our thesis
we build and back south african businesses with the potential to make a meaningful impact and scale internationally. important customer problems, distinctive capabilities and continuing value guide our decisions.
our filters, and why they matter
01 / impact
we look for a specific change worth creating: better access, greater reliability, less waste, lower cost or reduced harm. we ask how it will be measured and what negative effects must be avoided. growth alone does not answer those questions.
02 / revenue quality
we focus on contracted, subscription and recurring usage models. they give a business a way to keep delivering and improving. we examine what happens after the first sale: whether customers stay, what delivery costs and how dependable the revenue really is. a usage-based label alone proves nothing.
03 / distribution
a product cannot create impact if it does not reach people. practical access shapes what we build and how we test it. we distinguish a proposed channel, a pilot and a contracted relationship, and examine how adoption becomes repeatable.
04 / international potential
we look for needs that extend beyond south africa and a credible way to compete across markets. which market comes next, how would customers be reached and what needs to change? an early hypothesis can start the work; series a needs stronger evidence. existing overseas revenue is not a universal entry requirement.
05 / partnership fit
stage, sector, geography and the capabilities required all matter. an opportunity can be valuable and still sit outside our focus. we ask whether our contribution can help it reach a useful next milestone.
our shared areas of interest
venture building, startup acceleration and series a share these interests. within each, we ask the same questions about impact, continuing customer value and international potential.
alternative financing, payments and financial infrastructure that make useful financial services work better for people and businesses.
cyber security and technologies that protect digital systems, borders and critical assets, with responsible use built into the business.
smart grids, buildings and factories: technology that improves how essential systems are monitored, used and maintained.
technology that advances health and human wellbeing, with a focus on digital health and continuing value in care.
clean energy and clean technology that improve efficiency, reliability and resource use through a durable recurring business model.
space-derived data and services that turn information from space into useful decisions on the ground. our venture focus is the data and services layer.
software-led applications of robotics, 3d printing and advanced technologies that improve productivity, quality and resource use. our focus is on offerings sold as software.
ai is a capability across these areas. we assess what it helps the customer achieve and whether the business has a reason to endure.
what changes as a company matures
customer discovery, a reason the problem matters and a practical first experiment. revenue is not required to introduce an idea.
venture building ↗acceleratea product or meaningful validation, what customers are doing and a milestone that could strengthen the business.
startup support ↗series ademand, revenue quality, repeatable distribution, an international expansion case and a clear role for capital.
series a ↗when the fit is less likely
our venture and investment focus is south african technology businesses in these seven areas. one-off project businesses without a credible recurring model, opportunities without a meaningful customer outcome, and ventures with no plausible international potential are less likely to fit.
early uncertainty is expected. we ask what can be tested rather than treating a missing answer as proof of failure. capital-provider and corporate-partner introductions have their own requirements; they are not scored as startup investment applications.