How to apply to E Squared Investments as an African founder

TL;DR

E Squared Investments invests in sector-agnostic companies at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Growth, writes cheques of Varies (portfolio-wide, not publicly disclosed), and takes applications through a form on their website.

Who E Squared Investments is

E Squared Investments is a South Africa investor headquartered in Johannesburg. The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Entrepreneurship for the common good, supporting responsible entrepreneurs to create employment and address poverty in South Africa.

On the ground, E Squared Investments operates as a Pre-Seed, Seed, and Growth investor with an Africa focus described as "South Africa (primary), with pan-African reach". The fund's ceo is Gladwyn Leeuw, alongside Nazeem Martin (Board Chairman).

What they invest in

Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, and Growth
Sectors: Sector-agnostic. The fund calls itself sector-agnostic, but its actual portfolio tells a more concentrated story: 34% of classified portfolio companies are in Healthtech, and 33% are in Agritech.
Cheque size: Varies (portfolio-wide, not publicly disclosed)
Geography focus: South Africa / Yes -- South Africa (primary), with pan-African reach

How to apply

E Squared Investments takes applications through a form on https://www.esquared.org.za/. The apply field in their Trampoline entry describes it as "Via the website or direct outreach to the team". Go to the site, find the apply or contact path, and submit through that channel rather than emailing partners cold, since a fund that has built a form generally routes everything through it first.

Portfolio pattern

E Squared Investments's portfolio, as listed in their Trampoline fund page, includes:

Impulse Biomed (South Africa): Affordable medical device development
Khula! (South Africa): Digital agriculture platform for farmers
Regenize (South Africa): Waste recycling and circular economy

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from E Squared Investments has funded, not just what the thesis claims it funds.

Before you apply

Have these ready before you reach out:

Deck: Check your readiness first so you know where the gaps are
Metrics dashboard: Set up your metrics dashboard so you can show real traction, not slides
Cap table
A one-line description of what your company does

FAQ

Does E Squared Investments have a sector focus?

E Squared Investments describes its mandate as sector-agnostic, meaning it does not restrict itself to a fixed list of sectors.

What stage does E Squared Investments typically write cheques at?

E Squared Investments invests at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Growth, with cheque sizes of Varies (portfolio-wide, not publicly disclosed).

Do you need a warm intro to apply to E Squared Investments?

No. E Squared Investments takes applications through a form on their website, so a warm intro is not required to apply, though it can still help your submission stand out.

Does E Squared Investments invest outside South Africa?

E Squared Investments's Africa focus is described as "South Africa (primary), with pan-African reach". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is E Squared Investments a remote or in-person fund?

E Squared Investments's format is listed as Hybrid.