The partnership could see Zvishavane become a regional hub for crypto mining and AI services. Yes, you read that right.
Seattle-based data center company Chillmine has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Zimbabwean independent power producer Energywise Equipment to develop renewable energy-powered data center facilities in the country.
Under the agreement, the two companies will collaborate to build infrastructure that will draw power from Energywise’s planned 100MW Runde River Solar Park in Zvishavane.
The facilities are expected to support services such as AI Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and crypto mining hosting, both of which require substantial and stable energy supplies.
Chillmine plans to deploy its liquid cooling technology to reduce operational costs and cut the environmental footprint of the data centers.
If successful, this approach could make Zimbabwe one of the few African countries hosting eco-conscious crypto mining operations.
Culven Chipfumbu, Managing Director of Energywise, said the partnership highlights how renewable energy can support digital infrastructure growth in Zimbabwe:
We are not only supporting the growth of emerging technologies but also contributing to the sustainable development of our nation’s infrastructure
Chillmine CEO Brian Neirby added that the Runde River Solar Park offers the kind of reliable, renewable power essential for scaling energy-intensive operations like AI computing and crypto mining.
Yep, you don’t typically hear the words ‘reliable’ and ‘power’ in the same sentence in Zimbabwe but the planned solar park is the basis for this optimism.
No timelines or financial details have been disclosed yet, and the partnership remains at the MOU stage.
A New Player with Local Ties
While Chillmine says it was founded in 2018, public records suggest the company only recently became active. Or that it reinvented itself recently.
Its domain, chillmine.io, was registered in December 2024, and the site itself went live in late January 2025, around the same time its current leadership team—including CEO Brian Neirby—joined.
Interestingly, two of the company’s executives have Zimbabwean roots, which may help explain why the country was chosen for this ambitious project.
You may remember Nhena Nyagura from his time as Dandemutande CEO, among other jobs and Harry Samkange who seems to have been mostly active in the U.S.
Their presence could give Chillmine an advantage navigating local partnerships and regulations.
That said, the deal raises questions about Zimbabwe’s readiness for large-scale, energy-intensive data operations.
The country routinely struggles with electricity shortages, yet through this collaboration, it’s positioning itself as a future player in AI infrastructure and crypto mining—industries notorious for their massive power demands.
Still, with a 100MW solar park backing the venture, the project could sidestep some of Zimbabwe’s grid issues—if it’s executed as promised.
Energywise: A Known Name in Zimbabwe’s Solar Ambitions
Energywise isn’t entirely new to Zimbabwe’s energy landscape. The company was listed among ten independent power producers (IPPs) approved by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) some time ago.
That’s when we first heard about the 30MW Vungu Solar project in the country’s Midlands Province.
According to Invest Africa, InfraCo Africa, part of the UK’s Private Infrastructure Development Group, is backing the solar park—described as Zimbabwe’s first project-financed solar IPP.
Then there is also the 100MW Runde Solar Project the company is working on and which would be used to power Chillmine’s data centre.
This partnership with Chillmine could be the first public-facing tech collaboration riding on that solar infrastructure.
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