The 11 Top VC Firms In South Africa [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: April 15th, 2022

Are you looking for a Venture Capital firm in South Africa ?

South Africa has arguably the most mature startup ecosystem on the African continent, with a collective worth of $6 billion. Sophisticated entrepreneurial talent, significant consumer markets and an emerging local venture capital industry are all responsible for this growth.

However, finding the right investment firm for your startup can be a daunting task.

There are a number of successful venture capital firms in South Africa, and we've curated a list of the best local firms in the area. Additionally, we provide you with:

Investment size
Funding stages
Typical industries the firm works with
Well known companies the VC firm has invested in

Here's the list of best venture capitalists in South Africa :

1. Kalon Venture Partners

Location: Glenhove Square, 71 4th St, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, 2198, South Africa
Industries: Telecoms,Technology
Investment Range: Non Disclosed
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Mobiz, Sendmarc, Ozow

Kalon Venture Capital was created by some dynamic and talented businessmen all over South Africa, with some principal missions like providing Venture Capital, investments in the technology area, as well as business building and entrepreneurial experience, focusing in all different fields around technological fields including telecoms.

Learn more about Kalon Venture Partners ➜

2. CRE Venture Capital

Location: Belmont Square, Belmont Rd, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7708
Industries: FinTech, EdTech
Investment Range: $500K - $2M
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Flutterwave, Andela, Bettr

CRE Venture Capital's principal mission is looking for visionary founders to build leading global companies specialized in category-defining tech with no field limits to invest in. This company goes beyond, offering entrepreneurial solutions and financial inclusion. Their initial investment range is anywhere between $500K to $2M.

Learn more about CRE Venture Capital ➜

3. 4Di Capital

Location: Vonilligh Street, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Industries: FinTech, InsureTech, InTech
Investment Range: $1M-$5M
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Tagmarshall, LifeQ, Aerobotics

4Di Capital is an independent global early-stage enterprise dedicated to typically investing in potential South-African technology opportunities and specific significant areas such as InsureTech and EdTech. Its founds are dedicated to seed, early, and growth-stage investments into African and South-African expandable technology companies that could get to large international markets.

Learn more about 4Di Capital ➜

4. Newtown Partners

Location: 1st Floor, The Annex, 2 Energy Lane, Bridgeways Precinct, Century City, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa
Industries: EdTech, E-Commerce, InsureTech
Investment Range: $500K - $5M
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in Bloomable, Flutterwave,

Newtown Partners goes beyond the current boundaries of the world's market, and they aspire to be more than just investments. Nowadays, this powerful enterprise, focuses principally on startups technology business as well as fields in education and InsuranceTech, providing opportunities to visionary and honest entrepreneurs all around the world. This firm takes a look at the future of the market, focusing on trends and following sustainable long-term steps.

Learn more about Newtown Partners ➜

5. Naspers

Location: 40 Heerengracht Cape Town 8001
Industries: Technology, E-Commerce, Entertainment
Investment Range: Non Discloused
Stage: Series B.
Companies invested in: Myntra, MakeMyTrip, PaySense

Naspers is an international holding company located in South Africa, globally known as one of the biggest investments groups, that mainly focuses on the technology areas, among other interests such as consumer internet sector, publishing, and venture capital. They invest in companies and people that could result in promising in the future.

Learn more about Naspers ➜

6. MEST

Location: No. 20 Aluguntugui Street, Ambassadorial Enclave, East Legon, Accra, Ghana
Industries: Digital Area, Agri-Tech, E-Commerce
Investment Range: $50K - $200K
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in Eleka, Covibes, Kweza

MEST's main characteristic is that they support entrepreneurs and early-stage tech companies all over Africa by providing a full extended training program & offering incubation services. This firm offers you the necessary knowledge to build your own successful global technology company, as well as a real experience that prepares you with entrepreneurial skills and business construction.

Learn more about MEST ➜

7. Knife Capital

Location: Black River Park, Fir St, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
Industries: EdTech, E-Commerce, InsureTech
Investment Range: $50K - $1M
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Kandua, InQuba, Snapplify

Knife Capital is an individual large investment organization established in 2010 and it is principally invested in innovation-driven ventures. Nowadays, it is one of the most accessible VC firms in all of Southern Africa, giving opportunities and incubation for multiple tech areas and some financial services. Their investment ranges from $50K to $1M at the primary level.

Learn more about Knife Capital ➜

8. Vumela Fund

Location: 1st Floor, Block E, Hurlingham Office Park, 59 Woodlands Avenue, Hurlingham.
Industries: Finance, Technology, Financial Services
Investment Range: $50K - $1M
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Uber, Eagle Towers, Sweep South

Vumela is an interesting and innovative VC firm dedicated mostly to investing in social causes such as education and ecology preservation. This firm was established by Bussines Banking and Edge Growth. The main mission was to give chance to develop a pioneering model of a sustainable and independent investment business, which invests in high growth, small and micro-businesses that look forward to guaranteeing feedback with positive impact for both sides.

