South Africa
Visa Accelerator Program
Unlock your startup's potential and fast-track your success in the dynamic world of fintech with the Visa Accelerator program. This groundbreaking initiative connects Africa's brightest minds with experienced mentors, cutting-edge technology, and unparalleled investment opportunities. <p></p> Are you ready to disrupt the industry, revolutionize finance, and make an impact in the ecosystem? <mark>Join us on this exciting 3-months journey to propel your startup towards unprecedented growth and recognition. It's time to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and forge a path to success in the vibrant fintech landscape. </mark> <p></p> Benefits<br> Knowledge and Expertise <br> Gain a competitive edge with a tailored program covering product design, marketing, finance, sales and more. Receive experts’ guidance and strategic insights to accelerate your startup's growth and unlock its full potential. <p></p>Mentorship <br> Gain access to 1:1 mentoring from experts and founders in the ecosystem from Africa and beyond. Learn from the experience of others to solve your challenges. <p></p>Visa Specific Training <br> Benefit from exclusive Fintech and payment training modules designed by Visa. Enhance your understanding of the fintech landscape, payment ecosystem, and industry best practices. Startups will also get the chance to access Visa’s developer portal and experiment with Visa products and services. <p></p>Funding <br> Secure the funding you need to bring your innovative ideas to life. Showcase your startup during the Demo Day and you could be considered for an investment opportunity by Visa, Plug and Play, and our wider Venture Capital community. <p></p>Partnership Opportunities <br> Forge powerful partnerships that can drive your startup forward. The program aims to open doors to valuable collaboration opportunities with industry leaders, innovative companies, and strategic partners. <p></p>Product Perks <br> Gain access to a wide selection of product perks and discounts from over 100 vendors for a combined offer value over $200,000. Offers include credits from Google Cloud, HubSpot.
Kalon Venture Partners
Kalon Venture Partners invests in and builds a portfolio of high growth technology companies, with innovative business models, geared to existing and emerging institutions and their customers. <p></p> Kalon Venture Partners <mark>invests growth capital in the form of equity to be used to assist established, but still high-risk ventures in expanding activity such as creating additional traction in South Africa, launching into Africa and then foreign markets, as well as creating new product / technology lines.</mark> <p></p> Our overriding strategy is to provide growth capital and acquire a minority stake in high growth innovative digital technology companies. We assist these companies with hands on involvement, to help build the businesses into assets of value and exit the business to trade buyers or through an IPO (a buy to flip strategy). <p></p> Kalon Venture Partners will invest most of its capital in <mark>support of African entrepreneurs who are looking for growth capital to scale their businesses, which are disrupting traditional industries, e.g. banking, insurance, retail, media and entertainment.</mark> <p></p> We have a highly experienced team to conduct detailed due diligences of potential investments to help reduce the business risk. The outcome of the DD will be presented to our Investment Committee for a decision. <p></p> These companies will most likely operate initially in South Africa with the intention to scale them to Africa and globally. We target potential returns of a minimum of 5X money (IRR > 30%) on each investment.
