SAVCA in the News
ICT Sector Comes Out Tops In Latest Southern Africa Venture Capital Industry Survey
A low-growth economy, high unemployment and the mounting pressures posed by the ongoing energy crisis have continued to weigh heavily on start-ups in Southern African over the past year. Early-stage investors likewise reported that these challenges have had a material impact on the local venture capital industry, with an overall decrease in the value of…
Read MoreSA’s most promising businesses recognised at SAVCA Industry Awards
11 November 2022: A multi-store, e-commerce start-up and an energy drink brand were among the winners at this year’s SAVCA Industry Awards, hosted by the South African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) in partnership with Investec. The awards platform recognises the achievements of regional portfolio companies who have leveraged the backing of venture…
Read MoreThe future of venture capital in SA: Commercial viability and measurable impact will go hand in hand
8 November 2022: As the growth of the Venture Capital industry continues on an upward trajectory, a number of deals are moving towards an intersection of commercial and impact objectives. The businesses receiving VC funding are providing strong financial returns as well as contributing to societal challenges such as poverty alleviation, inclusive growth and job…
Read MoreMedia Release: SAVCA Announces New CEO, effective 1 November 2022
The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) is excited to announce the appointment of Tshepiso Kobile as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 November 2022. Kobile succeeds Tanya van Lill, who served SAVCA for over five years. Kobile hails from a financial services background, having served as an investment professional with the Development…
Read MoreSAVCA welcomes three new board members at 2022 AGM
Three new members were welcomed to the board of The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) at its 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 05 October. Andrea Böhmert, Lebo Thubisi and Richard Rose have now officially commenced their tenure as board members. Providing his insight on these new appointments, SAVCA Chairperson…
Read MoreInvestment in Fintech and EdTech dominate SA venture capital industry
SAVCA 2022 Venture Capital Industry Survey highlights: Fintech constituted 15.9% of Venture Capital (VC) deals in 2021 followed by EdTech (9.1%) Gauteng remains the preferred destination for VC investments but Cape Town is still the base for the biggest pool of companies in active VC portfolios Almost two thirds of all deals (62.3%) were less…
Read MoreSAVCA Statement on Regulation 28 Final Amendments
The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) welcomes the recently published final amendments to Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act, which comes into effect on 3 January 2023. National Treasury has said that: “To further facilitate the investment in infrastructure and economic development, the limit between hedge funds and private equity…
Read MoreThe Great Debate: Infrastructure Investing in SA vs the Rest of the Continent
29 June 2022 It’s a well-known fact that infrastructure investment is urgently needed across Africa, including in South Africa. The African Development Bank estimates that the continent’s infrastructure financing needs will be as much as $170 billion a year by 2025, with an estimated gap of around $100 billion a year. And in the private…
Read MorePositive outlook for the PE industry’s impact on SAs socioeconomic development
The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) recently hosted its first in-person private equity (PE) conference since before the pandemic hit our shores in early 2020. Over 400 local and international delegates attended the two-day event which took place at the beautiful Ashanti Estate in Paarl, Western Cape. Tanya van Lill, outgoing…
Read More2022 BUDGET: Private Sector Partnerships Needed to Foster Economic Growth
24 February 2022: In his maiden Budget Speech, delivered on Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana ushered in a series of initiatives that the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) believes will offer the people of South Africa some reprieve whilst looking to support economic growth. Increased infrastructure investment SAVCA welcomes government’s decision…
Read MoreSAVCA Statement on the 2022 State of the Nation Address
Government and Private Sector to bolster efforts at increasing investor confidence and economic growth During Thursday evening’s State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined various areas of improvement within the scope of his Cabinet, as he highlighted the growing need for both the private sector and government to collaborate more vociferously to bolster…
Read MoreInstitutional Capital needed to grow SA Venture Capital sector
Innovation to drive economic rebound The 2021 SAVCA Venture Capital (VC) Conference was held on 15 November 2021. In a continuation from the March private equity conference, the overarching theme for the venture capital conference was “re:imagine” as we work towards re:imagining the role VC can play in rebuilding our economy. The topics covered ranged…
Read MoreSAVCA appoints two new Board Members at 2021 AGM
The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) hosted its virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 6 October and welcomed two new directors to its board: Thiru Pather and Vuyo Ntoi. SAVCA CEO, Tanya van Lill commented, “it’s a privilege to welcome two such highly esteemed industry professionals to our board. They each…
Read MoreA ‘Turbulent but Encouraging’ Year Ahead for South Africa’s Private Equity Industry
SAVCA Private Equity Industry Survey highlights the need for more African investment and increased exit volumes With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic amidst a turbulent macroeconomic landscape, Sub-Saharan Africa was expected to go deep into contractionary territory in 2020. Highlights from the SAVCA 2021 Private Equity Industry Survey showed this prediction to be accurate,…
Read MoreVenture Capital industry Insights: “South African venture capital continues to grow”
SAVCA releases 2021 Venture Capital Industry survey highlights and tackles pivotal issues Survey Highlights: 74 Fund managers invested R1.39 billion into 122 entities through 167 investment rounds in 2020 (up from 69 fund managers investing R1.23 billion in 2019) At the end of 2020, the SA VC industry had R6.87 billion invested into 841 active…
Read MoreSAVCA Statement on Competition Commission prohibiting acquisition between ECP Africa Fund, Burger King South Africa and Grand Foods
Friday, 4 June 2021: On 1 June 2021, the Competition Commission announced that it had formally blocked the process of Pan-African Private Equity Firm Emerging Capital Partners (ECP) from purchasing fast-food chain Burger King South Africa and Grand Foods Meat Plant. It is reported that the basis of this decision was not as a result…
Read MoreSAVCA MEDIA RELEASE: BUSINESS RESCUE AND DISTRESSED ASSET INVESTING
Considerations for creditors, shareholders, and private equity firms. 2 June 2021: According to Statistics South Africa, 216 businesses were liquidated in March 2021, 50% higher than the number recorded just a year ago. It is against this backdrop that the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) recently hosted a panel of experts…
Read MoreTop Tech Companies Driving Africa’s Growth – Africa Tech Week
On May 5th and 6th, Topco Media and partners will be presenting a robust networking experience aimed at kick-starting economic growth in Africa, using technology. Africa Tech Week is alive with gleaming opportunities to shape fruitful connections, forge clearer paths to digital transformation and inspire collective and personal growth. Enjoy the Inside Scoop from Top-Tech…
Read MoreInaugural Women Empowerment Mentoring and Incubation (WE > MI) Fund Manager Programme Launches to Increase the Number of Women-Owned and Managed Funds in Southern Africa
While progress towards the gender equality Sustainable Development Goal is growing in many industries, the private equity sector in Southern Africa continues to lag. According to Tanya van Lill, CEO of the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA), “In the Southern African region, only 9% of the fund managers that are members…
Read More“Back to basics” approach needed for post-COVID recovery
At the recently held SAVCA 2021 Private Equity Conference, a panel comprising industry leaders explored in some depth the ways in which the country can go “back to basics” as the world economy re-opens. Moderated by Prof Nick Binedell from the Gordon Institute of Business Science, the panel consisted of Ben Bierman, Managing Director: Business…
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