Learn more about Vumela Fund ➜

9. Rising Tide Africa

Location: 70 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island 106104, South Africa
Industries: Financial Services
Investment Range: $15K - $20K
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Bankly, Eden, Kwik

Rising Tide Africa is a unique & innovative women-oriented investment program, created by a powerful group of private investors who believe in social change. This organization provides access to important potential seed-stage co-investment opportunities, as well as empowers social-ecological change through events and financial services.

Learn more about Rising Tide Africa ➜

10. Grovest

Location: 164 Katherine Street, Sandton, Barlow Park, South Africa
Industries: Financial Services, EdTech
Investment Range: Varies depending on the Investment Opportunity.
Stage: Seed-Stage and Growth Stage
Companies invested in: Fulo Capital (Pty) Ltd, Mdluli Safari Lodge Limited, MDM Manco (Pty) Ltd, Metta Capital Managers, and Silverleaf Investments Limited.

Founded in 2012, Grovest is pioneering new opportunities in alternative asset investing.

Having identified the opportunity to foster entrepreneurship in South Africa, and to support Government initiatives to stimulate the private sector and local economy, Grovest proudly pioneered the first Section 12J Venture Capital Company (VCC) and is currently the largest 12J administrator in South Africa, with over R3.5 billion in assets under administration.

Today, Grovest has expanded into various other alternative asset investments and is a specialist in setting up, administering, and offering compliance to various PE and VCC funds.

Learn more about Grovest ➜

11. Goodwell Investments

Location: 19 Kent Street Salt Circle, Salt River, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
Industries: E-Commerce, Financial Services, Software, Technology
Investment Range: $500K - $2M
Stage: Seed-Stage
Companies invested in: Chicoa Fish Farm, SparkMeter, Sendy

Goodwell Investments is a unique global investment firm with a mission to guarantee financial inclusion, and inclusive development in the economic areas and unprivileged sectors. Their primary goal is to support promising small companies by providing them with basic needs, benefits, and services and generating growth opportunities.

Learn more about Goodwell Investments ➜

How Does A VC Firm Work?

Venture Capital is a form of equity financing where investors fund a company in exchange for equity.
The firm or person making the investments is the venture capitalist. Therefore, the venture capitalist buys a stake in an entrepreneur's idea, nurtures the idea for a short period, before existing. Note that a venture capital fund is not long-term investment. ideally, the venture capitalist invests in the company balance sheet until it reaches a certain size and credibility.

How Does A VC Firm Work?

What Are The Roles Of A Venture Capital Firm?

Typically, good venture capitalists in San Diego provide assistance to startups in many significant ways. The top five roles of VC firms include:

General Partners: As general partners, the VC firm is responsible for all fund investment decisions and normally invest their capital in the fund.
Venture Partners: The VC firm will source investment opportunities and they are paid based on the deals they close.
Investment Principals: The VC firms take the mid-level investment-focused position, and have experience in investment banking or other experience relative to the fund investment strategy.
Associates: Junior staff experienced in investment banking or management consulting.
Entrepreneur-in-residence: They are industry experts hired as advisors or consultants to the venture capital firm temporarily, and often assist with due diligence or pitching new startup ideas.

What Are The Roles Of A Venture Capital Firm?

Typically, good venture capitalists in San Diego provide assistance to startups in many significant ways. The top five roles of VC firms include:

General Partners: As general partners, the VC firm is responsible for all fund investment decisions and normally invest their capital in the fund.
Venture Partners: The VC firm will source investment opportunities and they are paid based on the deals they close.
Investment Principals: The VC firms take the mid-level investment-focused position, and have experience in investment banking or other experience relative to the fund investment strategy.
Associates: Junior staff experienced in investment banking or management consulting.
Entrepreneur-in-residence: They are industry experts hired as advisors or consultants to the venture capital firm temporarily, and often assist with due diligence or pitching new startup ideas.

What Does A Venture Capitalist Look for When Making an Investment?

VC firms look for a competitive advantage in the market. They are interested in their portfolio companies to be able to generate sales and profits before competitors enter the market. Therefore, before putting money into an opportunity, the VC firms want to know if the firm's management is up to the task, that the size of the market opportunity, and whether the product has what it takes to make money.

Ideally, all this is to reduce the riskiness of the opportunity.

What Does A Venture Capitalist Look for When Making an Investment?

Ideally, all this is to reduce the riskiness of the opportunity.

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Pat Walls