Innovation Edge is an impact-first investor focused on solving early childhood challenges in South Africa.
We support mission-aligned entrepreneurs and social innovators by de-risking early stage product and service development. We ignite the ecosystem around them; and provide multiple rounds of funding, bespoke strategic coaching, operational support and connections to social capital.
We prioritise innovative solutions that not only aim to make an impact, but also have the ability to sustain themselves beyond the period of our support.
Find
We’re always on the lookout for courageous people with creative concepts for solving early childhood challenges
Support
Our entrepreneur-friendly approach, flexible funding and hands-on non-financial support that is customised to suit the stage of each solution sets us apart from other investors.
Ignite
Our work also focuses on igniting greater innovation and entrepreneurship in the early childhood ecosystem
Our impact Areas.
More than 6 out of 10 children in South Africa are at risk of never reaching their full potential.
Over 60% of South Africa’s children live in poverty. Challenging life experiences during their first six years, compounded by systemic failure, reduce their possibility of present-day and future well-being. Our investments aim to improve the chances of children’s life-long success by influencing the quality of their first six years of life. We take a holistic approach to solving the issues in early childhood development by empowering innovation in four impact areas.
We strive for impact in 4 areas:
Early Learning in the Home
A child who has daily brain-building interactions right from birth develops strong learning foundations
Quality Early Learning Programmes
A child who attends a quality early learning programme for at least 2 years is more likely to start school on track
Early Health and Well-being
A child who receives nourishing food and good healthcare is able to grow to their full potential
Early Security and Safety
A child who feels safe and is protected from toxic levels of stress is free to thrive
INVESTMENTS
55
RANDS INVESTED
R46 Million
ACTIVE INVESTMENTS
11
EXITED INVESTMENTS
34
Featured investments.
Earlybird Educare@Work
A social enterprise building a network of high-quality Early Childhood Care and Education (‘educare’) centres across the socioeconomic spectrum in South Africa.
Finding Thabo
An interactive ‘Where’s Wally’ inspired game. It uses a Facebook Messenger chatbot and pictures to facilitate fun brain-building interactions between parents and children.
ELOM
The Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) is a South African population based child assessment tool that determines whether children are developmentally on track for their age and whether an Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme is effective in preparing children for entry into school, and identifies areas for programmatic improvement.
Pivoting Business Processes for Purpose with Barrows
Barrows is a design and manufacturing company that produces display units for retailers all over South Africa. In February 2017, Innovation Edge and Barrows set out to explore this question: Could excess business inventory be used to print early learning materials and distribute them to under-resourced communities throughout South Africa?
Latest insights and stories.
Unpacking Barriers to Inclusive Learning for Children with Disabilities in South Africa
Imagine if every child, regardless of their circumstances, could receive the exact support they need to thrive in early learning. Unfortunately, in South Africa, creating truly inclusive environments for children with disabilities remains a significant challenge in...
Insights into Inclusive Learning for Children with Disabilities
We’ve all had unique experiences when it comes to learning, shaped by our backgrounds, abilities, and personal circumstances among other things. These experiences have influenced our development and progress in different ways, highlighting the significance of positive...
OURS’ EdTech Xchange Event Unlocks New Opportunities
Effectively promoting an innovative venture is crucial for any entrepreneur as it can open doors to numerous opportunities. These opportunities can include increased demand for the product or service, potential collaborations, partnerships, and networking prospects....