Collaborating towards a brighter future
Tackling the country’s most pressing challenges, one step at a time.
About the SA SME Fund
Catalysing South Africa’s venture economy
The SA SME Fund is a venture capital company dedicated to backing exceptional fund managers who invest in scalable, high-potential South African businesses. Our mission is to expand access to capital, accelerate entrepreneurship, and contribute meaningfully to inclusive economic growth.
We invest in the people building new industries, creating jobs, and shaping South Africa’s future.
The SA SME Fund was established by the CEO Initiative (led by the CEOs of the 50 largest corporates on the JSE) to build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem and address barriers to SME growth. We partner with high performing venture capital fund managers, drawing upon their expertise and knowledge of the VC market to deploy capital effectively, enabling capital to reach entrepreneurs efficiently and at scale.
We do not make direct investments into SMEs.
Instead, we empower specialist fund managers to do what they do best – identify, back, and grow exceptional entrepreneurs.
What we do
We allocate capital to reputable venture capital and growth equity fund managers who invest directly in promising start-ups and high-growth SMEs.
Through our fund-of-funds model, we:
Reach a wider pipeline of businesses countrywide
Support diverse investment strategies and sector strengths
Back experienced and emerging fund managers
Amplify job creation and enterprise value at scale
Strategic intent
The SA SME Fund is committed to building an inclusive and transformed venture ecosystem. We view transformation at both fund level and portfolio level as essential to South Africa’s long-term economic resilience. Consequently, we prioritise fund managers who reflect this commitment in their ownership, leadership, and investment practices, and who actively advance inclusion across the companies they back.
