Techstars
Techstars Central LLC, founded in 2006 and based in Boulder, Colorado, operates as a startup accelerator and venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology-oriented companies. It specializes in a mentorship-driven accelerator program, selecting ten startups each summer to participate in a three-month incubation period, offering funding of $120,000 in exchange for equity. Techstars invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented reality, and IoT, while avoiding investments in medical devices, healthcare technology, and local service-oriented businesses. In addition to its primary accelerator, Techstars has various specialized programs, including those focused on music, retail, mobility, and social impact, with global reach extending to regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The firm prefers taking minority stakes, typically between six and ten percent, without seeking board representation or investor rights. Techstars has built a robust network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate partners to foster innovation and growth within its portfolio, which includes over 1,000 companies with a significant collective market capitalization.
Igugu Global provides climate transition analytics to search, structure, and finance sustainable infrastructure projects. It is also a provider of environmental, social, and governance mapping, structuring, and due diligence for green building, transport, and energy portfolios that enable clients to solve the problem of fragmentation in financial markets. Founded in 2019 by Anele Makhwaza, Igugu Global is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Howler offers a powerful tech platform that event organisers use to optimise the planning, promotion, management and control of their events, and to create fault-free, frictionless, seamless guest experiences and ‘moments that matter’. Howler ACCESS offers end to end ticket handling, distribution, insurance and access & Howler LOADED enables cashless transactions; Howler DISCOVER allows event goers to find events they love, get through the door in a flash, and transact with a tap. The Howler team has years of event experience and a 100% operational track record at the biggest events in Africa including Ultra Music Festival, Rocking the Daisies, Rage Festival, Cape Town 10’s and many more.
LayUp Technologies is a payment solution company.
The Sun Exchange operates an innovative online platform that connects individuals with opportunities to own and lease solar equipment to various end-users, including hospitals, factories, and schools in South Africa. Founded in 2015 and based in Cape Town, the company serves as a pioneer in the peer-to-peer solar leasing market. By allowing users worldwide to purchase solar cells and lease them remotely, Sun Exchange facilitates access to affordable clean energy in emerging markets. This model not only provides solar cell owners with income generated from electricity production but also helps organizations reduce their energy costs and carbon footprints. The platform utilizes blockchain technology to streamline transactions, enhancing transparency and efficiency in the solar leasing process. Through its efforts, Sun Exchange aims to promote sustainable energy development and broaden the environmental, social, and economic benefits of solar energy.
OffGridBox is a modular and compact unit that provides renewable energy and clean water in remote areas and developing countries. Their OffGridBox™, an all-in-one system, fits entirely inside a 6x6x6 feet shipping container and is equipped with all the hardware needed to produce electricity and clean water. This innovative technology is a solution for more than 2 billion people worldwide that need energy and clean water on a daily basis. One unit potentially managed by a local women co-op in a Rwandese village can impact up to 300 families (circa 1500 people) providing Tier 1 electricity and sterilized water. They deployed 38 units in 9 Countries (Italy, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, Philippines, Madagascar, US and Colombia) for different segments: humanitarian, household retail, service to industry. These units have operated more than 400,000 working hours.
Spatialedge is a company that assists large corporations in developing and implementing effective data strategies. It operates a data-driven business intelligence platform designed to create business value by utilizing an AI toolkit based on machine intelligence. This toolkit helps organizations organize their data, conduct proofs-of-concept to establish business cases, and offers various models, integrations, and applications. By enabling companies to integrate and manage data at scale, Spatialedge empowers them to make informed decisions that drive operational efficiency and strategic growth.
The Sun Exchange operates an innovative online platform that connects individuals with opportunities to own and lease solar equipment to various end-users, including hospitals, factories, and schools in South Africa. Founded in 2015 and based in Cape Town, the company serves as a pioneer in the peer-to-peer solar leasing market. By allowing users worldwide to purchase solar cells and lease them remotely, Sun Exchange facilitates access to affordable clean energy in emerging markets. This model not only provides solar cell owners with income generated from electricity production but also helps organizations reduce their energy costs and carbon footprints. The platform utilizes blockchain technology to streamline transactions, enhancing transparency and efficiency in the solar leasing process. Through its efforts, Sun Exchange aims to promote sustainable energy development and broaden the environmental, social, and economic benefits of solar energy.