Riversands I-Hub
Riversands Incubation Hub is a ground-breaking initiative with the scale to have a real economic impact by supporting small businesses, fostering job creation and alleviating poverty. <mark>Riversands I-Hub offers a professional environment and virtual ecosystem, with a range of added-value business services, resources and programs to help grow SMEs.</mark> <p></p> <Our Vision <br> To build a growing community of performance-orientated businesses and entrepreneurs. <p></p> A community that catalyses change and a thriving future. <p></p> Our Mission <br> To create a growing and powerfully enabling ecosystem of services, resources and learning experiences. <p></p> To promote high growth entrepreneurs and businesses with the intention to attract investors and customers. <p></p> To collaborate with local and international business and academia. <p></p> We offer an evolving range of business services, resources and programing. We assist SMEs with: <br> - Professional services – Back office services such as Accounting, Legal, HR, and Marketing. <br> - Low cost utility spaces – Light manufacturing and office spaces geared for small businesses. <br> - Finance – From asset funding to purchase order financing to facilitate business growth. <br> - Business advisory services – Access to our growing pool of quality business advisors. <br> - Workshops and Masterclasses – To help businesses integrate best practices. <br> - Online Modules – Stimulating content curated with entrepreneurs and their team in mind. <br> - Service Consultants – To build value-adding relationships with our entrepreneur ecosystem. <br> - Growth Programing – Industry, subject or location specific entrepreneur programs. <br> - Community – A physical and virtual community of like-minded performance entrepreneurs. <p></p> What we look for<br> Our selection criteria <br> <mark>We seek to drive inclusive economic growth and so we don’t believe in a 'one-size-fits-all' approach – as such we are continuously looking for SMEs that are the right fit for Riversands I-Hub ecosystem. This means that we are always evaluating businesses against our published selection criteria.</mark> We are not a commercial landlord – we do our best to invest our resources in businesses likely to give the best return on investment. <br> - Viability with potential to grow <br> - 51% black ownership is advantageous <br> - Entrepreneurial characteristics <br> - Ratio of benefit to cost and risk <br> - Business aligned to ecosystem model <br> - Commitment to performance and continuous learning
Enygma Ventures
Enygma Ventures is a unique purpose driven investment fund, led by award winning entrepreneurs with 40 years of combined experience growing and scaling businesses in Africa, US & Europe. We understand the struggles and challenges of building big businesses, having built big businesses ourselves. We wholeheartedly believe in win/win scenarios for the investor and entrepreneur and therefore have the ability to create flexible financial solutions with efficient & strategic deployment of capital whilst providing helpful tailored support. Through our networks we are able to create access to expertise, mentors, local and overseas markets. We are truly collaborative partners. <p></p> We are looking for businesses that meet these criteria: <mark> <br> - Woman founded/led or empowering of women <br> - Scalable <br> - A unique defensible business proposition <br> - A dynamic entrepreneur(s) with demonstrated ability to execute <br> - A proven revenue model & business concept <br> - Clarity of purpose <br> - Demonstrated growth <br> - Looking for early stage or growth capital <br> - Are based in SADC region </mark>
Crossfin
Crossfin invests in high growth and established cash generative businesses, offering investors a blended exposure to technology investments in Fintech. <p></p> The Crossfin group is uniquely positioned to unlock real value through the organic and acquisitive growth of our ecosystem and the continual introduction of additional products and services through our various platforms. <p></p> Crossfin aims to influence technology across the value chain from point of processing to point of fulfillment either directly or through partnerships. all stakeholders. <p></p> <mark>Crossfin is on track through both the organic growth of its existing portfolio assets and its planned acquisition pipeline to be Africa's leading Independent FinTech Group within the next 5 years. Crossfin backs innovative companies that focus on solving specific everyday pain points that are not adequately covered by existing products in the market.</mark> <p></p> Crossfin’s portfolio and healthy partner ecosystem creates exciting opportunities to integrate a broad suite of financial products and services to support local merchants and consumers on multiple levels. <p></p> Currently Crossfin's portfolio processes over 270 million card and 20 million mobile-enabled payment transactions per annum with an aggregated value of over R100 billion ($5.64 billion). <p></p> Crossfin offers investors exposure to the exciting and fast-growing African FinTech sector through a portfolio of assets presenting various exit scenarios including IPO and/or trade sales.
Akro Accelerate
Akro is a company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses. We offer events, venture funding and consulting services, and we have a painfully practical attitude towards entrepreneurship. <p></p> HOW WE DO ACCELERATION <br> In partnership with Imvelo ventures<br> We build rather than just support startups. We work alongside companies to write code, make sales calls and close commercial contracts. As a venture-builder that’s been in the business for more than four years, we know what founders need to build and scale their businesses. We’ve taken all our learnings and knowledge and packaged it into a 20-week programme. We aim to get companies investment-ready and funded within five months of starting our programme. <p></p> 2 PHASES <br> <mark>We begin the 8-week Core Phase with a 1-week period of workshopping and mentorship, after which the final 10 startups are chosen to have a high touch rapid building, and scaling period, provided digitally. The other 20 startups continue with mentoring and coaching.</mark> <p></p> This is followed by the Extended Phase, a 12-week period of continued mentorship and accountability for the top 10 startups. <p></p> STARTUPS GET <br> Dedicated time and active business-building with our experts and advisors, including time with software architects, designers and other product-builders. <br> Post-programme mentorship with our advisors. <br> R100,000 in digital infrastructure services. <br> Access to potential partner and client networks, valuable startup-specific resources, and investors. <br> Access to our co-working spaces.
