Cape Town-based venture capital firm Knife Capital is marking its 15th anniversary with a pair of new Series A investments into South African startups Sticitt and Optique; two tech-driven businesses tackling entrenched problems in school payments and eye care.
Fintech startup Sticitt, founded in 2018 by Theo Kitshof, is digitising school payments while gamifying financial literacy for students. Its platform is used by over 75,000 users across 841 schools and has processed more than ZAR 6.3 B in transactions.
Beyond simplifying how parents pay for school services, the company, which previously raised seed funding in 2022, is positioning its youth banking tool as a driver of long-term financial inclusion. Knife’s investment builds on earlier backing via Grindstone Ventures, with this latest round intended to streamline the cap table and accelerate expansion.
Optique, launched in 2017, is challenging the traditional optometry model with a digitally enabled, low-cost offering. With 19 branches and an online store, the company targets under-served South Africans, offering ZAR 99.00 eye tests, all-inclusive pricing, and interest-free plans.
Founder Leon van Vuuren said the Knife backing will support national growth and bring world-class eye care to consumers left behind by legacy providers.
Knife Capital, which manages three funds, including the newly launched Knife Fund III, says these bets reflect a sharper focus on scalable, impact-driven innovation as it enters its next growth phase.
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