Clive Butkow, Conducive Capital

The health and potential of the South African digital startup ecosystem differs largely, depending on whom one talks to. Its cheerleaders point out that South African tech entrepreneurs have the talent, ideas, and innovative knowhow to compete globally. The country’s socioeconomic growth is inexorably linked to this digital ecosystem producing successes. The future is digital, after all.

However, the startup space is hampered by several factors, some of which are hangovers from the pandemic and the subsequent hit the country’s economy took. For those entrepreneurs hoping to turn their business ideas into reality, venture capital (VC) is often crucial. These companies require significant capital to scale rapidly, penetrate new markets, and develop cutting-edge technologies.