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Seven steps to hack your scale-up company’s funding, investment readiness
The number one question we get asked by founders is: “How do we raise funding or investment for our business?” Every successful business reaches a stage where it has to choose its growth path. Either you grow organically, using operational capital as and when it’s available. Or you use growth capital in order to scale up faster. If you are considering the fundraising route, there are a number of things you need to nail in order to be funding ready. 1. Build a great business The best way to raise money from investors is to build a business that is so good that investors...
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Here are the 20 measures the Tunisia Startup Act aims to promote
Tunisia's news startup act -- passed earlier last month -- could propel the north African country to become the region's next entrepreneurial hotspot. Here's why. The act (the Tunisia Startup Act) includes 20 measures that aim to encourage entrepreneurship, make it easier to start and end a business, as well as easier to access funding and international markets. The act is structured around five main theme areas. These themes are: defining startups; encouraging entrepreneurship; creation of an environment that allows for the formation and liquidation of companies; access to funding; and access to international markets. The law still needs to be applied to the various measures in...
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First Uber partnership, now Aura secures first R2m from HAVAÍC in equity raise
Days after concluding a deal with ride-hailing company Uber, Joburg-based startup Aura announced today that it has secured the first R2-million in a R6-million equity raise to help fund its cloud-based security platform. News24 reported on Thursday that last week that the startup revealed that it is had teamed up with Uber to supply its drivers with a virtual panic button linked to their cellphone, that when pressed connects drivers to the nearest private security vehicle, as well as to police and emergency services. It follows the announcement last week that Uber's Uber Eats had acquired SA-founded company orderTalk for an undisclosed sum. Read more: Three reasons...
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Knowledge, networks, funding: what’s behind VC that set up Uber exit [Q&A]
It's just days after arguably the biggest deal so far this year -- Cape Town founded company orderTalk's exit to Uber Eats. Many may be wandering how the venture capital (VC) company behind the deal -- SA's Knife Capital -- was able land such a big opportunity. While the terms of the deal -- which was announced by Knife Capital last week -- were not disclosed, Knife Capital partner Keet van Zyl confirmed at the time that the deal is "significant in terms of return on investment". Impressively, orderTalk was the final investee company to exit from the R150-million HBD Venture Capital Fund that Knife Capital managed. Knife...
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SA startups Vizibiliti Insight, The Sun Exchange celebrating after VivaTech win
Johannesburg-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup Vizibiliti Insight and blockchain startup The Sun Exchange are celebrating. Both won pitching challenges at French tech summit VivaTech held in Paris last week. Vizibiliti Insight won first place and €5000 in the Verizon challenge for pitching an alternative credit scoring solution, while The Sun Exchange won the French development agency's (AFD) Energy Blockchain challenge. "Exciting news, Vizibiliti Insight placed first at the Verizon pitch contest! We are honoured to have been picked from seven amazing finalists and an original list of 100 companies & startups!" Vizibiliti Insight CEO and founder Courtney Bentley said in a tweet last week. Exciting news, Vizibiliti Insight placed first at the...
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Initiative to help 67 black-owned startups, SMEs with R2m worth in logos, branding
One of the biggest mistakes startups make when it comes to designing a logo is that they design what they like -- rather than what is right for the market, says brand specialist Lesley Waterkeyn. It's why her marketing business Colourworks along with design studio Designers Ink is offering R2-million worth of logo design to 67 "high impact" black entrepreneurs -- which for Waterkeyn are those running businesses with growth potential. The initiative, dubbed 67 logos by Waterkeyn, will culminate in 67 logos will being handed to the 67 selected entrepreneurs on Mandela Day on 18 July. It will see 67 designers masterminding 67 logos -- including mini visual identity (containing logo...
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SBC head smiling as Startupbootcamp Cape Town applications top 1000
Startupbootcamp (SBC) Africa managing director Philip Kiracofe says he is "quite happy" with the large number of Africans countries from which the organisation received applications for this year's Startupbootcamp Cape Town programme. On Friday Startupbootcamp (SBC) Africa stated on its Twitter account that it had received 1018 applications for this year's Startupbootcamp Cape Town. SBC Africa will select 10 startups for the programme -- which will be announced on 13 July. This year's programme will be the second cohort SBC Africa has run -- following the launch last year of the programme. "We are most excited by the number of different countries we are getting applications...
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Here’s how African startups can apply for a share of €65m French fund
African startups will be able to apply for seed funding from a new €65-million French development agency (AFD) fund via an innovation competition, when applications for the competition open later this year. The news was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron last Thursday (24 May) while he was speaking at French tech summit VivaTech, held in Paris between 24 and 26 May. "And the French Development Agency is going to announce in the coming weeks a new specific programme of €65 million in order to invest small amounts, €30 000 to €50 000 per startup," said Macron. The AFD's Digital Africa initiative will invest between €30 000...
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HAVAÍC holds onto five investments despite two offers, says Ian Lessem [Q&A]
While Cape Town venture capital (VC) company HAVAÍC has yet to exit any of its five portfolio investments, it has had two opportunities to do so since launching about two and a half years ago, says the VC's CEO Ian Lessem. Lessem told Ventureburn earlier this month that the VC company held off exiting because he believed there was still "too much upside potential in these businesses to warrant an exit". The VC company was founded by in 2015 by Lessem together with Grant Rock, Rob Health and Jonty Levin. HAVAÍC held off exiting because there was still "too much upside potential in these businesses...
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Top startup events in South Africa, Africa you should know about this week [28/05/2018]
Looking to get into the South African startup scene or brush up on some of your skills? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is part of a weekly series that highlights all the top startup competitions, networking sessions, workshops and conferences around South Africa, and the greater region. If you have any event recommendations for us to add to the list, or next week’s, please let us know in the comments below or send us an email. Not all of the events are free and some will require booking in advance. Please click on the event names to find out...
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