Innovation Edge
Innovation Edge is an impact-first investor focused on solving early childhood challenges in South Africa. <p></p> We help mission-aligned entrepreneurs and organisations by de-risking early stage product and service development. We ignite the ecosystem around them; and provide multiple rounds of funding, strategic coaching, operational support and connections to social capital. <p></p> <mark>Find<br> We’re always on the lookout for courageous people with creative concepts for solving early childhood challenges <p></p> Support <br> Our flexible funding and hands-on non-financial support is customised to suit the stage of the solution <p></p> Ignite <br> Our work also focuses on igniting greater innovation and entrepreneurship in the early childhood ecosystem </mark> <p></p> Our impact Areas. <p></p> More than 6 out of 10 children in South Africa are at risk of never reaching their full potential. <p></p> Over 60% of South Africa’s children live in poverty. Challenging life experiences during their first six years, compounded by systemic failure, reduce their possibility of present-day and future well-being. Our investments aim to improve the chances of children’s life-long success by influencing the quality of their first six years of life. <p></p> We strive for impact in 4 areas: Daily Brain-Building Interactions <br> A child who has daily brain-building interactions right from birth develops strong learning foundations <p></p>Quality Early Learning Programmes <br> A child who attends a quality early learning programme for at least 2 years is more likely to start school on track <p></p>Early Health Care and Nutrition <br> A child who receives nourishing food and good healthcare is able to grow to their full potential <p></p>Safety and Protection <br> A child who feels safe and is protected from toxic levels of stress is free to thrive
Cortex Hub
The Cortex Hub is the home for innovative start-ups building socially impactful solutions.The Cortex Hub is structured as a non-profit, seed-funding incubation hub. <p></p> Located at East London’s 33 Church Street, the Cortex Hub is a business incubator with a strong focus on innovative product design, good team dynamics and customer satisfaction. <p></p> <mark>Successful applicants enjoy our free working space and leverage the business support resources and peer-to-peer learning environment where creativity and tech innovation meet.</mark> <p></p> To ensure time spent at the Cortex Hub is dedicated completely to the development of game-changing products, we provide each start-up with early-stage funding ensuring each entrepreneur is able to pay expenses and keep a roof over their head whilst they get started.
Sw7
Sw7 partners with technology businesses, portfolios and their investor networks pre and post fundraising to prepare for technology business valuations, to fundraise & find matched funding, to provide business support, board advisory, to assist with off-shore expansion and sale of the business. <mark>Sw7 are one of the leading technology accelerators in Africa, having run 9 cohorts including the first Fintech Accelerator in Africa and have worked with over 300+ technology businesses & Founders from early-stage to growth, funding & exit with shared insights from 100+ experienced Technology Founder CEOs.</mark> The Sw7 LinkedIn group in Africa has over five thousand members & partners include Amazon, Microsoft & Google. <p></p> For Founders, COOs, CTOs and Product Owners in B2B technology businesses and ISVs <br> - Get To Market <br> - Create Predictable Revenue <br> - Grow Your Business <br> - Expand Your Network <br> - Get Funded <br> - Scale <br> - Exit <p></p> Sw7 work directly with founders of B2B technology businesses to build the sales and marketing processes that generate predictable revenue. <p></p> This accelerates your path to high growth and scale, enables you to expand to new markets and puts you in the best position to get ready for your first or your next funding round or even prepare for exit. <p></p> <mark>Through a blend of private one-to-one workshops, board advisory and mentoring sessions, we work together on priority areas of focus that will move your business forward. We craft a compelling storyline with cohesive messaging that powers and connects your sales, marketing, funding, talent acquisition & team culture strategies.</mark> <p></p> Peer-to-peer learning and sharing of know-how happens on our platform and in our curated private round tables and group webinars with a network of resourceful founder CEOs, mentors, technology platform partners and investors. <p></p> Sw7 is fully virtual so you can join Sw7 from anywhere, anytime. This means that you can build your business and expand your network without the need to travel or to take time off from your business.