Byte Money engages in the receipting and allocation of funeral policies using a mobile point of sale (POS) terminal and a pay your premium platform. The company electronically collects cash premiums and performs cash ups; and provides service and support. It also services/repairs and replaces POS terminals in South Africa. The company serves funeral parlors, administrators/underwriters, software providers, and policy holders. Byte Money was founded in 2008 and is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Howler offers a powerful tech platform that event organisers use to optimise the planning, promotion, management and control of their events, and to create fault-free, frictionless, seamless guest experiences and ‘moments that matter’. Howler ACCESS offers end to end ticket handling, distribution, insurance and access & Howler LOADED enables cashless transactions; Howler DISCOVER allows event goers to find events they love, get through the door in a flash, and transact with a tap. The Howler team has years of event experience and a 100% operational track record at the biggest events in Africa including Ultra Music Festival, Rocking the Daisies, Rage Festival, Cape Town 10’s and many more.
LayUp Technologies is a payment solution company.
FOMO Travel is an online lay-buy platform where one can pay a small deposit towards a travel goal and along the way, pay instalments. It helps individuals, families and groups to avoid all interest and debt whilst simultaneously allowing friends and family to contribute towards the traveler's goal. FOMO has formed an operational partnership with the Singer Group as well as a direct partnership with SA Tourism. FOMO has also signed and is in the process of finalising a POC/Campaign with Absa. FOMO has also been in various media articles (City Press, Fin24 etc.) as well as radio stations (SAFM, Cape Talk etc.)
FOMO Travel is an online lay-buy platform where one can pay a small deposit towards a travel goal and along the way, pay instalments. It helps individuals, families and groups to avoid all interest and debt whilst simultaneously allowing friends and family to contribute towards the traveler's goal. FOMO has formed an operational partnership with the Singer Group as well as a direct partnership with SA Tourism. FOMO has also signed and is in the process of finalising a POC/Campaign with Absa. FOMO has also been in various media articles (City Press, Fin24 etc.) as well as radio stations (SAFM, Cape Talk etc.)
OffGridBox is a modular and compact unit that provides renewable energy and clean water in remote areas and developing countries. Their OffGridBox™, an all-in-one system, fits entirely inside a 6x6x6 feet shipping container and is equipped with all the hardware needed to produce electricity and clean water. This innovative technology is a solution for more than 2 billion people worldwide that need energy and clean water on a daily basis. One unit potentially managed by a local women co-op in a Rwandese village can impact up to 300 families (circa 1500 people) providing Tier 1 electricity and sterilized water. They deployed 38 units in 9 Countries (Italy, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, Philippines, Madagascar, US and Colombia) for different segments: humanitarian, household retail, service to industry. These units have operated more than 400,000 working hours.
OffGridBox is a modular and compact unit that provides renewable energy and clean water in remote areas and developing countries. Their OffGridBox™, an all-in-one system, fits entirely inside a 6x6x6 feet shipping container and is equipped with all the hardware needed to produce electricity and clean water. This innovative technology is a solution for more than 2 billion people worldwide that need energy and clean water on a daily basis. One unit potentially managed by a local women co-op in a Rwandese village can impact up to 300 families (circa 1500 people) providing Tier 1 electricity and sterilized water. They deployed 38 units in 9 Countries (Italy, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, Philippines, Madagascar, US and Colombia) for different segments: humanitarian, household retail, service to industry. These units have operated more than 400,000 working hours.
WizzPass is a complete and flexible visitor management system that can be easily customized to suit the exact needs of any building or facility. WizzPass provides a variety of Visitor Management solutions for stand-alone corporate offices, industrial & manufacturing facilities, mines, depots and refineries, as well as multi-tenant office buildings, office parks and residential estates. WizzPass is focused on removing and improving upon the frustrating, insecure and outdated paper and manual systems that we are often still exposed to on a day-to-day basis. The WizzPass Visitor Management System revolutionizes the experience, convenience, security and safety of visitors to offices and other types buildings – to create a much improved environment and way that businesses, visitors, contractors, employees and clients interact.
Wala has built a community-driven and gamified personal financial management tool for cash-based consumers in emerging markets. The product allows users to easily track their spending and earning to develop a financial profile for a customer that currently does not have one. The app then uses that profile to set weekly financial and engagement goals which improve the consumers spending and savings. As users continue to engage with the app by logging their transactions and reaching their goals they will be awarded points which can be redeemed for cash, data, and other rewards. Through the app the user will then be able to sign-up and access financial products like deposit accounts, payments, and more.
Wala has built a community-driven and gamified personal financial management tool for cash-based consumers in emerging markets. The product allows users to easily track their spending and earning to develop a financial profile for a customer that currently does not have one. The app then uses that profile to set weekly financial and engagement goals which improve the consumers spending and savings. As users continue to engage with the app by logging their transactions and reaching their goals they will be awarded points which can be redeemed for cash, data, and other rewards. Through the app the user will then be able to sign-up and access financial products like deposit accounts, payments, and more.
Gust Pay (Pty) Ltd. provides an application for mobile payment using iPhone and Android. It also offers cashless events services and allows users to pay for goods at selected stores by connecting through WiFi. The company is based in Cape Town, South Africa.