Kalon Venture Partners
Growth equitySouth Africa · Growth · 19 people tracked
Investment thesis
Kalon Venture Partners invests growth capital in innovative digital technology companies disrupting traditional industries such as banking, insurance, retail, and media. The firm targets established but high-risk ventures, typically starting in South Africa before scaling across Africa and internationally. Through hands-on involvement and detailed due diligence, Kalon seeks to build these companies into valuable assets for exit via strategic acquisition or IPO, targeting minimum returns of 5x money with IRR exceeding 30%.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 21, 2026.
Team · 19 people
from the firm's websiteButkow is the former Chief Operating Officer of Accenture South Africa. He currently supports and mentors technology businesses, bringing expertise in technology and operational excellence.
Leads the fund with over 30 years of experience across venture capital, technology, and FMCG sectors. Has played a pivotal role in positioning Kalon as a leading tech investor in South Africa.
Varsha leads the fund with over 30 years of experience spanning venture capital, technology, and FMCG sectors. He has been instrumental in establishing Kalon as a leading technology investor in South Africa and has deployed capital across more than ten high-growth technology businesses.
Seasoned venture investor with over 20 years of experience in early and growth-stage investing across Africa, Europe, India, and the US. He held leadership roles at DiGame Africa and Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa, served on boards of numerous African companies, and was instrumental in scaling ventures from concept to exit. He co-founded a Nasdaq-listed SPAC with Michael Jordaan and holds legal credentials from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Former CEO of Vodacom/Vodafone International Business with over 20 years of experience in information communication and telecommunications industries. Currently serves as CEO and co-founder of LLH Capital.
Kumalo has over 20 years of experience in telecommunications and information communications. He previously served as CEO of Vodacom/Vodafone International and is currently CEO and Co-Founder of LLH Capital, bringing expertise in team building, value creation, and business transformation.
Brings over 20 years of early and growth-stage investment experience across Africa. Has served on boards across four continents and held key positions in multiple developmental funds with deep governance expertise in scaling African businesses globally.
Former Group Chief Executive of Fedsure Financial Services Group. Currently provides consulting services to numerous businesses with a focus on strategy and business development.
Basserabie formerly served as Group Chief Executive of Fedsure Financial Services Group, where he oversaw significant asset growth and shareholder value creation. He currently provides strategic business consulting and serves as an actuary and certified financial planner.
Principal at Contineo Financial Services and adviser to high net worth individuals and families in South Africa and internationally. Former Senior Partner at Arthur Andersen with extensive non-executive director experience.
Oblowitz is principal of Contineo Financial Services and serves as advisor to high net worth families and entities. His career includes senior partnership at Arthur Andersen and expertise in fiduciary, corporate finance, and family office advisory services.
Former General Manager of ABSA Private Bank and board member of SEDA with over 20 years of experience across business functions including HR, finance, IT, operations, and strategy.
Habib brings over 20 years of executive experience across HR, finance, IT, operations, and strategy in telecommunications, banking, and government sectors. She has held senior positions including General Manager of Absa Private Bank and served on multiple corporate and non-profit boards.
Renowned South African entrepreneur who founded Creative Counsel and appeared on Shark Tank South Africa. Previously voted EY Southern Africa World Entrepreneur.
Oved is a South African entrepreneur and investor with a CFA qualification. He co-founded The Creative Counsel, which was acquired by Publicis Groupe in a landmark advertising deal. He has appeared on Shark Tank and Dragons Den South Africa and won the EY Southern Africa World Entrepreneur Award.
Holds undergraduate degree in entrepreneurship and business management with finance major, and completed honours and master's degrees in strategic management focused on startup strategy and entrepreneurship.
Nyamadzawo brings academic expertise in entrepreneurship, business management, and strategic management with focus on startup strategy. Prior to joining Kalon, he worked as an investment finance teaching assistant and provided consultancy services to startups on capital-raising and strategic planning.
Investment professional with expertise in corporate finance, private equity, and venture capital. He transitioned from the insurance and financial services sector to join Kalon Venture Partners, where he contributes to backing innovative tech startups using his corporate finance background.
Holds a B.Com Honours in Corporate Finance and Investment from the University of the Witwatersrand. Applies expertise in venture capital at Kalon supporting innovative tech startups.
What they invest in
from 2 of 10 portfolio companiesSaaS ×2B2B Marketplaces ×1Cybersecurity ×1Enterprise Software ×1Fintech ×1
HQs:South Africa×2
Investments · 10 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathSendmarc provides DMARC, email authentication, and breach detection solutions to protect businesses against phishing, spoofing, domain impersonation, and email-based attacks. The platform serves enterprises and managed service providers seeking to secure their email infrastructure and restore user trust.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareSaaSJohannesburg, ZA
Sam Hutchinson(Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer)Keith Thompson(Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer)Sacha Matulovich(Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer)
Talk360 is a mobile calling app and payment infrastructure platform focused on Africa. Through its co-launched NjiaPay platform, it provides a unified checkout system integrating local currencies and payment methods to enable African consumers to purchase digital services previously inaccessible to them.
B2B MarketplacesFintechSaaSSouth Africa, ZA
Dean
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Kalon Venture Partners invest at?
- Kalon Venture Partners invests at the Growth stage.
- What sectors does Kalon Venture Partners focus on?
- Kalon Venture Partners focuses on Fintech, InsurTech, Media & Entertainment, Retail Tech, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Kalon Venture Partners located?
- Kalon Venture Partners is headquartered in South Africa, ZA.
- Does Kalon Venture Partners lead rounds?
- Kalon Venture Partners typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
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