Corporate venture studio back growth
We co-build and invest in ventures that extend your core advantage.
Organisations are flush with ideas, so what’s the problem?
The problem isn’t ideas — it’s turning them into ventures that
survive the market, attract capital, and scale. That’s what we do
Our purpose
To turn corporate strategy into market-testedventures.
Our vision
Africa’s leading venture studio for corporate innovation.”
How we accelerate your journey to success
Strategic alignment
Market validation
Concept design
MVP
Product-market fit
Team assembly
Scale-up
Market expansion
Exit planning
Sprints
Strategic alignment
market validation
concept design
value proposition testing
Strategic alignment
market validation
concept design
value proposition testing
Strategic alignment
market validation
concept design
value proposition testing
Strategic alignment
market validation
concept design
value proposition testing
A focused and considered venture studio backed fund
Strategic
capital pool
Corporate-funded capital reserved for building new ventures and acquiring proven early-scale businesses. Optional co-investment from business units.
Target
returns
Aim to deliver both strategic wins (market entry, IP, capability acquisition) and financial returns greater than the cost of capital + beat market.
Build
pipeline
6 internally built ventures over the program life, each aligned to corporate growth priorities or high-potential white space
Buy
pipeline
2–3 targeted acquisitions of early-scale ventures with validated market traction. Focus on businesses that integrate into corporate operations
Operator
builder integration
Studio team embedded in every venture’s early phase, from MVP to scale-up, accelerating execution and de-risking growth.
Exit
pathways
Multiple routes: integrate into corporate as core business unit, scale with adjacent investors, or strategic sale. All designed to safeguard corporate optionality, IRR, and long-term market positioning
Extended corporate value proposition and edge
Direct access to strategic deal flow
Priority access to a pipeline of pre-vetted, investment-ready ventures. Early influence over venture design to match market needs
Supplier development & procurement integration
Structured onboarding of SMEs into supply chains to strengthen B-BBEE outcomes. Reduced onboarding risk
Innovation without internal disruption
Test and launch new business models outside core operations. Option to integrate or acquire emerging tech before competitors
Measurable ESG & impact outcomes
Verified metrics across 38+ KPIs (youth employment, township/rural participation, gender equity). Aligned with UN SDGs and SA’s NDP
Financial return opportunities
Equity participation in high-growth ventures plus licensing revenue from proprietary tech/IP. Co-investment rights in scaling ventures
Exclusive LP privileges
Branding as Founding Corporate LP. Seat on Investment & Sector Steering Committee. First right of refusal for pilot projects, procurement partnerships, or acquisitions.
Team preview
Innocent Bila
Managing Partner
Innocent has both senior corporate executive and entrepreneurial experience, having scaled ventures to multi-million-dollar success in emerging markets as well as led channel, product as well as platform experience initiatives as Divisional executive at Standard Bank Insurance and Asset Management. He holds a MMSM (WBS) and MBA (GIBS).
Emmanuel Simon
Head of Studio
A Harvard MBA and award-winning strategist, Emmanuel has led experience and product design across Kinga, Nedbank, and Absa. Former startup founder and UN-presented innovator, he has delivered digital transformations that have enjoyed triple digital growth and impacted many
Christy Bennie
Venture Design
A seasoned industry leader & specialist proposition and experience design expert who has worked with some of the largest listed entities in banking and telecoms. She combines deep behavioural science expertise with an MSc in Psychology (UNISA) and advanced studies at GIBS.
Sven Uhlig
Product & Platform Design
Former Head of Product Design at 22seven and Design Lead at Nedbank, Sven is an award-winning product strategist. With two decades across fintech, banking, and consulting, he has driven digital adoption, scaled design teams, and delivered market-leading platforms recognised with MTN’s App of the Year
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Our network. Your net worth.
Access our network of investors, partners and founders to help raise your next round of capital to rapidly scale.