Aurik
Aurik works with established businesses that have sufficient complexity for our approach to have an impact. We work with the business owner and their team to deliver results quickly, with buy-in and accountability across the business. <p></p> What we do <br> To grow your business and secure a successful future exit, it is critical to address the following issues: <p></p> <mark>LEADERSHIP <br>1 Respond to a changing environment <br>2 More time leading; less time doing <br>3 Hand-over via delegation & succession <p></p>OPERATIONS <br>1 Find, win and hold customers <br>2 Grow without chaos <br>3 Find, win & hold the right team <p></p>VALUE <br>1 Grow revenue & profit <br>2 Ensure the business runs without you <br>3 Increase value & saleability </mark>
OceanHub Africa
OceanHub Africa is launching the second cohort of its six-month online acceleration program to support up to six of Africa’s most promising impact-for-profit startups focused on preserving and restoring the health of the ocean. <p></p> The accelerator is on a mission to support ocean-minded start-ups with the express aim of nurturing an environmentally conscious and profitable economy that effectively mitigates the effects of global warming as well as the overexploitation and pollution of the oceans. Leveraging its highly qualified network of stakeholders and facilitators, it will deliver to the accelerated start-ups a program that seeks out sustainable pathways yielding stable profits (ROIs) and avenues for scalable growth throughout Africa. <p></p> What you can expect <p></p> Becoming part of OceanHub Africa portfolio will allow you to: <mark><br> - Unlock a network of leading ocean experts, mentors (entrepreneurs, investors, innovation experts, impact experts, scientists, lawyers, etc.), impact investors and potential clients. <br> - Engage with like-minded entrepreneurs within the Blue Economy space in Africa and abroad. <br> - Get support to fast-track your growth by acquiring new customers or running your first <br> - Proof of Concept, and scaling your business through commercial contracts and fund raises. </mark> <p></p> What we offer <p></p> Service Package <br> - Up to $75k worth of cloud services thanks to our partner AWS Activate <br> - Free access to IoT prototyping thanks to our partner Macrocomm <br> - Over $40k worth of mechanical engineering design software licences and support for prototyping and virtual testing, thanks to our partner 3DExperience Lab <br> - Access to Dassault Systèmes, Amazon Web Services and international marketplaces and/or salesforce for finished products of accelerated startups <br> - Advisory sessions with: Cullinan & Associates (international environmental law firm), Cape AI on machine learning and AI implementation, Macrocomm on data management and implementation of IoT, SWEN Blue Oceans Partners (ocean impact Venture Capitalist fund), Ocean14 Capital (ocean impact Private Equity fund), WWF – South Africa, Dept of Oceanography University of Cape Town, EuroSIMA (oceantech experts) and more! <p></p> Mentorship & Support <br> - Participation to an in-person training bootcamp in Cape Town <br> - Tailored business skills and personal development 1-to-1 coaching <br> - Sales, Product Development, Communication and Business Development Support <br> - Access to our network of scientific, business, impact and investment experts from international corporations, foundations, universities and IGOs <p></p> Network <br> - Access to networking events and conferences, including a stand and stage time at the Ocean Innovation Africa annual summit <br> - Access to potential clients (market leads) for local and international expansion <br> - Access to our international network of ocean-impact incubators/accelerators to scale overseas <br> - Access to key external partners <p></p> Fund-Raising Support <br> - Potential funding of up to 10k USD from OceanHub Africa <br> - Support in preparing and running investor pitches, including training sessions with partner investors directly <br> - Support in structuring deals, including reviews by transactional and commercial lawyers <br> - Access to a large portfolio of impact investors part of our ecosystems (inc. SWEN Blue Oceans, Ocean14 Capital, Finca Ventures, Conservation International Ventures, Builders Vision, AquaSpark, Athelia …) as well as corporate venture capitalist funds
Injini
