Top 10 Technology Companies in South Africa

10 Top South African Startups

1. 1. Agrigistics – Farmer Clocking and Payroll Management
   2. Itakane Health – Preventative Healthcare
   3. BATTALION Technologies – Autonomous Guided Vehicles
   4. Dark Pools – Real-Time Fraud Detection
   5. Fintech Systems – Business Automation
   6. Africa Slurry Pump Solutions – Slurry Pump Technology
   7. Stitch – Finance Management
   8. PayCurve – Early Salary Access
   9. Green Riders – Last-Mile Delivery E-bikes
   10. The Compost Kitchen – Kitchen Waste Composting

Selection Process for the 10 Startups

The data in this report comes from StartUs Insights’ Discovery Platform, covering 4.7 million startups, scaleups, and tech companies globally. We applied filters such as location, founding year, technology readiness, and employee count, narrowing the results down to 1623 emerging companies located in South Africa. From these companies, we selected 10 standout startups using funding information and a proprietary popularity metric called Signal Strength. Signal Strength measures the extent of a company’s influence within the global innovation ecosystem. Let’s dive in!

1. Agrigistics

• Founding Year: 2019
• Industry: Agriculture
• Technology: Farmer Clocking and Payroll Management

Agrigistics improves labor management in labor-intensive industries like farming, by offering a cloud-based solution that integrates time and attendance tracking, activity monitoring, and payroll processing. The company utilizes radio-frequency identification (RFID), biometric systems, and real-time data analytics to manage the workforce efficiently. Further, it automates payroll processes and provides live operational insights to enhance compliance with regulations, optimize labor costs, streamline operations, and improve productivity.

2. Itakane Health

• Founding Year: 2020
• Industry: Healthcare
• Technology: Preventative Healthcare

Itakane Health uses data analytics to develop preventative healthcare technology solutions. For instance, its BCM Pulse application addresses occupational health and safety (OHS) and pandemic management. It provides real-time screening and infection risk control. VitalSmarts, a secure digital health platform, offers medical record access, AI-driven diagnostics, and online consultations with verified doctors. Additionally, ReproHealth AI, a predictive reproductive health engine, leverages machine learning (ML) and cloud technologies to forecast fertility outcomes. Itakane Health’s solutions optimize healthcare delivery to provide personalized, data-driven approaches for improving public health.

3. BATTALION Technologies

• Founding Year: 2019
• Industry: Cross Industry
• Technology: Autonomous Guided Vehicles

BATTALION Technologies provides autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) that use sensors and AI to navigate for transporting pallets and moving heavy loads within warehouses, manufacturing plants, and logistics environments. The vehicles offer features like high-resolution 3D vision, laser or magnetic line navigation, and strong construction. These features enable the AGVs to operate reliably in demanding conditions, including narrow aisles and large-scale facilities. Thus, the AGVs streamline operations, reduce labor costs, and increase productivity.

4. Dark Pools

• Founding Year: 2021
• Industry: Cross Industry
• Technology: Real-time Fraud Detection

Dark Pools offers real-time fraud detection solutions by leveraging AI and ML to enhance security across various industries. Its HyDDEP platform integrates data from multiple sources to create unified datasets for operational and analytical purposes. AIMLow product uses advanced analytics with supervised and unsupervised ML models to identify emerging data patterns on a dashboard. NERoML offers network and temporal analytics through an interface that reveals hidden data relationships, while its geospatial science tools enable geocoding and visualizing data points in a single view. Together these solutions detect and mitigate fraud by integrating data from various systems and deploying scalable AI models tailored to use cases such as readiness, fraud detection, and public finance.

5. Fintech Systems

• Founding Year: 2019
• Industry: FinTech, eCommerce
• Technology: Business Automation

Fintech Systems develops Business Automation System (BAS), a cloud-based solution that streamlines customer management, billing, and accounting processes for businesses. BAS uses laravel PHP framework and Vue.js to automate tasks like invoice generation, payment tracking, and subscription management. The system’s modular architecture customizes and supports features like direct debit processing and integration with e-commerce platforms. With this, Fintech Systems optimizes operational efficiency and enhances financial management by providing customer data and automated accounting capabilities.

6. Africa Slurry Pump Solutions

• Founding Year: 2019
• Industry: Oil & Gas, Mining
• Technology: Slurry Pump Technology

Africa Slurry Pump Solutions (SPS) provides specialized slurry pump technology for the mining and minerals processing industries. These pumps handle abrasive and high density slurries. Its HART pumps with its series such as HA, HAR, and HV/HVR maintain operational efficiency and minimize downtime. They find applications in high-pressure to semi-submerged operations in harsh environments and improve coal washing and gemstone operations. This enhances the processing of mining and minerals operations.

7. Stitch

• Founding Year: 2019
• Industry: FinTech
• Technology: Finance Management

Stitch offers a finance management platform to ease payment processes for businesses by integrating directly with banks and financial networks. This platform enables businesses to accept and manage payments, including bank transfers, card payments, manual electronic funds transfers (EFTs), and cash. Further, Stitch routes and reconciles transactions across different payment methods and geographies to enhance both operational efficiency and customer experience. Also, the platform offers features including easy payment processing, account verification, and fraud prevention.

8. PayCurve

• Founding Year: 2020
• Industry: Human Resource Technology
• Technology: Early Salary Access

PayCurve provides an earned wage access (EWA) solution that allows employees to access a portion of their earned salary before the regular payday. This assists individuals manage mid-month expenses and reduce reliance on short-term credit options. Also, it assists employers by integrating into existing payroll systems. Further, it offers features such as real-time access to wages and gamified financial education tools that promote smarter money management.

9. Green Riders

• Founding Year: 2022
• Industry: Logistics
• Technology: Last-Mile Delivery E-bikes

Green Riders offers Mach 2 Cargo E-Bikes, a fleet of e-bikes for last-mile delivery. These bikes feature battery management systems that link to two custom-made battery packs. The company also prioritizes rider safety and support by integrating IoT tracking devices into the e-bikes and batteries. These devices continuously send data to the Green Riders dashboard to monitor the bikes in real-time and enhance the safety and security of all riders.

10. The Compost Kitchen

• Founding Year: 2019
• Industry: Waste Management
• Technology: Kitchen Waste Composting

The Compost Kitchen builds iCompost, a device that converts kitchen waste into vermicompost by drying, grinding, cooling, and UV sterilizing. It features a touch panel to manage food scraps, a built-in grinder that breaks down waste, and a carbon filter that eliminates odors. While the UV sterilization process makes the process hygienic, the compost activator increases its efficiency. This way the solution recycles food waste while reducing landfill contributions and greenhouse gas emissions.

Explore the South African Startup Ecosystem

The startups in South Africa’s ecosystem consist of 1623 companies with an average of 13 employees, highlighting its lean, agile nature. Key industries include manufacturing, oil & gas, renewable energy, edtech, and healthcare, reflecting a focus on sectors vital to both economic growth and sustainability.

Major investors, such as Grindstone Ventures, Google for Startups, Alphawave Ventures, Climate Finance Accelerator South Africa, and e4eAfrica, drive early-stage funding through seed, pre-seed, and Series A rounds, supporting startups in their critical growth phases. This ecosystem fosters collaboration between startups and corporates, leveraging accelerators and incubators to introduce innovative solutions while offering corporates access to cutting-edge technologies and new market opportunities.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. For personalized insights into the local or global startup ecosystem, depending on your needs, get in touch with us. We can provide tailored information and analysis to help you navigate the vibrant startup landscape.