The South African Business Angel Network will be launched in Johannesburg on 24 August 2016. Their aim is to “revitalize and grow angel investing” in the country, they said. The angel network is convened by South African-based entrepreneur Chris Campbell. He was inspired after his EBAN (European Business Angel Network) Winter University 2014 in Helsinki, Finland, and wanted to replicate the EBAN effect in South Africa.
Conversations that led to the creation of SABAN began as recently as May 2016, with Chris working with companies including the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Newtown Partners, Alan Gray Orbis Foundation, Entrepreneur Traction, GBAN, Silicon Cape, SiMODiSA, VC4Africa and Clifftop Colony. I contacted my partner.
, Knife Capital, SA Enterprise Development, DEMO Africa, Venture Networks, French Tech Hub, Methys, Jozi Angels. ABAN, an organization serving Africa in the same capacity that EBAN serves Europe, has contributed as well. They called it a “network of networks” and pointed out that:
The South African economy, like many African countries, suffers from high unemployment and low GDP growth, so managers and their activities are in great need. SABAN wants to help revitalize the whole system by providing a platform for these entrepreneurs to access capital more easily, and (as more angels join the space) this process I hope it becomes easier. Those helping to promote SABAN include Audrey Mospi (NFBAN board member), Craig Mallett, Anthony Farr, Bouisa Kabaka, Alexandra Fraser, Dean Cannell, David van Dijk, Ben White, Tomi Davis (LAN), Lou Klassen, Matsi Modise, Elizabeth Gould, Gareth Blore, Anthony Record, Christophe Viarneau, Rebecca Henonchon, Abu Kassim.
SABAN is expected to become self-sustaining by early 2017.
Source – EBAN