About Venture Philanthropy

E Squared’s Venture Philanthropy funding supports Hybrid Social Enterprises — registered (Pty) Ltd companies that have a legally binding shareholder or donation agreement with a registered Non-Profit Organisation (with Section 18A status).

The enterprise must be majority black owned, operate at seed stage with traction, and have a clear mission to advance youth entrepreneurship and/or income-earning opportunities in South Africa.

Funding is sector-agnostic and structured through blended finance instruments, including recoverable grants, debt and equity, with investments of up to R20 million, alongside active post-investment support to strengthen sustainability and impact.

Application Process

Funding requests are subject to a rigorous due-diligence process, conducted by the E Squared Social Enterprise team in collaboration with external service providers. The process culminates in the preparation of a comprehensive Investment Memorandum (IM) for submission to E Squared’s Investment Committee (IC) for approval.

Please submit applications to investmentsteam@esquared.org.za

Applications should include:

  • A comprehensive pitch deck or investment teaser
  • The investment offering you are applying to
  • Ownership demographics (gender and ethnicity)