The startup scene across South Africa

The national R&D survey reported 2023/24 expenditure of R10.578 billion in medical and health sciences, R5.760 billion in engineering sciences, R4.835 billion in ICT, R3.650 billion in biotechnology, and R1.342 billion in nanotechnology. Business-sector R&D spending was concentrated in financial and business services (45.8%), manufacturing (29.9%), and mining and quarrying (10.5%).

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: SA’s research and development spending grows modestly amid economic challenges

SAVCA reported that ICT represented 65.9% of 2024 venture-capital deal value, while health represented 20% of Southern African deal value. Series A accounted for 42.5% of reported deals in 2024.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Venture capital sector hits R13.35bn with tech and health leading investment activity

StartupBlink’s 2026 index ranks Cape Town third among African startup cities and Johannesburg fifth; it reports annual score growth of 39.0% for Cape Town and 8.8% for Johannesburg. The index distinguishes population-adjusted country scores from city scores measuring absolute hub strength.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Best Startup Ecosystems in Africa in 2026

Gauteng accounted for 40.2% of national R&D expenditure in 2023/24, compared with 27.9% for the Western Cape and 10.0% for KwaZulu-Natal. Cape Town is the legislative capital, Pretoria the administrative capital, and Bloemfontein the judicial capital.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: SA’s research and development spending grows modestly amid economic challenges; South Africa's provinces

The Western Cape Government identifies UVU Africa as lead of its 2025 Cape Town and Western Cape ecosystem report, with the Western Cape Government, Wesgro, and City of Cape Town listed as partners. The report maps startups, support organizations, talent pipelines, and policy.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Cape Technology and Innovation Ecosystem Report 2025

SAVCA reported R13.35 billion in active venture-capital investments across Southern Africa at year-end 2024, up 24% year over year. Its 2025 survey reported R3.29 billion deployed to startups in 2024, comprising R2.62 billion in equity deals and R670 million in venture debt; it recorded 222 rounds involving 110 companies.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Venture capital sector hits R13.35bn with tech and health leading investment activity

Independent funds accounted for 80.8% of reported 2024 deals and 85.2% of deal value. Angel investors contributed 10.3% of both deal volume and deal value.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Venture capital sector hits R13.35bn with tech and health leading investment activity

DSTI says its Living Labs, Centres for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and mLabs provide physical space, structured support, and training intended to help move prototypes toward market; it reported establishing 13 Living Labs. The reviewed evidence does not establish application terms or a current application window.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Application availability not verified. Official information. Source: R10.4b allocation to advance science and innovation in South Africa

DSTI reported 19 approved KfW-linked infrastructure projects supporting vaccine development, testing, manufacturing, and regulation.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Application availability not verified. Official information. Source: R10.4b allocation to advance science and innovation in South Africa

For research-intensive ventures, the reported R&D fields include health, engineering, ICT, and biotechnology, while DSTI describes lab and center support for prototype development. Verify current eligibility and application routes directly, since the reviewed program claims do not establish an open application window.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: R10.4b allocation to advance science and innovation in South Africa; SA’s research and development spending grows modestly amid economic challenges

Cape Town and Johannesburg place third and fifth, respectively, among African startup cities in StartupBlink’s 2026 index, while Gauteng, the Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal account for distinct shares of national R&D expenditure. Treat regional R&D allocations and venture-capital survey measures as separate indicators rather than direct measures of startup deal flow in a particular city.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Best Startup Ecosystems in Africa in 2026; SA’s research and development spending grows modestly amid economic challenges

WIPO’s 2025 Global Innovation Index ranks South Africa 61st of 139 economies and gives the rank a statistical confidence interval of 58th to 66th; WIPO cautions that data availability and model changes affect year-to-year comparisons. Its tracker reports a 33% decline in venture-capital deal numbers from 2023 to 2024 and an 8.6% annual decline over 2020–2024.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: South Africa ranking in the Global Innovation Index 2025

SAVCA’s survey reports R13.35 billion in active Southern African venture-capital investments at year-end 2024; its reported regional scope should be retained when using that figure. The national R&D survey reports 2023/24 expenditure, while SAVCA’s cited active-investment figure is for year-end 2024.

As of Oct 4, 2026. Official information. Source: Venture capital sector hits R13.35bn with tech and health leading investment activity; SA’s research and development spending grows modestly amid economic challenges