Final call for nominations: 2025 SAVCA Industry Awards
This year, for the seventh consecutive time, the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) will celebrate the transformative power of private capital. The 2025 SAVCA Industry Awards ceremony, set to take place on 07 November, will once again set the benchmark for the best in local entrepreneurship and innovation; boosted by the private capital asset class. SAVCA has now issued the final call for nominations, either from portfolio companies themselves or from their investment partners.
“Each year, we see the bar being raised higher than the year before. Likewise, the calibre of business leaders that we have the honour of celebrating, continues to inspire us as an industry body, as well as the investors who have real skills in recognising growth potential,” says Nicola Gubb, SAVCA’s Interim Executive Director.
Standard award categories (plus a brand new one)
The SAVCA Industry Awards has four categories, the first being for start-ups or companies supported by venture capital. Entrants in this category need to be less than 5 years old and be engaged in early-stage funding efforts (Series A or Series B, excluding seed/pre-seed revenue.
The second category is reserved for small companies with an enterprise value of under R200 million and revenue of under R200 million. Entering companies need to be established with positive operating cash flows.
Companies with an enterprise value and revenue of over R200 million (and under R1.5 billion) are eligible to enter the category for medium companies. Lastly, portfolio companies with an enterprise and revenue of over R1.5 billion can enter the fourth category, set aside for large companies.
This year, for the first time since the inception of the SAVCA Industry Awards, a new ‘GP Award’ category will be introduced. This award will recognise an individual from a fund management firm who has provided exceptional support to a portfolio company. To scoop this prestigious title, the GP professional must have been integral to the success of the transaction and to the subsequent growth of the portfolio company.
Nomination deadline just around the corner
All nominees must be headquartered in Southern Africa and able to show the demonstrated gains that have resulted from partnering with a private equity or venture capital investment firm, which must have exited in the past 18-24 months (leading up to December 2024).
After the nomination deadline (08 August 2025), all nominees will be reviewed. The judging panel – which consists of renowned business leaders and captains of industry – will release a shortlist of finalists for each category. These finalists will then be interviewed and individually assessed by the judges. The winners in each category will be announced at the SAVCA Industry Awards ceremony on 7 November 2025.
A word from the winners
Last year’s winners across all categories were testament to the resilience of local entrepreneurs and their relentless drive to excel – many times, against the odds. In particular, the SME sector, who are the backbone of our economy and drive job creation and innovation was celebrated. In this regard, hearX, who won in the Start-up and Venture Capital Award category, shared their encouragement for more nominations as we approach the upcoming 2025 Industry Awards. As a pioneering health tech company, hearX is committed to making hearing healthcare accessible worldwide. With a global footprint spanning over 190 countries and more than 2.4 million lives impacted, hearX exemplifies the transformative power of early-stage investment and innovation with purpose.
“Winning the SAVCA Startup Award for 2024 was more than a moment of recognition. It acknowledges the journey that hearX has taken from startup to global innovator and highlighted how far we've come with the trust and backing of our valued investors, partners, clients, and team. This award reminded us of the daily real-world change we're creating and serves as inspiration for us to continue pioneering new ways in the hearing tech space.” says Nicole Myburgh, Marketing Lead at hearX Group.
As Vuyo Ntoi, SAVCA Chairperson concludes: “What we’re really looking for in this year’s nominations are portfolio companies who have stood out not only in terms of financial performance, but in how they’ve leveraged private capital to drive innovation, create jobs, expand into new markets, and build resilient, future-ready businesses.
We call on investor and investee companies to submit nominations – your success stories demonstrate the true value of the private equity and venture capital ecosystem in our region.”
Nominations can be made here:
