# Pre-seed investors in South Africa (2026 list)

> 19 pre-seed investors in South Africa, 74% active in the last 12 months. Led by Founder Collective, SE Ventures, Kevin Hartz. Ranked by what they funded.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/lists/pre-seed-investors-in-south-africa (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Investor Lists](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

# Pre-seed investors in South Africa

Updated 7 November 2026

Firms we have watched take part in a pre-seed round raised by a company in South Africa in the last two years, wherever the firm is based.

[See all 19 *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fpre-seed-investors-in-south-africa)The top 19

**19** investors on the list No change this week

**122** cheques in 12 months *+21%* against the market

**$1.3M** median round they joined *-83%* against the market median

**74%** wrote a cheque in 12 months

**42%** have led a round

## The Top 19

Ordered by cheques observed, never by anything anyone paid for

Deploying now (14)

- 1 [Founder Collective](https://millionrounds.com/fund/founder-collective) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **502** **$8M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 2 [SE Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/se-ventures) *Deploying now* Corporate VC · United States **112** **$16M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 3 [Kevin Hartz](https://millionrounds.com/fund/a-star-co) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **65** **$9M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 4 [Atlantic](https://millionrounds.com/fund/atlantic) *Deploying now* Private equity · Germany **53** **$35M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 5 [University of Cambridge Enterprise](https://millionrounds.com/fund/cambridge-enterprise) *Deploying now* VC firm · United Kingdom **20** **$4.6M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 6 [P1 Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/p1-ventures) quiet Private equity · United States **7** **$8M** median round **Oct 2025** last seen
- 7 [HAVAÍC](https://millionrounds.com/fund/havaic) *Deploying now* VC firm · South Africa **5** **$1.8M** median round **Feb 2026** last seen
- 8 [Andrena Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/andrena-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · India **2** **$7.1M** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 9 [Atlantica Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/atlantica-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · Nigeria **2** **$1.4M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 10 [Aions Creative Technology](https://millionrounds.com/fund/aions-ventures) quiet Accelerator · South Africa **1** **-** median round **Jan 2025** last seen
- 11 [Alan Knott-Craig](https://millionrounds.com/fund/alan-knott-craig) *Deploying now* VC firm **1** **$1.2M** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 12 [Loom Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/loom-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · Austria **1** **$1M** median round **Jul 2026** last seen
- 13 [Oakvale Invest](https://millionrounds.com/fund/oakvale-invest) *Deploying now* VC firm **1** **$61K** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 14 [Shayne Mann](https://millionrounds.com/fund/shayne-mann) *Deploying now* VC firm **1** **$1.2M** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 15 [Summit Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/summit-ventures-2) *Deploying now* Family office · United States **1** **$1.2M** median round **Aug 2026** last seen
- 16 [Reinsurance Intelligence Quotient (RIQ)](https://millionrounds.com/fund/reinsurance-intelligence-quotient-riq) *Deploying now* VC firm **1** **$1M** median round **Jul 2026** last seen
- 17 [founders of Anyfin](https://millionrounds.com/fund/founders-of-anyfin) quiet VC firm **1** **$1M** median round **Jan 2025** last seen
- 18 [founders of Banxware](https://millionrounds.com/fund/founders-of-banxware) quiet VC firm **1** **$1M** median round **Jan 2025** last seen
- 19 [founders of Maxidrive](https://millionrounds.com/fund/founders-of-maxidrive) quiet VC firm **1** **$1M** median round **Jan 2025** last seen

## The Newest Cheques

Rounds this list's investors joined most recently

- **28** Oct **[Foundry Robotics](https://millionrounds.com/company/foundry-robotics)** Series A · $100M *With* [SE Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/se-ventures)
- **28** Oct **[Fragment](https://millionrounds.com/company/fragment)** Series A · $56M *With* [Kevin Hartz](https://millionrounds.com/fund/a-star-co)
- **23** Oct **[Cygrid](https://millionrounds.com/company/cygrid)** Pre-seed · $3M *Led by* [Atlantic](https://millionrounds.com/fund/atlantic)
- **21** Oct **[Flapping Airplanes](https://millionrounds.com/company/flapping-airplanes)** Series A · $1B *With* [Kevin Hartz](https://millionrounds.com/fund/a-star-co)
- **8** Oct **[Neela Biotech](https://millionrounds.com/company/neela-biotech)** Pre-seed · $2.8M *With* [University of Cambridge Enterprise](https://millionrounds.com/fund/cambridge-enterprise)
- **1** Oct **[Reclinker](https://millionrounds.com/company/reclinker)** Series A · $13M *With* [University of Cambridge Enterprise](https://millionrounds.com/fund/cambridge-enterprise)

## Stages This Year

113 rounds

- Series A **27%**
- Series B **13%**
- Seed **13%**
- Series C **11%**
- Pre-seed **8%**
- Other **27%**

## What They Backed

Sectors, last 12 months

- AI **56**
- Fintech **21**
- Robotics **10**
- Big Data & Analytics **9**
- Construction **7**
- Hardware & Electronics **7**

## Cheques by Quarter

Led Joined

28 Q1 25

23 Q2 25

23 Q3 25

34 Q4 25

40 Q1 26

24 Q2 26

40 Q3 26

6 Q4 26

The last bar is the quarter still running.

