WHO ARE WE?
Cactus Advisors is a pan-Africa focused, multi-disciplinary business advisory firm that helps owners and management of companies achieve growth and performance through clear strategic thought (operations and management) and financial acumen (capital raising, mergers & acquisitions, divestitures).
Cactus Capital is the micro VC fund arm of Cactus Advisors that specializes in investing in high-growth, high-impact early stage African tech ventures. Cactus Advisors was founded in 2013 by Zachariah George, who is also the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Startupbootcamp Africa – the leading multi-corporate backed venture accelerator program in Africa. Since 2015, Cactus Capital has invested in 18 of Africa’s leading tech startups including Flutterwave, HouseME, Recomed and several others.About the Founder
Zachariah George
In 2015, Cactus Advisors created, developed and managed the first ever corporate tech accelerator program in Africa – the Barclays Tech Lab Africa accelerator program designed to discover, nurture and empower the next generation of technology innovators, and subsequently managed the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation’s incubator and accelerator program. Zach has advised numerous African start-ups and businesses since 2010 and is an Angel Investor in several of Africa’s most successful tech startups. He was featured on the cover of Fast Company South Africa in May 2018.
From 2011 to 2014, Zach led the Africa operations of U-Start - a Swiss-based global investment advisory firm specializing in direct and indirect venture capital investments in the tech and digital sector for private investors (family offices and high net-worth Individuals) as well as VC funds, corporate ventures and wealth management institutions.
Prior to his Wall Street career, at the age of 22, Zach got his Master’s degree in Management Science from
Stanford University, California specializing in Corporate Finance.
During the course of his degree, he was invited by the United Nations Secretariat to work on U.N. projects for the Department of Management and
Procurement in New York. Zach is a Mechanical Engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology and a member of MENSA International – The Global High IQ Society.Prior to moving to South Africa, he was an investment banker on Wall Street covering mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance strategy and risk management at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital, New York.
In May 2010, he voluntarily left the global financial sector and moved to Africa where he spent a year consulting to micro-finance organizations and impact-driven venture capital enterprises, including a 6-month stint as a Professor of Finance for an award-winning Social Entrepreneurship MBA program in Nairobi.
Since August 2011, Zach has been based in Cape Town. In 2014, Zach was recognized as a Certified Business Adviser at the Institute of Business Advisers for Business Advising Excellence and is a member of the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa. He is a mentor for High Impact Endeavor entrepreneurs and has been featured on CNBC Africa on several occasions as well as on Disrupt Africa, Cliff Central, Entrepreneur Magazine and Silicon Cape. He has lived and worked in the Middle East, California, New York, India, South Africa and Kenya. Outside of his professional life, Zach is an acoustic guitarist/vocalist with a cover album ‘Give A Little’ on iTunes and Spotify released in 2010. He is an avid lover of theatre and the performing arts, likes hiking and a good game of squash. He enjoys creative writing and is currently busy finishing a work of non-fiction. Zach is a dad to three children and lives in the coastal suburb of Woodbridge Island just outside of Cape Town.
Investment Portfolio
Flutterwave (2016)
FINTECH | Nigeria | www.flutterwave.com
Flutterwave drives growth for banks and businesses across Africa through digital payment technology by providing the underlying technology platform that allows businesses to make and accept payments anywhere in Africa.
Bettr (2017)
FINTECH | South Africa | www.bettr.finance
Bettr is a digital banking platform for the next generation that financially empowers those who know their worth by providing tech and tools that improve the way people bank, save, borrow, insure and invest their money.
fomo Travel (2016)
TRAVELTECH / MARKETPLACE | South Africa | www.fomo.travel
FOMO Travel is an online lay-buy travel platform which utilises the traditional method of lay-buy to pay towards a holiday or experience. However, everything is automated, interest-free and what you pay for, is what you get. FOMO Travel also allows one to crowdfund their holiday by sharing their travel package with friends and family.
HouseMe (2016)
PROPTECH / MARKETPLACE | South Africa | www.house.me
HouseME is a digital platform that connects prospective tenants to landlords with full automation of the letting agency process and fair and transparent rental pricing – all for a fraction of traditional fees.
RecoMed (2017)
HEALTH TECH | South Africa | www.recomed.co.za
Recomed is South Africa’s largest and fastest growing online and mobile-friendly healthcare booking platform that helps patients quickly find and make appointments with quality healthcare providers, 24/7, without any phone calls or paperwork.
efactor (2015)
FINTECH | South Africa | www.e-factor.co.za
e-factor is a factoring platform, where companies can sell their receivable invoices at the auction to investors with the highest bid. By investing in these invoices investors will obtain via e-factor new short-term investment instruments with low risk and good return.
Aura (2018)
I.O.T. / BIG DATA | South Africa | www.aura-app.io
AURA provides a technology platform to localized security and armed response providers in South Africa that aggregates the armed response industry nationally, into one dynamic response organism, providing clients direct access to a rapid response network.
