Bellatrix Investment Managers will on Wednesday launch the Ndjaba Seed Fund, targeting early-stage businesses across Southern Africa as part of efforts to close a persistent funding gap.
The fund is aimed at startups that have moved beyond the idea stage but lack the capital needed to validate and scale their operations.
Managing Director Jesaya Hano-Oshike said the initiative is designed to address limited access to early-stage funding in the region.
“Southern Africa has a strong pipeline of entrepreneurs with the potential to build impactful businesses. However, access to early-stage capital remains limited. The Ndjaba Seed Fund is designed to bridge this gap by providing both funding and the support needed to scale,” he said.
Although based in Namibia, the fund will invest across Southern Africa, backing businesses with the potential to grow and expand into multiple markets.
The fund targets the so-called “missing middle”, where businesses are too advanced for grants but not yet able to access traditional financing.
Bellatrix said the fund will combine funding with technical support, networks and investor readiness programmes to improve the chances of success for early-stage ventures.
The name Ndjaba, meaning elephant in Oshiwambo, reflects the fund’s aim to grow small businesses into large, resilient enterprises.
The launch comes as early-stage investing gains traction as a driver of economic diversification and job creation across the region.
Bellatrix Investment Managers has previously supported hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises through its funding and support programmes.
