Tag: venture capital (VC)
What does entrepreneurship look like in the new normal?
For years, we’ve been told that entrepreneurs are key to South Africa’s economic growth and job creation. If we had any hope of escaping quarter after quarter of sluggish growth (or recession), we were told, we needed to support and invest in entrepreneurs.
Tips for starting a business after retrenchment
Retrenchment is a word that can strike fear into the hearts of even the most seasoned veterans of the corporate world. In fact, the longer you’ve been with a company, the more daunting retrenchment can seem. Will you ever be able to find another job as good as, or better than, this one? Will you end up in a job you hate, through no fault of your own? And during a global pandemic and economic downturn, prospects look even bleaker.
What an investor looks for in a startup
Budding entrepreneurs are seldom short on innovative ideas; the biggest challenge is usually to attract funding to enhance execution capabilities, which is where venture capital (VC) companies come in. A form of private equity financing, these VC firms fill the gap that many traditional financiers have been unable or unwilling to fund.
‘Aparthotels’ growing in popularity?
South Africa’s hotel development market, and specifically Cape Town’s, is showing astounding buoyancy despite a tough economy and the after-effects of the drought. Innovative ways of accommodating corporate and leisure travellers, such as ‘aparthotels’ or serviced apartment-style hotels, are quickly gaining momentum.
Investing and changing the game of Venture Capital
The confidence and hope at the recent SA Investment Conference, spurred on by the Springboks, was tangible. It’s as if that same momentum, and hope in a better future, inspired the call to action by the President. While forever there will be detractors, what’s encouraging is the level of commitment by investors, both local and international, to invest in South Africa.
SA venture capital industry grows despite tough economic climate
The emerging South African venture capital (VC) industry continued to experience robust growth in 2018, with 181 new VC deals reported – an increase of 13.8% from the 159 deals reported in 2017. This is according to the newly released SAVCA 2019 Venture Capital Industry Survey, which also shows a substantial increase in the overall value of all deals, up from the R1 billion invested in 2017 to just over R1.5 billion in 2018.
