Knife Capital

Knife Capital is a venture capital investment manager dedicated to accelerating the international expansion of innovation-driven businesses originating from Africa. The firm achieves this by providing a strategic blend of knowledge, extensive networks, and crucial funding. They focus on high-growth, B2B technology companies with strong intellectual property and a clear potential for global reach, particularly those that have achieved product-market fit.

Established in 2010, Knife Capital emerged from the South African venture capital division of 'Here Be Dragons,' an emerging market investment group founded by internet entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth. The firm initially took over the management of seven HBD portfolio companies, forming its first managed fund. Over the years, Knife Capital has expanded its funding vehicles, including KNF Ventures (Knife Fund II), a SARS Section 12J Venture Capital Company, and Knife Fund III, a $50 million fund launched in 2021 to support the aggressive expansion of South African breakout companies. The firm also runs the Grindstone Accelerator, a structured entrepreneurship program designed to prepare earlier-stage South African tech startups for growth and exit readiness.

Knife Capital has a notable track record of successful exits, including CSense (Analytics Software) to General Electric, Fundamo (Mobile Financial Services) to VISA, and orderTalk (online food ordering software) to Uber Eats. Their investment focus spans various technology sectors, including enterprise technology, hardware, deep tech, fintech, healthcare, edtech, and artificial intelligence. Recent investments include co-leading a US$5 million funding round for AI startup Cue, which provides AI-powered customer service software.

The Knife Capital team brings extensive experience in investment and venture capital. Key partners like Keet van Zyl are committed to propelling African high-growth startups onto the global stage and fostering a credible VC asset class in Africa. Vivienne van der Westhuizen, the Group CFO, manages complex fund structures and supports portfolio companies with financial coaching. Catherine Young, another partner, is an entrepreneur and investor with expertise in scaling growth-stage businesses and advancing entrepreneurial ecosystems.