SA SME Fund - venture and fund investments
Status not published
Rolling; startups should approach the underlying VC funds backed by the SA SME Fund rather than the fund itself.
A private-sector-funded vehicle (capitalised by JSE-listed corporates) that invests into venture capital and SME funds, and through its Venture Capital Fund of Funds into South African startups indirectly. It rarely invests directly into companies.
SA SME Fund
private · national
Deadline: Open all year — Rolling; startups should approach the underlying VC funds backed by the SA SME Fund rather than the fund itself.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.
Who can apply
- Stage: seed and Series A
- Locally registered entity required
South African businesses; the fund's mandate includes a strong focus on black-owned and township enterprises through specific vehicles.
How to apply
- Identify SA SME Fund portfolio VC managers.
- Approach the relevant manager with your round.
- Standard VC diligence and investment.
What you will need
- Pitch deck
- Financial model
- Cap table
Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work
Source. https://sasmefund.co.za/ · not human-checked
Verified on 14 August 2026
Source: funder's homepage — the programme page was not found
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