Xente (2015)
FINTECH | Uganda | www.xente.co
Xente is an e-commerce and digital payment app with a wallet application providing many ways for customers to buy airtime, data bundles across all networks, pay bills, buy event tickets and more using the Xente app. Customers can use mobile money, bank cards, buy on credit and Installments.
EduOne (2018)
EDTECH | South Africa | www.eduone.co.za
EduOne is a digital tool that enables stakeholders in the world of learning to connect for meaningful interactions, transactions, conversations and opportunities. Products take the form of websites, SaaS platforms, apps and other digital tools, and segments range from bursary search-and-apply, talent acquisition and career guidance
Lohocla Global (2017)
RETAIL| South Africa | www.lohoclaglobal.com
Lohocla™ is the world’s first premium anti-hangover shooter. It is a product that helps alleviate the symptoms of a hangover in a classy way at the scene of the crime. It is a product that was birthed and aimed at responsible people who sometimes look to play but can’t afford a hangover the following day because they have work to do.
Sortd (2019)
SAAS / EDTECH | South Africa | www.sortd.com
Sortd is an application that gets one’s inbox organized. It brings emails, tasks & priorities together in one intuitive workspace, and it works right inside Gmail where people spend oodles of time reading and responding to emails already.
Investment Portfolio
DusuPay (2017)
FINTECH | Uganda/U.K. | www.dusupay.com
DusuPay is a payment infrastructure provider that enables businesses to accept and make payments to mobile wallets across Africa. DusuPay powers global payments with Africa and provides the most secure, efficient, simple and fast infrastructure to process payments globally with our continent.
Mobicure (2017)
HEALTHTECH | Nigeria | www.mobicure.biz
MOBicure is a digital health company in Nigeria that makes use of mobile technology devices and tools such as phones, tablets, SMS, apps, Interactive Voice Recordings (IVRs) and videos to solve some of the most pressing healthcare problems facing developing countries, especially with regards to sexual & reproductive health, as well as maternal & child health. Their key product apps are myPaddi & OMOMi
Fo-Sho
INSURE-TECH | South Africa | Valuation $2m
FoSho is a digital peer-to-peer insurer enabling users to congregate into groups to
reduce their short-term insurance costs. They are taking the hassle out of insurance
issuance and fulfilment by using AI and machine learning to tailor the user experience
and making it easier for customers to manage all their insurance needs.Brave
INSURE-TECH | South Africa | Valuation $2m
Brave provides employers with the ability to better manage key health risks that
may affect their employees’ productivity, absenteeism and morale. They enable
businesses to access the best private healthcare at a low cost whilst rewarding
healthy employees with a range of value-added benefits.Spoon Money (2017)
FINTECH | South Africa | www.spoonmoney.com
Spoon Money is an impact-driven enterprise that tracks the financial behaviour of group savings and credit schemes (stokvels). Spoon Money capitalizes creditworthy groups in order to support their financial growth, thereby bolstering economic activity in townships.
GotBot (2017)
BIG DATA / A.I. | South Africa | www.gotbot.ai
GotBot is a multi-channel AI solution, focused on increasing and improving retail and customer experience for businesses through always-on AI, real-time training. Created out of a need to build innovative, adaptable and solutions-driven Artificial Intelligence for the retail and communications sector.
Just Now
RETAIL TECH | South Africa/U.S. | Valuation $1.5m
JustNow is a system that helps both large and small food businesses save money
while increasing revenue and client engagement. This is achieved by reducing
fresh food waste through the use of a smart advertising
mobile application.Khoyn (2017)
BIG DATA / MARKETPLACE | South Africa | www.khoyn.com
Khoyn is an AI-powered shopping assistant that allows users to discover and shop fashion from thousands of retailers in Facebook Messenger. It provides the user with a personalized shopping experience by curating products to the users’ specific style, size, and budget.
Brownie Points (2017)
MARKETPLACE | SOUTH AFRICA | www.browniepoints.africa
Brownie Points is a platform that connects volunteers and companies with non-profit organizations to achieve meaningful impact. They simplify volunteering and donations and reward good deeds with brownie points, a social currency that accumulates over a lifetime of giving.
Virtual Drive (2017)
MARKETPLACE | South Africa | www.vdrive.co.za
Virtual Drive is a virtual portal, connecting private buyers and sellers (P2P) securely. Virtual Drive’s mission is to provide a revolutionary digital platform that allows vehicle buyers and sellers to connect safely and enjoy the benefits of dealership support within a private sale environment.
DigiTech (2018)
INSURTECH | Cote D’Ivoire | www.digitechgrioupci.com
DigiTech provides incumbent Insurance Companies with an omnichannel and cloud-based digital platform to sell their Insurance products through mobile and web.
Kuda Bank (2018)
FINTECH | Nigeria | www.kudabank.com
Kudabank is a no-charge full-service online-only bank making banking services more affordable and more accessible. We offer customers an interest-earning spending account that has zero charges, a savings account with above-average interest rates, and access to low-interest instant loans.
