Savant has opened applications for Cohort 4 of the Savant Build Programme, a funded accelerator supporting African deep-tech and hardware founders building scalable solutions for climate and green economy sectors. Applications close on 15 June 2026, with the three-month programme beginning in August 2026.
Designed specifically for technical founders, the Build Programme combines venture-building support, engineering and commercial expertise, investor readiness, mentorship and strategic networks to help startups become investment-ready and positioned for scale.
The 2026 cohort will focus primarily on startups developing solutions in climate-tech and the green economy, including decarbonisation, resource efficiency, sustainable energy, conservation, circular economy, water and waste management. A limited number of standout deep-tech and hardware ventures outside these sectors will also be considered.
Top-performing graduates may qualify for grant funding of €80,000, approximately R1.6 million, following successful completion of the programme. Exceptional companies may also be considered for further equity investment through the Savant Venture Fund. Participating startups gain access to Savant’s investor network, strategic partners, expert advisors and up to one year of post-programme support.
The programme was created to address a gap it has repeatedly observed over its 20-year history of working with science, engineering and deep-tech ventures across Africa: highly capable technical founders often struggle to access the commercial support, strategic guidance and investment readiness required to scale breakthrough technologies.
Unlike traditional accelerators, Build is designed specifically around the realities of hardware and deep-tech ventures, where founders face longer development cycles, prototyping and manufacturing complexity, supply chain challenges, intellectual property considerations, higher capital requirements and more technical due diligence processes.
“We invest in founders beyond capital,” said Nick Allen, Managing Partner at Savant. “Technical founders are solving some of the continent’s most important challenges, but the support they need is fundamentally different from what most traditional accelerators offer. Hardware and deep-tech startups require specialised guidance around product development, manufacturing, IP, market access, fundraising and commercialisation. Build exists to help those founders become ready for the partnerships and investment they need to scale.”
The programme combines in-person workshops in Cape Town with online masterclasses, tailored mentorship, investor readiness support, pitch coaching and practical venture-building tools. Founders receive support across areas including go-to-market strategy, product development, financial modelling, cap tables, fundraising strategy, operations, team building, intellectual property and investor storytelling.
The Build Programme has already established a strong track record. Alumni companies have collectively raised more than R150 million after participating in the programme, while participating startups have achieved an average 150% revenue growth post-programme. Some of the programme’s top-performing ventures have increased their valuations by up to 7x, while female founder representation across cohorts has exceeded 35%, outperforming broader industry averages across Africa’s venture ecosystem.
Notable South African companies that have participated in the programme include AI Diagnostics, which recently raised R85 million, and Pyroltech, which recently secured R13 million in funding. Other companies in the Build network include Mushroom Guru, Homefarm, Switch Energy, Bioage, EchoUS, Eagle Eye Defense, Boombio, Denshe Beauty, Amnova, LinkSensi, Amya, Petite French, LignoOrganic, Monsapo from Tunisia, Atarec from Morocco and Pysis from Nigeria.
For Cohort 4, Savant is seeking founders and teams who are:
- Building proprietary hardware or deep-tech solutions
- Registered and operating in an African country
- Actively seeking capital
- At pre-seed to seed stage with an established proof of concept
- Demonstrating early market traction and scalable applications
- Building in climate, green economy or other high-impact sectors
- Supported by strong technical capability and a learning mindset
The 2026 Build Programme is supported by Savant, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Western Cape Government Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT).
Applications for Cohort 4 close on 15 June 2026.
About Savant
Savant is a South African investment and venture-building firm with a 20-year track record of supporting science, engineering, hardware and deep-tech ventures across Africa. Through its programmes, advisory work and investment funds, Savant helps founders commercialise innovation, access capital, build scalable businesses and compete in local and global markets.
For more information, visit www.savant.co.za/build/
