a $25-30 charger, uses a unique battery and solar technology that can store six months of energy without discharging.

“I believe the lack of access to reliable energy fosters poverty,” Akpablie says. “How do you pursue an education, support a family, grow a small business, or achieve nearly any ambition without it?

“I created the Ray 20 to help address this problem.”