Hlayisani Capital
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersStellenbosch, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Hlayisani Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hlayisani Capital
- Legal name
- Hlayisani Capital (Pty) Ltd
- Website
- https://hlayisani.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hlayisani Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds / Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds (FSANAGAC), Style Equity — Growth (Active) (FSAAAIAI), Venture Growth / Recurring Revenue Credit Funds (FSANAIAG)
Keywords
Where Hlayisani Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stellenbosch
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hlayisani Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees and Carried Interest: As a private equity and venture capital fund manager, Hlayisani Capital generates revenue through management fees charged on assets under management and carried interest (performance fees) from successful portfolio exits. The firm manages over R1 billion across three funds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fund investment minimums are not publicly disclosed; terms are negotiated directly with institutional and private investors. |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hlayisani Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hlayisani Capital is a South African private equity and venture capital fund manager that raises capital from institutional investors and family offices and deploys it into high-growth, technology-enabled businesses across Africa through fund vehicles. The firm manages growth equity and venture capital funds, charges management fees on assets under management, earns carried interest on successful exits, and provides portfolio companies with strategic support, board governance, and access to global markets.
Product overview
Hlayisani Capital operates as a private equity and venture capital fund manager offering two primary investment vehicles: the Hlayisani Growth Fund (a closed, fully-deployed growth equity fund targeting mid-market high-growth companies in ICT, manufacturing, agriculture, education, and health sectors) and the Hlayisani Venture Fund II (an active venture capital fund targeting Series A-stage technology-enabled companies in AI, fintech, healthtech, edtech, and digital infrastructure). The firm manages over R1 billion across three funds and backs portfolio companies including Glynt Group/Tractor Outdoor Media, Spatialedge, and Cogitait AI, with a focus on businesses that have achieved product-market fit and seek to scale globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hlayisani Growth Fund A growth equity fund investing in the ICT, manufacturing, agriculture, education and health industries, targeting high-growth, high-impact South African SMEs able to deliver exceptional returns with sustained socio-economic impact. The fund addresses the SME funding gap between early-stage venture capital and traditional private equity. Intended audience: South African SMEs with strong ESG standards and growth potential.
- Hlayisani Venture Fund II (HVF II) A venture capital fund investing in medium and large high-growth technology-enabled South African companies with commercially competitive economic returns alongside socio-economic impact. Targets Series A opportunities in AI, fintech, healthtech, edtech and digital infrastructure, targeting businesses with product-market fit and global growth ambitions. Intended audience: institutional and private LPs; founders of Series A-stage technology-enabled companies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 155 jobs for young South Africans created through HVF II portfolio companies
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use Hlayisani Capital
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hlayisani Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature1 record
Hlayisani Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Rising Tide AfricaminorLerato Molefe, Investment Committee Chairperson at Hlayisani, is a member of Rising Tide Africa, an initiative expanding the venture capital network to South Africa and supporting gender-lens investing across the continent.
- SAVCA (South African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association)minorBrett Commaille serves on the SAVCA Venture Capital sub-committee. Hlayisani Capital is an active member of the South African venture capital and private equity ecosystem body.
- Thinkers50minorDr Reuel Khoza, Hlayisani's Group Chairperson, was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in 2021, the first African inductee to this prestigious global management thinking ranking, joining luminaries including Clay Christensen, Peter Drucker, and Daniel Goleman.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hlayisani Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Convergence Partners: Pan-African private equity firm focused on digital infrastructure, TMT, and technology-enabled businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable in thesis and stage focus, though with a larger fund size and broader geographic mandate.
- Knife Capital: South African venture capital and growth equity firm actively investing in technology-enabled businesses across Africa. Directly comparable to Hlayisani as a domestic VC competitor, having co-invested alongside Hlayisani in Snapplify's funding round.
- 4Di Capital: Cape Town-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in technology and innovation across South Africa. Directly comparable as a domestic VC targeting similar Series A and growth-stage South African tech-enabled businesses.
- Invenfin: South African venture capital investor focused on early and growth-stage technology businesses. Directly comparable as a domestic VC competitor targeting similar sectors and stages.
Emerging players
- GroFin: Development-focused private equity firm supporting SMEs across Africa and the Middle East. Comparable in targeting high-growth, high-impact SMEs across emerging markets, though typically operating at smaller cheque sizes with stronger impact mandate.
Regional players
- Novastar Ventures: East Africa-focused venture capital firm backing innovative businesses serving low-income consumers. Comparable as an African VC firm targeting high-growth tech-enabled businesses, though with primary geographic focus on East Africa rather than Southern Africa.
- TLcom Capital: Pan-African venture capital firm with a focus on early to growth-stage technology companies across Africa, particularly in Nigeria and East Africa. Comparable as an Africa-focused tech VC, though primarily active in West and East Africa.
Others
- Public Investment Corporation (PIC): South Africa's largest asset manager (>$143B AUM) and a cornerstone LP investor in Hlayisani Venture Fund II. Not a direct competitor but a key institutional capital source and ecosystem participant with material influence on Hlayisani's fundraising trajectory.
- SAVCA: The South African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, the industry body of which Hlayisani is an active member. Relevant as an ecosystem participant rather than a competitor; Hlayisani's partner Brett Commaille serves on SAVCA's VC sub-committee.
Broad incumbents
- Capitalworks: Mid-market South African private equity firm. Comparable as a domestic PE player with a broader sector mandate (not exclusively tech-enabled) and typically larger cheque sizes, operating in overlapping capital markets and LP relationships.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hlayisani Capital social profiles
Digital presenceHlayisani Capital compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Hlayisani Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hlayisani Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Hlayisani Capital subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Hlayisani Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hlayisani Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments14 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hlayisani Capital
What does Hlayisani Capital do?
Hlayisani Capital is a South African private equity and venture capital fund manager that raises capital from institutional investors and family offices and deploys it into high-growth, technology-enabled businesses across Africa through fund vehicles. The firm manages growth equity and venture capital funds, charges management fees on assets under management, earns carried interest on successful exits, and provides portfolio companies with strategic support, board governance, and access to global markets.
Is Hlayisani Capital a public or private company?
Hlayisani Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hlayisani Capital founded?
Hlayisani Capital was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Hlayisani Capital based?
Hlayisani Capital is headquartered in Stellenbosch, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Hlayisani Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: fund Management Fees and Carried Interest.
Who are Hlayisani Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Convergence Partners, Knife Capital, 4Di Capital and Invenfin. GroFin is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Novastar Ventures and TLcom Capital. Others are Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and SAVCA. Capitalworks is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Hlayisani Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hlayisani Capital.
What industry is Hlayisani Capital in?
Hlayisani Capital's product category is Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAJ, Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds / Multi-Manager Platforms, with a secondary code of FSANAGAC, Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds. Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.