Investment Focus

Scalable solutions for real-world problems.

Investment Focus

Scalable solutions for real-world problems.

Our investment focus:

  • High growth, strong return business models

  • Creating high impact at scale

  • Stand-out, mission-driven, black / female-led or diverse founder teams - helping to correct the existing funding bias

We also invest in:

  • Transformative business models in key industries, driven by teams that don’t (yet) include under-represented founders

  • Stand-out black and female entrepreneurs with highly scalable business models that aren’t necessarily “transformative” – but do create inspiring success examples

We don't invest in:

  • “Social only” enterprises: impact, but insufficiently strong growth / return prospects

  • “Profit only” business models: non-diverse teams with strong growth business models without high impact

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Investment Focus 1

Tech-enabled, scalable solutions for key emerging economy questions

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Entrepreneurs

Stand-out entrepreneurs: we handpick entrepreneurs driven to achieve significant business success and impact at scale

As experienced entrepreneurs we know how essential the entrepreneurial team is.

Stand-out entrepreneurs for E4E are:

  • Mission-driven
  • A little bit crazy : think differently and are willing to change the paradigm
  • Focused on the business – energetic, driven, grit
  • Business savvy - can make money
  • ‘Can do’ – action-oriented, agile, experimental
  • Eager for personal growth - open to advice and learning every day
  • Experience & maturity: know what it takes to create success at scale
  • Balance in team (personalities and expertise)
  • Personal connection E4E with Founders

Stand-out entrepreneurs come from all backgrounds and sexes, and we are open to investing in all. To address the existing funding disparity, we actively seek to support black and female entrepreneurs.

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Smart, tech-enabled business models can create substantial value and improve lives.

Investment Focus 2

Sectors & Themes

Impact and returns

Scalable models - solving real-world problems: we will invest in 12-18 inspiring entrepreneurial teams and highly scalable business models that have high societal impact.

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FinTech / Financial Inclusion
Enormous market for fair financial products for emerging economy masses that can now be understood and accessed, leveraging technology.
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Agri / Food Tech
The global food value chain needs to be innovated to produce sustainable food for the masses. Small, emerging economy farmers need to access global markets.
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Health Tech
Innovative (tech-enabled) models can make quality healthcare available to (rural) masses.
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Education Tech
Education is the mother of all solutions; tech-enabled models can address the budget / teacher deficit.
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Platforms & enablers
Platforms and business models creating more efficient markets or matching Africa’s booming population to international demand.
Industry sectors:
  • Food
  • Health & Safety
  • Education
  • FinTech
  • Sustainable Energy & Water
  • Mobility & Digital Access
Investment themes include:
  • Empowered people: digital transformation & financial inclusion
  • Smart cities: sustainable & liveable
  • Smart value chains: sustainable & efficient
Growth business, strong returns:
  • At least 4x money / 30%+ IRR per investment case *
  • Potential to be SA industry leader and / or significant international potential
* We invest in highly scalable models – in SA and beyond - and therefore typically expect higher growth than 4x / 30% IRR on our investee companies over the investment period. We will encourage reflection on the balance between shareholder returns and value creation for employees and consumers.
High-impact, at scale:
Significant positive change in focus industries & themes – e.g. :
  • Measurable impact on SDG’s
  • Business models transforming key industries
  • Inspiring examples of 'diverse’ entrepreneurial success
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Investment Focus 3

High Returns - High Impact

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High growth, high return

  • Highly scalable models with large addressable markets; potential to become local market leader & scale internationally
  • At least 30% IRR per investment case

High impact

  • Disruptive models and breakthrough innovations creating economic opportunity and participation for masses
  • Measurable impact on SDG’s

Diverse entrepreneurial teams

  • Investing in diverse teams as they perform better
  • Addressing the existing funding disparity affecting black and female entrepreneurs
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