As it celebrates 15 years of investing, SA’s Knife Capital supports two local startups

Knife Capital, a South African venture capital firm, announced new Series A investments into South African startups Sticitt and Optique to commemorate 15 years of investing.

Knife Capital is a pan-African venture capital firm that was founded in 2010 and uses money, networks, and expertise to help innovation-driven companies grow internationally.

In honor of its 15th birthday, Knife Capital, which has offices in Cape Town, London, and Jersey, announced investments in two South African startups through KNF II. Knife Capital also makes investments through KNF I, KNF II, and Knife Fund III.

Sticitt, a fintech startup founded in 2018, is revolutionizing the financial management of South African schools. Serving 841 schools and supporting over 75,700 users, Sticitt was initially supported by Knife through its Grindstone accelerator and Grindstone Ventures, and streamlines all school-related transactions into a straightforward digital platform.

“Knife, with their strong track record of supporting the growth of their portfolio companies, is the perfect shareholder to help Sticitt through the next phase of the business’ growth journey,” said Theo Kitshoff, CEO and founder of Sticitt. “Their experience and extensive networks locally and abroad will play a vital role in helping Sticitt achieve significance and sustainability in supporting schools to operate more sustainably, whilst equipping future generations with healthy financial habits.”

Optique, a 2017 startup, is revolutionizing optometry with the straightforward notion that eye care should be accessible, affordable, digitally enabled, and simple to comprehend. The company’s offering, which includes an online store and 19 franchise-owned branches throughout South Africa, is upending the conventional paradigm.

“Optique has always been about redefining eyecare accessibility through an innovative business model that blends technology, affordability, and convenience. This investment from Knife Capital is a pivotal step in accelerating our growth, expanding our footprint, and ensuring that more people have access to world-class optometry services,” said Optique founder Leon van Vuuren.

According to Keet van Zyl, co-founder and partner at Knife Capital, the company has always prioritized supporting business owners who act with “purpose and clarity.”

“Both Sticitt and Optique are solving real-world problems in bold ways, whether it’s digitising school payments or delivering innovative, digitally-enabled vision solutions. These investments reflect our belief in businesses that blend innovation, traction, and tenacity,” he said.