## Lists Like This

- [Early stage investors in United States 3,774](https://millionrounds.com/lists/early-stage-investors-in-united-states)
- [Series A investors in United States 2,305](https://millionrounds.com/lists/series-a-investors-in-united-states)
- [Seed investors in United States 2,252](https://millionrounds.com/lists/seed-investors-in-united-states)
- [Series B investors in United States 1,647](https://millionrounds.com/lists/series-b-investors-in-united-states)
- [Growth investors in United States 1,329](https://millionrounds.com/lists/growth-investors-in-united-states)
- [Early stage investors in United Kingdom 1,166](https://millionrounds.com/lists/early-stage-investors-in-united-kingdom)
- [Series C investors in United States 967](https://millionrounds.com/lists/series-c-investors-in-united-states)
- [Pre-seed investors in United States 774](https://millionrounds.com/lists/pre-seed-investors-in-united-states)
- [Seed investors in United Kingdom 692](https://millionrounds.com/lists/seed-investors-in-united-kingdom)

[All investor lists *→*](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

## Reading for founders at idea or pre-seed

- Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman · 2011 4.16 from 616,355 ratings on Goodreads Judgement and decisions Company building About the book In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Kahneman… On AmazonListen on Audible
- The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web Jesse James Garrett · 2002 4.01 from 4,134 ratings on Goodreads Finding product-market fit Company building About the book Smart organizations recognize that Web design is more than just creating clean code and sharp graphics. A site that really works fulfills your strategic objectives while meeting the needs of your users. Even the best content and the most sophisticated technology won't help you… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Get Backed: Craft Your Story, Build the Perfect Pitch Deck, and Launch the Venture of Your Dreams Evan Baehr · 2015 4.36 from 356 ratings on Goodreads Raising money Company building About the book HOW DO YOU LAUNCH THE VENTURE OF YOUR DREAMS? Get Backed isn’t just about startup fundraising. It’s a handbook for anyone who has an idea and needs to build relationships to get it off the ground. Over the last 3 years, entrepreneurs Evan Loomis and Evan Baehr have… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist [Brad Feld](https://millionrounds.com/person/brad-feld) · 2011 4.11 from 17,486 ratings on Goodreads Raising money Company building About the book Praise for Venture Deals"My biggest nightmare is taking advantage of an entrepreneur without even realizing it. It happens because VCs are experts in financings and most entrepreneurs are not. Brad and Jason are out to fix that problem with Venture Deals. This book is long… On AmazonListen on Audible[Author's Podcasts](https://millionrounds.com/person/brad-feld#podcasts)

More books for founders and investors on the [Reading List](https://millionrounds.com/reading-list?role=founder&stage=idea).

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

## Quick answers about pre-seed investors in South Africa

### Who are the most active pre-seed investors in South Africa?

By cheques observed, the most active are Founder Collective, SE Ventures, Kevin Hartz, Atlantic and University of Cambridge Enterprise.

### How many pre-seed investors in South Africa are there?

19 are on record. 74% made an investment in the last 12 months and 42% have led a round.

### Which stages do pre-seed investors in South Africa back?

Of the rounds with a named stage in the last 12 months, mostly Series A (33%) and Series B (16%).

### How big are the rounds pre-seed investors in South Africa join?

The typical (median) round among the leading investors here is $1.4M.

### Which sectors do pre-seed investors in South Africa back most?

In the last 12 months, mostly AI, Fintech and Robotics.

### Which pre-seed investors in South Africa lead the most rounds?

HAVAÍC (3 led), Founder Collective (2 led) and P1 Ventures (2 led).

### Where are pre-seed investors in South Africa based?

Among the most active, most are based in the United States (5), South Africa (2) and Germany (1).

### What have pre-seed investors in South Africa invested in recently?

Recent rounds include Foundry Robotics (Series A, Oct 2026, with SE Ventures), Fragment (Series A, Oct 2026, with Kevin Hartz) and Cygrid (Pre-seed, Oct 2026, with Atlantic).

Built from the rounds we watched, refreshed every night. [How we count](https://millionrounds.com/methodology) · [Report a correction](https://millionrounds.com/corrections)