South Africa's funding environment is full of opportunity for founders with a solid plan. Firms are actively writing checks for startups at every stage.
You have active players like 54 Collective, which has backed nearly 100 companies, and firms like Grindstone with a solid track record of exits. It's about finding the one that fits your vision.
Below is our list of the best 8 VC firms in South Africa.
Failory's Top 8 Picks
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Buy It For $97 $297 →54 Collective provides seed and early-stage funding to technology startups throughout the African continent. As a group of experienced entrepreneurs and operators, they offer portfolio companies capital, mentorship, and crucial network access.
| Headquarters | Johannesburg, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Roo Rogers |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 94 (33 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
| Contact | enquiries@54collective.vc |
Backing early-stage technology startups across Africa, 4Di Capital provides what it calls "Nurture capital" by combining funding with crucial mentorship and network access. The firm targets founders in sectors like mobile, enterprise software, and fintech, helping companies like Wasoko and InvestSure tackle major market problems.
| Headquarters | Cape Town, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2009 |
| Founders | Justin Stanford |
| Total Funding | $27M |
| Industries | InsurTech, Fintech, Healthcare |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 36 (13 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Talk360, InvestSure, Wasoko |
Norrsken22 operates a $205 million growth fund that invests in exceptional entrepreneurs building Africa's next tech giants. This partnership between the Norrsken Foundation and 22 unicorn founders provides capital and strategic networks to help scale companies including TymeBank, Sabi, and Autochek.
| Headquarters | Cape Town, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Private Equity |
| Nº of Investments | 16 (6 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | — |
| Contact | info@norrsken22.com |
Kasada Capital Management focuses on acquiring, redeveloping, and building hotels throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Backed by Qatar Investment Authority and Accor, the firm works to connect international capital with hospitality opportunities in the region.
| Headquarters | Johannesburg, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Stage | — |
| Nº of Investments | — |
| Nº of Exits | — |
| Contact | info@kasada.com / 27 (10) 541-0900 |
Grindstone operates a structured development program that prepares high-growth, innovation-driven startups for rapid scaling. They equip early-stage companies with the fundamental building blocks to become sustainable and fundable ventures.
| Headquarters | Cape Town, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 22 (3 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
| Contact | info@grindstonexl.com |
Focusing on early-stage companies in South Africa, Kingson Capital Partners provides venture capital and strategic guidance to help them achieve market dominance. They offer resources from day one to accelerate growth for portfolio companies like Enlabeler, HealthCloud, and TrackBox.
| Headquarters | Durban, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Gavin Reardon |
| Industries | AI & ML, Big Data & Analytics, Healthcare, Consumer, SaaS, Crypto & Blockchain, Climate & Sustainability |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage |
| Nº of Investments | 7 |
| Nº of Exits | — |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Enlabeler, HealthCloud, TrackBox |
Venture Capital Studio builds and invests in a portfolio of high-growth companies, providing equity to support ventures from seed funding through the public markets. As a venture studio, they work directly with their portfolio companies to expand operations, launch into new markets, and create new technology.
| Headquarters | Cape Town, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Phillip Sebole Masango, Shaquil Mohammed |
| Investment Stage | Debt, Early Stage, Late Stage, Post-Ipo, Private Equity, Secondary Market, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 8 (7 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 1 |
CoVentures backs tech startups, sharing its expertise with entrepreneurs who are ready to launch their ideas. With a focus on collaboration, they provide hands-on guidance and capital to help founders turn promising ideas into successful businesses.
| Headquarters | Cape Town, NA - South Africa, South Africa |
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Stage | — |
| Nº of Investments | 8 (2 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | — |
| Contact | hello@co.ventures |