Unlock Capital
& Improve Cashflows
Empowa’s rent-to-own sales technology reduces risk and provides the data required to unlock new funding sources
What Our Local Partners Have To Say
Richard
CEO Casa Real in Mozambique
Partnering with Empowa has fundamentally changed how we deliver affordable housing in Mozambique. Through their rent-to-own financing model, we’ve been able to unlock a completely new segment of customers who were previously excluded from formal housing finance.
Just as importantly, Empowa’s approach gives us liquidity at key stages of development, allowing us to build faster and serve more families. Over half of our tenants have already built up 40% equity in their homes within 18 months a result that speaks volumes about both the product design and the shared commitment to long-term ownership. It’s not just financing; it’s a partnership that makes sustainable growth possible
Award winning financial solutions
fit for emerging markets
Partnerships with global institutions to de-risk finance
Leverage Empowa tools, technologies, ecosystem and network to reduce risk and build credibility and scale
Tools to manage contracts, payments, and reporting
Streamline operations with blockchain-based transparency and automation.
Access new sources of patient
impact-driven capital
Connect with institutional investors and DFIs seeking housing impact at scale.
Data-driven scoring and impact tracking
Advanced analytics to optimise operations and demonstrate measurable outcomes.
Sustainable growth and impact
Empowa is taking over the affordable housing
finance market
99%
on time payment
across our housing portfolio
Turning Renters into Owners
50%
Over half our tenants have paid off 40% of their home equity within the first 18 months
Cutting the Cost of Finance in Half
50%
Lower cost of financing when compared to the traditional mortgage product in the market
Sales Liquidity or Capital Recycling Metric
80%
of the units value is released to developers upfront
Awards
AUHF
Innovative Property Technology of the Year 2024 & 2025
NAHFIS
Innovation Award
2024
Cardano Summit
Blockchain for Good Award
2022 & 2024
Media
Empowa updating the financial system for affordable homes
A video report by:
FAQs
When a house is delivered, do I receive the full construction value upfront, or is my payment tied to the family's instalment schedule?
You do not receive the full value upfront upon delivery. Empowa uses an "Off-Take Financing" model. An agreed amount is released after a unit is physically complete, certified for occupancy, and legally titled. The balance of the sales price, usually including a premium is then collected through the rent-to-own contract with the tenant.
What percentage of the construction cost is disbursed as an advance before or during construction?
Empowa focuses on financing the sale of finished inventory. While some master loan agreements allow for tranches to be allocated as needed for a minimum number of homes, the developer is generally expected to carry the primary construction risk, with Empowa providing the guaranteed "exit" or off-take once the home is finished.
In which currency is the financing structured local or USD? And who carries the exchange rate risk?
The financing is structured in USD to attract international investors. However, payments are made in MZN. To manage this, Empowa uses a "Dynamic FX Forward" engine. This tech acts as a buffer, locking in future repayment rates to hedge against currency devaluation, effectively shielding both the developer and the investor from sudden exchange rate shocks.
As a developer, is my margin fixed and guaranteed regardless of the family's payment rhythm, or does it fluctuate with their performance?
Your revenue is primarily tied to the agreed purchase price of the completed units. While the platform uses a "First-Loss" reserve and the native EMP token to protect investor yields from tenant defaults, the developer's primary margin is realized when the unit is successfully "off-taken" into the rent-to-own pool.
In practical terms, am I a construction partner who delivers finished units, or does my role extend to managing the relationship with the families after handover?
You are a construction partner, but you also act as the "front line" for the initial relationship and payment entry. Empowa provides the Empowa Pay app and a centralized CRM to automate the heavy lifting of payment tracking, but the developer remains the local point of contact for property-related issues.
What are the minimum requirements to become a developer partner — certifications, track record, financial capacity?
equirements include a proven track record of delivering units, financial stability, and a commitment to climate-resilient construction (such as meeting IFC EDGE standards). Empowa also reviews regional reputation and managerial experience.
If a family stops paying, who retains ownership of the unit and manages the eviction process?
Assets are held in a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) or Trust, which is legally separate from Empowa. The SPV retains ownership. In the event of a default, the model is designed for "Tenant Replacement" rather than a standard lengthy eviction; a new family is brought in from an existing waitlist to take over the rent-to-own contract.
What is the typical recovery timeline for a unit in default?
While specific "days to recover" aren't mandated in the docs, the platform is designed to minimize yield loss by maintaining a pre-vetted waitlist of families ready to move in as soon as a unit becomes vacant.
there a reserve fund to cover defaults, and if so, who contributes to it — the developer, Empowa, or the investor?
Yes. The SPV maintains a "Reserve Fund" equal to 3 months of expected yield. Additionally, 5% of collected rent is held in a "First-Loss" reserve account to buffer against short-term payment gaps.
Do I have any control or input over the eligibility assessment of the families entering my units?
You provide input through the Developer CRM, but final credit scoring is handled by Empowa’s AI Risk Engine, which evaluates non-traditional data (like mobile money usage) to ensure the family can afford the payments.
Does EmpowaPay integrate with M-Pesa and other mobile payment channels commonly used in Beira?
Yes. It is specifically designed to integrate with M-Pesa and other local channels. In Mozambique, work is ongoing to streamline the Empesa channel for seamless tenant payments.
What is the minimum connectivity requirement for families to use the app reliably?
The app uses an "Offline-First" architecture. Families can record payments or check balances without an active internet connection; the data caches locally and syncs automatically once they reach a 4G or Wi-Fi zone.
Will I have real-time access to payment data for my units through a developer dashboard?
Yes. Developers have access to a real-time dashboard that tracks payment data, unit status, and project milestones.
What are the costs of integrating EmpowaPay into my operation — is there a per-transaction fee, a monthly fee, or another structure?
The platform supports flexible fee structures. In Mozambique, there is a 3% M-PESA fee, which can be split between the developer and the tenant based on a variable set in the system.
What is the minimum number of units required to activate the partnership?
Partnerships have been activated with as few as 15 to 30 units during pilot phases to prove the concept before scaling.