Nadya Eka Lestari
TechInAfrica — Aerobotics, a Cape Town-based agritech startup, crowned as the Best Startup and Venture Capital Company category at the 2019 Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (Savca) Industry Awards.
The 2nd year annual awards were held in Johannesburg last night in collaboration with Investec and with the support of Sanlam Investments.
Founded in 2014 by James Paterson and Benji Meltzer, Aerobotics has developed a data-analytics platform that uses satellites, drones, and artificial intelligence to help farmers optimize crop performance.
The startup has expanded internationally to cater to the growing market demand in the USA and has also identified lucrative opportunities in Europe, South America, the rest of Africa and Australia.
Durban-based engineering firm DSES Project Solutions won the Best SME category, while the Cape Town-based Real Foods Group, whose brands include Kauai and Nü Health Food Café, won the Best Mid-Market Company award.
Mauritius-based agricultural inputs business, Meridian Consolidated Investments, which operates across Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, won the Chairman’s Award.
In the part of the judging process, Savca research partner Intellidex evaluated ten shortlisted finalists according to some criteria.
A judging panel of senior business leaders then selected the winners based on a number of factors such as evidence of growth, including profit growth and investor returns, employment creation, innovation, environmental and social impact, as well as the strength of their leadership team.
Savca CEO, Tanya van Lill said in a statement that the four portfolio companies that were recognized this year, while very diverse in terms of industry and approach, all have two things in common.
“Firstly, they have all prospered from private equity and venture capital investment in the Southern African region. More importantly, these companies all have a positive impact on job creation, the economy and social development,” said van Lill.
She mentioned that the Chairman’s Award is rewarded when there is an exceptional portfolio company that has not won its category, but deserves to be specifically recognized.
“The judges felt that Meridian Consolidated Investments deserved this special recognition for achieving excellent financial and social returns in markets that are difficult to operate in, and where the significant impact has been felt,” said van Lill.
Andrew Chananie, Investec head of leverage finance, said portfolio companies like the four winners do so much for the Southern African economy.
“Which is why awards such as these are so important to recognize their exceptional performance and raise awareness of their vital contribution to society,” added Chananie.
Source: ventureburn.com
