How to apply to HAVAÍC as an African founder

TL;DR

HAVAÍC invests in sector-agnostic companies at Seed and Series B+, writes cheques of ~$1M+ (based on recent deals), and takes applications through direct outreach to the team.

Who HAVAÍC is

HAVAÍC is a Sub-Saharan Africa investor headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa. The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Investing in innovative, post-revenue African-born technology businesses with local relevance and international scalability.

On the ground, HAVAÍC operates as a Seed and Series B+ investor with an Africa focus described as "South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya". The fund's managing partner is Ian Lessem, alongside Rob Heath (Partner) and Kiara Suttner-Tromp (Partner).

What they invest in

Stages: Seed and Series B+
Sectors: Sector-agnostic. The fund calls itself sector-agnostic, but its actual portfolio tells a more concentrated story: 43% of classified portfolio companies are in Fintech, and 15% are in Enterprise.
Cheque size: ~$1M+ (based on recent deals)
Geography focus: Sub-Saharan Africa / Yes -- South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya

How to apply

HAVAÍC's application path is: "mailto:info@havaic.com". This reads as direct outreach rather than a public form, which means the fund is more reachable through a warm introduction or a well-targeted cold message than through a portal. Ian Lessem (Managing Partner) is the name most associated with the fund publicly, and a specific, well-prepared message referencing why you fit their stated thesis is a better opener than a generic pitch blast. Check https://www.havaic.com/ first in case a form or dedicated email address has since gone live.

Portfolio pattern

HAVAÍC's portfolio, as listed in their Trampoline fund page, includes:

Entersekt (South Africa): Authentication and mobile security
RapidDeploy (South Africa): Emergency response technology (exited to Motorola Solutions, 2025)
hearX Group (South Africa): Digital hearing healthcare (merged with Eargo, 2025)
SAPay (South Africa): Payments digitisation for the taxi industry
Sportable (South Africa): Sports data analytics using smart ball technology

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from HAVAÍC 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
A short, specific note explaining why you fit their stated thesis, ready to send cold or through a warm intro

FAQ

Does HAVAÍC have a sector focus?

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

What stage does HAVAÍC typically write cheques at?

HAVAÍC invests at Seed and Series B+, with cheque sizes of ~$1M+ (based on recent deals).

Do you need a warm intro to apply to HAVAÍC?

HAVAÍC's application path is direct outreach rather than a public form, so a warm introduction generally carries more weight than a cold message, though it is not stated as a hard requirement.

Does HAVAÍC invest outside Sub-Saharan Africa?

HAVAÍC's Africa focus is described as "South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is HAVAÍC a remote or in-person fund?

HAVAÍC's format is listed as Hybrid.