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No startup scales in isolation. Success is rarely the result of a single brilliant idea, but the outcome of an ecosystem that supports, challenges, and accelerates growth. South Africa has a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem, but it works best when all the players, founders, investors, corporates, policymakers, and academia, collaborate rather than operate in silos.
Grindstone Ventures was born out of this recognition. As part of the broader Grindstone Accelerator, our portfolio companies don’t just receive funding, they gain access to a pipeline of support, mentors, and alumni who understand the realities of scaling in South Africa. AgriLogiq, which provides climate-control automation systems for greenhouse farming, is a powerful example. Their technology addresses a critical challenge, food security, but their growth has also been fuelled by partnerships with ecosystem players like P4G and Thinkroom.
Ecosystems create multiplier effects. When capital, mentorship, and partnerships intersect, startups are able to leapfrog barriers that would otherwise stall them. But when those elements are missing, even the strongest ideas struggle to survive.
Our CEO, Thandiwe Maqetuka believes that our responsibility goes beyond investing. We must also actively shape the environment in which startups grow. By strengthening ecosystems, we not only build successful companies, we lay the foundation for industries that create jobs, stimulate innovation, and put South Africa on the global stage.
