
South Africa
Cape Town
"Greater Cape Town's tech sector is notably dynamic, with a high percentage of companies reaching scale in the past decade and actively supporting other local tech companies."



Highlights
Cape Town’s 450 tech firms, including both giants like Takealot and Amazon and early-stage companies, collectively employ more than 40,000 people. And more businesses are moving to the South African ecosystem. Cape Town is one of the world’s fastest-growing regions in terms of foreign investment, according to a report from fDi Intelligence.
Knife Fund III is a new fund managed by Cape Town-based VC firm Knife Capital. The fund invests in high-growth sectors in South Africa with strong potential for expansion within Africa and internationally. Swiss investment company Crypto Valley Venture Capital (CV VC) set up its first African office in Cape Town to invest in Blockchain-focused African startups. CV VC and its partners are looking to invest in 100 startups over the next four years. The new office will also serve as a hub for transferring know-how and experience from Swiss Crypto Valley to the Cape Town ecosystem. Private equity and venture capital conference SuperReturn Africa 2022 is scheduled to take place in Cape Town in December. Notable recent funding deals include Adtech startup Adbot’s R7 million ($500, 000) raise in November 2021, and games publisher Carry1st’s $20 million Series A in January 2022.
The Women in Business program from the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative exposes female entrepreneurs to the latest technology resources to grow their business. BioCiTi is a specialized biotech incubator for African entrepreneurs. TECHSPO Cape Town brings together developers, marketers, designers, and innovators annually.
Ecosystem by the Numbers
Amount ($)
Count (#)
Exits
(2017-2021)Sub-Sector Strengths
Fintech
Edtech

Reasons to Move Your Startup to Cape Town
Business-Friendly Environment
Key Economic Zones
Cape Town has identified 2 key economic zones for development. The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) is dedicated to supporting green and circular economy businesses in renewable energy, recycling, and waste management, transportation, and smart agriculture. A second zone in Philipi supports agricultural activities in the area and includes business incubation and skills development programs.
Low Cost of Living
Selected Startup Organizations
Startup Genome Members
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