Injini's programmes and research aim to support great founders with a mission to improve educational outcomes across the continent. <p></p> Injini is a registered Non-Profit Company that exists for the sole purpose of improving educational outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. We do this by supporting key stakeholders to increase the quality, access and relevance of education throughout the region. Injini’s Acceleration Partnership <p></p> Injini’s Acceleration Partnership is an <mark>EdTech-specialised venture development programme uniquely designed to support high-growth, high-impact companies using technology and innovation to address pressing education challenges across sub-Saharan Africa.</mark> Participating EdTech companies - or "Acceleration Partners" - are working to improve educational outcomes across pre-primary, K-12 and teacher training and professional development. <p></p> WHAT WE OFFER <p></p> Key Objectives of the Injini Acceleration Partnership Programme: <p></p> Equity-free support that takes a partnership approach to business acceleration, broken down into two phases with a variable timeframe: <p></p> PHASE 1: <br> 6-8 months of intensive acceleration support focused on increasing capacity for the team in three key areas: <br> - Impact Measurement and Management, <br> - Market Access, and <br> - Financial Sustainability <p></p> PHASE 2: <br> Bespoke support tailored to your strategic goals, for example: <br> - product development and commercialisation, <br> - curriculum design, <br> - assessment integration, and/or <br> - financial modelling and resource planning <p></p> <mark> - Facilitate market access with a lens to increase reach to beneficiaries at the “bottom of the pyramid”; <br> - Design and implement, or refine, impact measurement, monitoring, and evaluation systems; and <br> - Improve financial sustainability, including investment readiness support, where appropriate. </mark>
Grindstone Accelerator
Grindstone Accelerator is a structured entrepreneurship development programme. It takes South African SMEs with proven traction through an intensive year-long review of their strategies and provides them with the necessary support to build a foundation for growth in becoming more investable, sustainable, marketable and exit-ready. <p></p> Jointly owned by South African venture capital firm Knife Capital and Thinkroom Consulting, the Grindstone Accelerator <mark>assists high-growth innovation-driven small businesses to become sustainable and fundable through a year-long programme. Ten South African startups are selected per cohort. </mark>
TechTribe Accelerator
The TechTribe Accelerator (TTA) leverages a technology based e-learning and virtual mentorship system to support technology driven impact ventures across Africa to become investment ready, access capital and new networks. <p></p> <mark>Holistic entrepreneurship support and development</mark> <p></p>e -Learning <br> Flexible self-paced world class content to fit any founder’s schedule. <p></p>OnDemand Virtual Mentorship <br> Captains of industry available at the click of a button. <p></p>Community <br> A tribe of African innovators supporting and inspiring each other. <p></p>Access Investment <br> Facilitated introductions coming from reliable sources.
Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative
CiTi does so by creating globally competitive tech and innovation sectors, to enable sustainable economic growth and greater employment. <p></p> CiTi was established in 1999 and works at the intersection of business, government and society to positively shape the future of the economy and society with the use of innovation and technology. We see this model as the key driver for systemic, regional change and progression. <p></p> Our success at building successful regional technology ecosystems are recognised in a recent Endeavor Insight, 2018 report “Evaluation & Network Analysis of the Cape Town – Stellenbosch Tech Sector”. <p></p> The report concluded “Cape Town is arguably the most productive and impactful tech hub in Sub-Saharan Africa.” <p></p> CapaCiTi Digital Career Accelerator is the skills development division of CiTi. CapaCiTi’ s vision is to enable inclusive growth of the digital economy by ensuring a supply pipeline of future-fit, <mark>skilled employees with relevant digital skills matched to industry demand.</mark> <p></p> We do this through innovative training and experiential learning programmes that focus on both technical and professional development. <p></p> CapaCiTi brings together expertise, technology and resources from industry, academia, government and impact funders in order to <mark>develop young South African talent with in-demand skills, giving them a foundation for successful and fulfilling careers.</mark> <p></p> Candidates receive blended training at our Tech Campuses via an online learning platform that promotes self-learning and group work as part of a holistic programme designed to develop digitally confident candidates. Industry mentors provide teams with a business challenge and ask them to investigate a solution and present back to their mentor weekly. These activities enhance team work, communication and create a culture of solution-driven design thinking.