Kenyan Mining Firm Gridless Secures $2 Million to Fuel East African Expansion

Gridless, an environmentally conscious Bitcoin mining company based in rural Kenya, has secured $2 million in funding to expand its operations into other East African markets. The investment round was led by Stillmark and Block, Inc., and will support the development of mini-grid projects that use hydroelectric energy to power local communities.

The expansion comes as Bitcoin's network hashrate reached 912 EH/s on September 15, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the growth of decentralized mining. According to the Cambridge Digital Mining Industry Report from April 2025, 52.4% of Bitcoin mining electricity comes from zero-emission sources, with hydroelectric energy accounting for 23.4% of the global mining energy mix.

Gridless has already partnered with HydroBox to power five project pilots in rural Kenya, providing electricity for local communities, containerized cold storage for farmers, and public WiFi points. The company's focus on sustainability is reflected in its use of hydroelectric energy, which generates no emissions or pollution.