The Venture Codex

Participated · Series A · Aug 2026

Jem is led by founders Simon Ellis and Caroline van der Merwe and has attracted recent investor backing. Public remarks from investor Bevan Ducasse praise the company's culture, customer obsession, creativity and ambition. The company recently closed an $8.4 million Series A round led by Quona Capital. The article does not provide details on Jem's products, services, revenue, users, or location. It also does not report founding year or specific operating metrics. Investor commentary emphasizes confidence in the team's mission and execution.

Led · Equity · Dec 2025

Founded in 2019 as a Stellenbosch University spin-off, Immobazyme has built a precision-fermentation platform that designs, optimizes, and scales the production of complex proteins such as recombinant growth factors, peptides, and enzymes. The company already generates revenue by supplying these biomolecules to industrial clients in sectors like cultivated meat, cosmetics, and research. Management positions the platform as a cost-effective alternative to traditional large-scale bioreactors, aiming to make local biologics manufacturing viable in price-sensitive African markets. With fresh capital, Immobazyme plans to complete a 1,800 m² production facility in Cape Town and expand into higher-value pharmaceutical applications through a proprietary therapeutics program. The team, led by co-founder and CEO Dominic Nicholas, believes localized production will reduce Africa’s dependency on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients and mitigate supply-chain risks. To date, the company has raised roughly R50 million (about $2.9 million) in external funding.

Led · Equity · Feb 2024

CubeSpace ADCS develops modular, low-cost attitude determination and control systems for satellites, claiming capabilities to control satellites of any size. The company says its systems enable researchers, private companies, and governments to build satellites faster, with smaller teams and lower cost. With new funding CubeSpace plans to expand into international markets and scale its product range to control satellites up to one ton using large reaction wheels. The wheels will incorporate a high-efficiency precision electrical motor developed in-house. CEO Mike-Alec Kearney highlighted the company’s focus on meeting the satellite constellation market’s need for high-performance, low-cost reaction wheels that can be delivered in high volumes. The article tags the company in the South African tech context.