Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for investment?

To apply to be a Zebra you need to meet the basic criteria:

A South African registered company
At least one female founder
Seeking early-stage funding i.e. not more than R 300 000
Strong preference for tech-enabled businesses and/or defensible IP
Ability to scale
A clear business model

To apply, please complete the Zebra application form, and send a two-page summary to info@dazzleangels.com

Do you take debt or equity in the business?

Dazzle Angels takes an unsecured, equity stake in the business, but we may offer other funding options depending on the business and industry such as a loan or revenue-based financing. We will become minority shareholders in your business and will be actively involved as that is where we believe we can add the most value while protecting our investment. We take on the risk with you, and if you succeed, then we succeed, ensuring that our interests are aligned.

Do you sign NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreements) or Confidentiality Agreements?

No. We will not sign an NDA or confidentiality agreement. You need to be able to describe your value proposition and basic business model to us without disclosing your Intellectual Property (IP). If you can’t do that, then your IP is probably not worth protecting. Harsh, we know, but true. If we are interested in learning more, beyond the initial application, we will consider signing an NDA if we believe registering your IP will be negatively impacted. We've also agreed as a partnership to never share any confidential information.

I am still negotiating the ownership of my IP. Will this be a problem?

We are very reluctant to invest in businesses which are still negotiating IP ownership or rights. This is because complex IP relationships are expensive to negotiate and structure, it creates additional risk and we don’t want you to use all of our investment on legal fees. Once you have finalised IP ownership and/or usage rights, we would be happy to consider your business for investment.

My business is outside of your mandate, but will it still be considered?

We consider all applications but one of the very first questions we ask is “is it in our mandate?”. If it is not in our mandate, we will politely decline. This is because while you might need funding, we believe that we can add real value, through our networks, experience and skills to businesses that fall into our mandate and that this is where the real value in our investment lies.

Can I still apply if I am not a female founder?

Yes we would love to hear from you, as long as you have a female co-founder, where your female co-founder is a significant shareholder, and you are empowering females through your business.

I am not located in South Africa. Am I still eligible for funding?

At this stage we are only looking to fund South African registered and based businesses. This is because we are “hands-on” investors and will be actively involved in your business. We will meet with you regularly so we can assist you to build your business, because most of our angels are experienced in building businesses in this market, and have local networks.

Can I choose which angels invest in my business? And which angels I would like to work with?

No, we invest as a group, not on an individual basis, so all of our angels will share the investment into your business. Once we have decided that we will invest in your business, we will match you with the angels that we feel will add the most value to your business. This may change overtime as your business grows and your needs change, and of course all the angels will be there to assist you, but you will be assigned a lead angel.

If I am not eligible for funding from Dazzle what other resources can I access to help me build my business?

There are a number of entrepreneurial support organisations which you can join or subscribe too, as well as directories of funders and grants which you could apply for.

Support Organisations, Events & Networks:

Funding Sources & Directories:

I’m not looking for investment, but want to ask one of the Dazzle Angels to be my mentor.

We do not provide mentorship to businesses outside of our portfolio at this stage. Each of the angels are actively involved in mentoring our portfolio businesses, many run their own businesses and have a number of commitments outside of Dazzle. You may ask them to mentor you on an individual basis, but you should also consider joining one of the support organisations listed above.