Savant selected as a Catalytic Fund Partner for Green Outcomes Fund Phase II
Access to capital remains one of the greatest barriers facing South Africa’s green businesses. While many companies have developed commercially viable solutions to environmental challenges, scaling those businesses often requires different forms of capital working together. Investment provides the foundation for growth, while targeted grant funding can help businesses expand faster, create more jobs and pursue opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach.
This is the significance of Savant’s selection as one of four Catalytic Fund Partners for Green Outcomes Fund Phase II (GOF II), delivered by GreenCape. The partnership enables qualifying businesses backed through Aséli Impact Capital to access additional grant funding linked to the sustainable jobs they create, strengthening the long-term investment already provided through Aséli.
For qualifying portfolio companies, this additional capital can support business expansion, skills development, increased production capacity and the pursuit of larger commercial opportunities. Because the funding is non-dilutive, businesses can accelerate their growth without placing further pressure on founder ownership, allowing entrepreneurs to retain greater control while scaling their companies.
The Green Outcomes Fund was established to increase investment into South African green SMMEs that deliver measurable environmental outcomes alongside sustainable job creation. Following the success of its first phase, GOF II has secured R85.5 million in grant funding, supported by National Treasury’s Jobs Fund, with philanthropy and CSI partners.. Savant joins three other Catalytic Fund Partners selected to help channel this support to the next generation of high-potential green businesses.
The partnership reinforces the philosophy behind Aséli’s permanent capital model. Investment capital provides the long-term foundation for business growth, while catalytic grant funding helps businesses accelerate their development at critical stages of their journey. Together, these complementary forms of capital create stronger businesses with greater capacity to grow, employ people and compete in emerging green markets.
For South Africa, the benefits extend well beyond individual companies. Businesses that successfully scale create skilled employment, strengthen domestic supply chains and contribute to the development of new industries capable of supporting a more resilient, lower-carbon economy. Unlocking the right combination of investment and catalytic funding increases the likelihood that these businesses can realise their full potential.
The selection of Savant as a Catalytic Fund Partner reflects a broader understanding that building South Africa’s green economy requires more than investment alone. It requires financial ecosystems that combine patient capital, strategic partnerships and targeted support to help promising businesses become enduring contributors to economic growth, industrial development and environmental sustainability.