Akiba Digital (2018)
FINTECH | South Africa | www.akibadigital.com
Akiba is a mobile app that offers a combination of financial behavioural coaching, a premium rewards program, goal-setting & visualisation to make savings more effective, whilst utilising behavioural and alternative (social influence) data to enhance our users in-app experience.
Inclusive Innovations (2018)
FINTECH | Ghana | www.appruve.co
Inclusive’s API helps digital financial services reach the remotest customers across Africa by enabling them to onboard, verify and monitor them via digital channels (USSD, web and mobile).
Pago Payments (2018)
FINTECH | South Africa | www.paywithpago.com
Pago is an online payments system that supports carrier and airtime driven online payments as a financially inclusive alternative to traditional electronic debit and credit card payments.
JustNow (2017)
RETAILTECH | South Africa | www.justnow.co
JustNow is a system that helps both large and small food businesses save money while increasing revenue and client engagement. This is achieved by reducing fresh food waste through the use of a smart advertising mobile application.
Brandbook (2018)
RETAILTECH | South Africa | www.brandbook.co.za
Brandbook is a mobile application aimed at providing users with free gift card coupons for completed purchases. Users simply upload receipts of selected purchase completed at brick and mortar stores or online to earn points. No purchases are completed over the application as with traditional eCommerce services.
MPost (2018)
REGTECH / LOGISTICS | Kenya | www.mpost.co.ke
MPost is a patented technology that enables any mobile phone user to transform his or her phone into a unique mobile postal address and mobile postal box. They provide a simple, elegant and innovative addressing solution that works on both smartphones as well as older generation feature phones that are ubiquitous throughout Africa and other developing regions.
LULA (2018)
SMART MOBILTY / LOGISTICS | South Africa | www.lulaloop.co.za
LULA is a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform that focuses on the convergence of public and private transport. Through our platform, we ensure mobility is convenient, safe, reliable and accessible for rural and urban areas.
YouFarm (2019)
AGRITECH| Zimbabwe | www.youfarm.co.zw
YouFarm provides farmers with access to collateral-free finance by getting people to invest in crops and livestock and share the profits with the farmers. YouFarm allows people without land an opportunity to earn money and become a part of the agricultural value chain.
SnapSlip (2019)
BIG DATA | South Africa | www.snapslip.net
Snapslip is a digital receipting and analytics application that eradicates paper receipts, by sending these receipts digitally to a customer’s profile within the application. They then take the data from each receipt and produce spend, trend and predictive analytics to which it provides back to retailers, banks, insurance companies and manufacturers to increase their revenue streams.
Yobante Express (2019)
SMART MOBILITY / LOGISTICS | Senegal | www.yobanteexpress.com
YOBANTE EXPRESS is a web and mobile platform that connects independent carriers with e-commerce, retailers, businesses, and individuals for deliveries from point to another.
Survey 54 (2019)
MARKET RESEARCH / BIG DATA | U.K. | www.survey54.com
Survey54 is automated survey platform that helps companies collect consumer data in emerging markets. Survey54 is creating a mobile-first platform that uses channels such a voice, bots and SMS to reach consumers. They then use their smart platform to create insights.
Rentoza (2019)
MARKETPLACE | South Africa | www.rentoza.co.za
Rentoza is an online marketplace that allows individuals and businesses to list their lazy assets. Customers can seamlessly access these products via a low-cost rental model which is augmented with a robust screening process and backed by insurance.
House Africa (2019)
PROPTECH / MARKETPLACE | Nigeria | www.houseafrica.io
House Africa uses blockchain technology and divides properties into shares (measured by square meters) and allows users to own them and make returns from the sales profits, rent profits or capital appreciation.
Curacel (2019)
INSURTECH | Nigeria | www.curacel.co
Curacel is an online platform that uses an intelligent rules regime to help health insurers realize massive time and cost savings by tackling fraud, waste and abuse. Curacel’s state-of-the-art software platform detects fraud and errors in customer data, while fast-tracking claims processing for both health insurers and providers.
Convergenc3 Databotics (2019)
FINTECH | South Africa | www.convergenc3.co.za
Convergenc3 DataBotics employs transformative technologies to fast-track delivery of RPA and data-science solutions. By incorporating a proven process improvement methodology before deploying technology, customers receive a streamlined solution that is geared toward generating value for their client base with the least amount of operational effort.
Asilimia (2019)
FINTECH | Kenya | www.asilimia.co.ke
Asilimia enables and accelerates the digitization of cash transactions in informal markets by making mobile money transactions easier, faster and cheaper for small and micro-businesses.
Cinnamon Clubs (2019)
FINTECH | Uganda | www.cinnamonclubs.com
Cinnamon Clubs was developed to foster management efficiencies through automated bookkeeping, ensuring completeness, integrity, accuracy and transparency.