Africa's Premier Impact Driven Venture Capital Fund
A Level 1 B-BBEE Black-Owned fund investing in youth-led technology solutions that solve Africa's critical public sector challenges at scale.
The Opportunity
70%+ internet access via mobile digital solutions reach everyone
Governments seeking locally-built, culturally aligned solutions
Tech investment unlocks enterprise development scorecards
Africa's digital infrastructure is still being built now is entry time
The Ecosystem
Three integrated entities manage the full venture lifecycle from talent identification to enterprise deployment.
The Spark
Section 18A NPO. Runs 40+ hackathons, the Solve for X program, and identifies raw tech talent from underserved communities.
The Enabler
Bridges university theory and industry execution. Trains AI, data science, and software engineering skills then retains the best talent internally.
The Accelerator
Privately managed VC fund. Provides pre-seed capital, B-BBEE compliance solutions, and strategic support to scale portfolio companies across Africa.
Investment Thesis
40+ hackathons identify solutions targeting Africa's 10 critical socio-economic challenges ensuring inherent product-market fit before any capital is deployed.
All solutions are built by African developers for African contexts sovereign data security, cultural alignment, and government procurement preference.
Portfolio companies enter the fund post-hackathon validation and AI Campus incubation reducing early-stage risk that kills most African startups.
As a Level 1 B-BBEE Black-Owned fund, investments unlock Enterprise & Supplier Development spend for JSE-listed corporate co-investors.
Beyond capital: business modelling, financial strategy, market access, strategic partnerships with Telcos and Banks active value creation.
R114 million in realised value delivered in 2023 strategic exits demonstrating a clear path from early stage to institutional-grade exit.
Flagship Investments
Fintech
Sovereign-grade transaction gateway providing payment rails for utilities, government grant disbursements, and financial institutions across South Africa.
CEO testimonial: scaled to 100K+ terminals with strategic Telco & Bank partnerships.
IoT
Industrial IoT device design & manufacture sensors for smart utilities, asset tracking, and environmental monitoring. Scaled across sub-Saharan Africa.
Invested 2017 • scaled to 150K devices across 23 countries in 4 years.
IoT • Data
API-ready IoT data visualisation platform integrated with 20+ IoT devices — enterprise-grade utility monitoring reducing Non-Revenue Water losses.
From limited traction in 2018 to 2,500 clients and 28 completed enterprise projects.
Track Record
Realised exits (2023)
Gross Value Add (GVA)
Funding injected
Active investments
Actual jobs created
Targeted job creation
Youth trained
Startups incubated
SMMEs created
Tech hubs in South Africa
The Investment Case
Every investment targets verified socio-economic outcomes tracked via the VSI Platform audit-ready data for institutional ESG reporting.
Level 1 B-BBEE fund status unlocks Enterprise Development scorecard points. Co-investors access enhanced ESD multipliers through the blended model.
Independent advisory board, separation of capital and asset management, quarterly reporting structured for pension funds and DFIs.
Portfolio companies benefit from existing relationships with Microsoft, Deloitte, Vodacom, MTN, Standard Bank, Bayer, IFC, and 30+ global institutions.
Pension funds, DFIs & asset managers seeking ESG-aligned long-term returns. Min. R100M tranches.
JSE-listed companies converting mandatory B-BBEE spend into recyclable, measurable impact capital.
Dual-yield seekers — financial return via profit recycling plus cash impact bonus at 5-year exit.
High-net-worth and philanthropic capital seeking verified outcomes with Section 18A tax certificates.
Innovators Driving Growth
chief executive officer
Head of Finance
DIRECTOR
Analyst
Analyst
Head of Tech Operations
Digital Media Analyst
Creative Media Prdoducer
Strategic Oversight & Governance
Senior Advisor
Bringing decades of institutional oversight and strategic guidance.
Senior Advisor
Driving governance, compliance, and sustainable market expansion.
Strategic Partners
Microsoft
Deloitte
Vodacom
MTN
Standard Bank
Bayer
SALGA
Dept. of Science & Innovation
NCR
NYDA
Univ. of Pretoria
TUT
Univ. of Leeds
British Council
IFC
Effectus Capital Mgmt
Queensway Capital
We are aligned with the Empire Partner Foundation’s strategy to solve 10 key socio-economic challenges using technology. We identify youth-led solutions within these sectors that are scalable across the continent, transforming local economies while delivering exceptional returns.
OUR OBJECTIVE
Our Impact Covers the Entire Africa
A look at the widespread impact of our Tech Fund.
Tech Hubs Created in South Africa.
Tech investments in Africa.
We have impacted over 10 industries.
Over 150 SMME companies created.
Targeted job creation opportunities.
Actual jobs created to date.
Creating graduate tech enterprises.
Addressing Public sector challenges.
The EPF Tech Fund invests in early-stage, high-growth businesses solving sector challenges through technology."
Join our journeyLocations
Cape Town (HQ) & Johannesburg
Our Track Record
Leading South African firm scaling start-ups across the continent.
"We have received a lot of support from the EPF Tech Fund since 2019. Working with this fund has so far been the most transformative and exciting journey. The EPF Tech Fund have helped us scale our business and capabilities, onboard more customers, and secure strategic partnerships with giant Telcos and Banks to which our growth has been a testament. We look forward to working with the EPF Tech Fund team in the coming years"
"Deployed over 100,000 POS terminals."
"The EPF Tech Fund has been a key investor since 2017, and its commercial experience has been incredibly valuable to our company in funding and scalability as well as business advisory. The fund has assisted Visiosoft to develop and scale our IoT business in 4 years. The EPF Tech Fund is a long term, active investor and has also secured strategic partnerships with international players. I am glad to have them next to us as a partner and investor."
"Scaled to 150,000 devices in 23 countries."
"The EPF Tech Fund invested in Smartview in 2018 when the business had limited commercial traction with an idea of visualising IoT data. Today Smartview has dynamic, API ready platform integrated with over 20 IoT devices and is agnostic to any network protocol device. We are grateful to the EPF Tech Fund's startegic involvement and giving us the freedom to build the business to what it is today, and being able to call on their professional experience and capital when required. Thank you to the EPF Tech Fund for helping us grow and continuing to walk this journey with us."
"2,500 clients & 28 completed projects."
We're not just imagining a better Africa, we're building it. EPF develops practical technology and invests in talent to tackle urgent societal challenges.
As a high-growth investable asset within the EPF Tech Fund portfolio, AI Campus provides a suite of cutting-edge AI solutions designed to digitize workflows and automate operations.