Khula! Secures R126M in Series A Funding to Drive Agri-Tech Growth in South Africa
Khula! raises R126M in Series A funding, led by E Squared Investments, to expand its agri-tech platform. With support from Absa, AECI, and others, Khula! aims to empower farmers, enhance access to finance, and drive agricultural innovation in South Africa.
Khula! has raised R126M from its existing shareholders; Absa Bank, AECI, E Squared, PepsiCo’s Kgodiso Fund and with contributions from the founders Karidas Tshintsholo and Matthew Piper. The round is led by E squared Investments who were the first institutional investors in Khula!
“The Series A is an exciting milestone for us. Having started a few years ago just loading spinach in the back of a VW polo. It is the culmination of the dedication and incredible work that the Khula! Team delivers on a daily basis”. Says CEO, Co-Founder Karidas Tshintsholo
Khula! Is now inviting new investors who wish to participate in the second part of the Series A investment Round that is due to close by the end of Q2 2025. Khula! Is looking for strategic investors who are aligned with its mission and who can add value beyond financial contributions.
“As the biggest financier of agriculture in South Africa, we are committed to enabling financial inclusion and supporting a new era of farmers,” says Faisal Mkhize, Chief Executive at Absa Business Banking. “Congratulations to the Khula! team. We are excited to be part of the Khula! growth story and look forward to the innovation and transformation that the next phase of investment will unlock.” says Faisal Mkhize, Absa Bank
Khula! is a leader in agri-tech in South Africa, and has built an ecosystem that addresses challenges across the agricultural value chain. This includes an Inputs App that connects farmers with agricultural inputs and technical services as well as a Trading platform that connects vetted farmers with leading buyers of their agricultural supplies. Khula! has also been working with leading finance and developmental institutions to help de-risk lending to smaller & semi-commercial farmers.
“E Squared Investments has been privileged to support the Khula! founding team since the early stages of their journey, witnessing their evolution into an innovative, high-impact agri-tech platform. This Series A round reflects thestrong confidence that existing investors have in Khula!’s vision and execution. As the lead investor, we are proud toback the team in reaching the first close and remain committed to supporting their growth. We welcomevalues-aligned, strategic investors to join us in accelerating Khula!’s expansion and deepening its impact intransforming the agricultural sector.” says Gladwyn Leeuw, E Squared Investments
Khula! intends to use this funding to strengthen its position in the South African agri-value chain and to further its work in supporting farmers to grow their businesses. The team will also be launching exciting new intelligent innovations to provide greater access for farmers, and setting its sites to new markets.
”AECI first invested in Khula! in 2020, driven by frustration over the challenges facing the emerging farmer market. This sector was fragmented, with farmers lacking access to technical support, financial services, and affordable agricultural inputs. As Quintin Cross, Managing Executive of AECI Plant Health, explains & qoute “While AECI has established itself as a leader in the commercial farming sector with agrochemical and plant nutrition inputs, we remain committed to supporting emerging farmers. Their success is vital for the broader agricultural landscape, which is why we’ve chosen to participate in the Khula! Series A funding round, This investment reinforces our long-term commitment to empowering this market and ensuring its sustainable growth alongside Khula!.”
