Knife Capital announces two South African deals
Knife Capital, through its KNF II fund, has made new Series A investments into two South African startups: Sticitt and Optique.
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Knife Capital, through its KNF II fund, has made new Series A investments into two South African startups: Sticitt and Optique.
Founded in 2018, Sticitt is a fintech startup transforming the way South African schools manage money. By streamlining all school-related transactions into a simple, digital platform, Sticitt currently serves 841 schools, supports over 75,700 users, and has processed R6.3 billion (about $359.8 million) in transactions.
Sticitt’s mission goes beyond payments. It’s about shaping smart financial habits in children from a young age. Through its Sticitt Money platform, youth banking becomes a gamified learning experience. The company has formed strategic partnerships with Capitec Bank, Nedbank, Access Bank, Visa, and Mastercard, along with fellow edtech innovators like Snapplify and Stitch Money.
“Knife, with their strong track record of supporting the growth of their portfolio companies, is the perfect shareholder to help Sticitt through the next phase of the business' growth journey,” shared Theo Kitshoff, CEO and founder of Sticitt. “Their experience and extensive networks locally and abroad will play a vital role in helping Sticitt achieve significance and sustainability in supporting schools to operate more sustainably, whilst equipping future generations with healthy financial habits.”
Founded in 2017, Optique aims to make eye care more accessible and affordable through a digitally enabled model. The company operates 19 franchise-owned branches across South Africa, along with an online store. Its offering includes R99 (about $6) eye tests, interest-free payment plans and transparent pricing.
Optique founder Leon van Vuuren expressed his thoughts on the fundraise: “Optique has always been about redefining eye care accessibility through an innovative business model that blends technology, affordability, and convenience. This investment from Knife Capital is a pivotal step in accelerating our growth, expanding our footprint, and ensuring that more people have access to world-class optometry services.”
“Our focus has always been backing entrepreneurs who execute with purpose and clarity,” says Keet van Zyl, co-founder and partner at Knife Capital. “Both Sticitt and Optique are solving real-world problems in bold ways, whether it's digitising school payments or delivering innovative, digitally-enabled vision solutions. These investments reflect our belief in businesses that blend innovation, traction, and tenacity.”
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