Latest news with #Candi
IOL News
22-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Candi Solar raises $24 million from existing shareholders
With 165 installations across South Africa and India, and over 132 MWp in clean energy deployed, Candi Solar continues to play a critical role in helping South African businesses to overcome high energy costs and unstable electricity supply. Candi has active operations across the country, delivering impactful solar solutions for clients including Kings Park Stadium HQ, Schneider Electric, Pick 'n Pay, Hi-Tech Inks, Toyota, and Bracken Timbers - where the solar installation has already saved R3m in just three years. Candi Solar, a distributed energy company simplifying clean power for businesses in emerging markets, has secured $24 million (R424m) in fresh funding from its existing investors. The raise includes a $20m convertible loan from Norfund and STOA, alongside a $4m top-up to its existing mezzanine facility with the Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund. This round brings Candi's total capital raised to over $140m, reinforcing the company's position as a long-term energy partner in some of the world's most carbon-intensive energy markets. Fabio Eucalipto, the Co-founder and Director at Candi, said 'This round enables us to deepen our presence in core markets, expand our product suite, and continue to attract world-class talent.' 'But more than that, it validates a long-term approach in a space often dominated by short-term thinking. This raise reflects something bigger than project growth - it's about building the financial and operational structures that make clean energy investable at scale in emerging markets. Solar alone doesn't solve the problem. It's how you fund it, run it, and prove it works over time.' Sofie Kamsvåg, an investment manager in Norfund, said, 'Since Norfund's initial investment in Candi last year, the company has doubled its operational portfolio and is set to continue on this impressive growth trajectory. This is a testament to the success of Candi's business model and the need for the innovative product solutions they provide to commercial and industrial clients in India and South Africa. These two markets face a rapidly growing demand for energy financing, and Candi's offering contributes to these needs while avoiding large scale emissions."
BBC News
22-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cat missing for a decade reunited with her owner
A cat has been reunited with her original owner, 10 years after going missing. The black cat had been living with an elderly man, who named her Puss, but after he died she was dropped off at Wisteria Cat Rescue in Rochester, Kent. A scan of her microchip showed she had originally been called Candi, and had been reported missing from Rainham in 2015, with the family now living in Faversham. Billy Devitt from the centre said it was "incredible" to reunite them, saying "things like that don't happen very often". He said: "Thankfully the owner had kept the phone number and everything was up to date. "She said 'I've never had a shower so quick, to get from Faversham to Rochester to collect Candi'. "Miracles do happen. Candi just looked at her and it was as if they'd never parted, their relationship is just like it was when Candi was a kitten." Since June 2024 all cats are required by law to be microchipped. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What casket will you be buried in? In Oklahoma, you have too few choices.
It's time to free caskets from an Oklahoma monopoly. I attended a funeral where the gentleman being buried had prepared for that day by building his own casket. He and his loved ones made the choice to not get his casket from the funeral home. Not all Oklahomans can make that choice. Yes, you can build your own casket, if you have the skills and desire. There are no state requirements regarding design, materials, finishings or construction. You can also go online and order a casket from a seller in another state. A quick online search will tell you that there are plenty of businesses able to ship top-quality caskets, even Costco, Walmart and Amazon. Yet it is illegal in Oklahoma to buy one within the state from anyone except a funeral director. Is that insane, or what? Oklahoma is only one of three states in the country where residents must purchase urns and caskets from funeral directors when purchasing them within the state. They can't buy from an Oklahoma supplier or an Oklahoma manufacturer of those products. But you can have them shipped in from out-of-state sellers. That's because in Oklahoma only fully licensed funeral directors can sell you a casket, and to get that license, you have to complete a minimum two-year accredited mortuary science program, pass the National Board Exam and the Oklahoma State Board of Mortuary Arts Exam, and then complete an apprenticeship. Why? There's a huge difference between selling a casket and operating a funeral parlor with equipment for body storage, an embalming process, a crematorium and all the functions of a full-service funeral parlor. That distinction is why 47 other states allow residents to buy funeral merchandise from any retailer. Instead, in Oklahoma the public is left with fewer options, higher prices due to lack of competition, and fewer opportunities for small businesses across the state. Opinion: Poor math and reading skills in our public schools must improve — and quickly Let me give you an example of the absurdity of Oklahoma's law as it currently stands. Todd Collard and Candi Mentink, a husband-and-wife team from Calvin, Oklahoma, operate Caskets of Honor. They customize caskets with designs, like American flags and religious symbols, that artistically reflect the life experiences and accomplishments of the deceased. They want to sell caskets directly to Oklahomans but are prohibited by state law, something they discovered when the Oklahoma Funeral Board fined them for selling their customized caskets. In 2022, the state's Funeral Board fined Todd and Candi $8,200 for displaying their caskets at a fair without being a licensed funeral director and told them to cease operations. Todd and Candi paid a reduced fine and moved their business to Texas, where federal law protects their right to engage in interstate commerce and ship caskets to Oklahoma. Opinion: No, chivalry isn't dead. But its survival depends on you. Let me repeat my earlier question. Is that insane, or what? I am working to fix this injustice. I filed Senate Bill 559 that amends the funeral directors license so that people wanting to just sell funeral service merchandise within Oklahoma are exempt from the licensing requirements. Pretty simple. Let Oklahoma businesses sell to Oklahomans what businesses in every other state can sell and ship into Oklahoma. Common sense. Michael Bergstrom represents District 1 in the Oklahoma Senate. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OK funeral homes monopolize caskets. Let's change that | Opinion
