Home Who we are

 

A mission: brightening and connecting the world sustainably

 

Founded in 2011 and located in Blanquefort (Gironde), Sunna Design is a pioneer in solar street lighting and energy management for connected autonomous applications. A Bordeaux-based GreenTech company with the FrenchFab label, the company designs, develops and manufactures sustainable, connected solar streetlights in France. Present in more than 60 countries, we bring public lighting to rural areas without electricity and also accompany the development of smart cities.

In 2016, Sunna Design acquired a 4.0 factory with a production capacity of 100,000 streetlights per year.

 

Based on innovative technology protected by numerous patents, we improve the lives of citizens with solar and connected lighting solutions that meet the many economic, environmental and social challenges of communities and organisations:

 

  • Local development by providing lighting to isolated areas not connected to the electricity grid.

 

  • The ecological transition with the obligation of communities to reduce their carbon footprint.

 

  • The economic aspect of reducing the energy bill of public and private actors, amplified by the current crisis.

 

  • The revitalisation of territories thanks to the associated connected services, wifi connections and recharging stations.

Sunna Design in few
key dates

    • Eclairage solaire d'une zone rural d'un village en Egypte avec des enfant qui cours

      START-UP

       

      Birth of Sunna Design 

       

      Sunna Design was founded in Bordeaux in 2011 by Thomas Samuel and Gaël Esnaud, following work in India on rural electrification issues.

       

       

      Technology development

       

      During the period 2013-2017, Sunna Design focused on developing a technology to make solar lighting robust and reliable. To achieve this, the company has carried out several fundraising campaigns for a total of 14 million euros and has launched first commercial deployments, mainly in Africa.

       

       

      International recognition

       

      Since the company’s inception, its industrial innovations and exemplary achievements have won 11 international awards, including the Bloomberg New Energy Finance Award in 2017 and the Zayed Sustainable Prize in 2018.

    • Equipe Sunna Design & SOl lors d'un séminaire

      TRANSFORMATION

       

      Ignace de Prest joins Sunna Design as Chairman of the Management Board

       

      Ignace de Prest took over the management of Sunna Design in 2018 with the mission of steering and structuring the company’s transition. The company focuses on its core business, the cost structure is optimised and the Moon est business is transferred to Thomas Samuel who takes over the management – while maintaining a commercial mission for Sunna Design.

       

       

      A strategic plan to become a global player

       

      The company is transforming with the ambition to become a global player of reference: strengthening of the management team and the sales team, geographical repositioning in target markets always including Africa but also mature geographies, development of the portfolio of solutions towards modularity and services to adapt to customer needs, optimization of the supply chain around the industrial tool of Blanquefort (in Gironde), definition of a commercial policy favouring local partnerships.

    • SOL marque nord-américaine de Sunna Design

      GROWTH

       

      Acquisition of SOL Inc.

       

      With the acquisition in 2020 of SOL Inc., the North American leader in solar lighting since 1990, Sunna Design is accelerating its growth in mature markets and complementing its portfolio of solutions with  Evergen ranges, and local manufacturing tools in the United States. Sunna Design therefore has the most comprehensive and competitive solar lighting offer on the market, from the compact all-in-one product to high-power modular solutions, as well as unique expertise in services.

       

       

      Signature of first major contracts

       

      In 2021, Sunna Design signed a 40 million euro contract with the Togolese government for the supply, installation and maintenance of 50,000 solar street lights in non-electrified rural areas. This is a turnkey project, for which Sunna Design has also structured a financing, provided by the French Treasury Board. Sunna Design’s solutions were showcased at the Grande Exposition du Fabrique in France at the Elysée where the company represents the Gironde department. A second contract is signed on an African country.

    • Eclairage solaire rural au Togo, Afrique

      SCALE-UP

       

      Increased presence in electrified countries

       

      Sunna Design strengthens its presence in Southern Europe, starting with France, Spain and Italy, always with a local presence and networks of partners. The American team is also strengthened, while the context of the energy crisis reinforces the value proposition of solar lighting.

       

       

      Accelerating projects  in Africa

       

      The company is actively developing a portfolio of projects of national scope on the African continent. In 2022, Sunna Design signed an agreement with the Communes and United Cities of Cameroon (CVUC) for the supply of 100,750 street lamps for the benefit of decentralized local authorities.

    Chaine de production Sunna Design avec ecran technologique

    Technological solutions

     

    Our unique know-how is based on the complete mastery of the technologies of production, storage and management of solar energy, of digital technology, and above all of their effective integration into high quality “Plug and Play” industrial applications.

     

    To date, Sunna Design’s technologies have been awarded 11 international prizes and 14 patents, making us the undisputed leader in this sector.

     

    Our solutions are distinguished by their remarkable robustness, durability and unequalled performance in hot, temperate or cold climates thanks to on-board electronics and a mastery of the latest battery technologies.

     

    Anti-BlackOut
    Remote control
    Resistance to extreme climates
    Plug and play

    Management team

    Ignace de Prest, Président du Directoire
    Ignace de Prest

    General Director / CEO

    David Dassié, Directeur Commercial, VP Sales
    David Dassié

    Sales Director

    Nicolas Malvert, Directeur Financier, CFO
    Nicolas Malvert

    Chief Financial Officer

    Nicolas Château, Directeur des Opérations
    Nicolas Château

    Operations Director

    Valentine Djidji, Directrice Marketing
    Valentine Djidji

    Marketing Director

    Benoît Chiron, Directeur R&D
    Benoit Chiron

    R&D Director

    Thibaud Des Désert, Directeur Grands Projets & Execution
    Thibaud des Déserts

    Director of major projects & execution

    Main shareholders

    Logo BNP Paribas
    Logo Demeter Partners
    Logo Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine
    Logo Kouros
    Logo Soper
    Logo Aquiti
    Logo Galia
    Equipe Sunna Design et SOL lors d'un séminaire

    Want to join the Sunna Design

    adventure ?

     

    Joining the Sunna Design team means participating in the development of a company with a social and environmental impact. Thanks to the deployment of its solar solutions throughout the world, particularly in remote and non-electrified areas.