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This study explores and identifies the investment criteria used by South African venture capitalists in their venture screening and evaluation processes. Using a Likert scale type of questionnaire, South African venture capitalists (VCs) were asked to rate the investment criteria identified in similar studies abroad and to report any additional criteria of their own. By evaluating the mean ratings, it was found that South African VCs consider the entrepreneur’s honesty and integrity; a good expected market acceptance; and a high internal rate of return (IRR), to be the three most important criteria. The South African VCs, just like their overseas counterparts, regard management considerations to be the most important criteria group in the evaluation of new investment projects. The results of this study are deemed useful to both venture capitalists in their decision-making process and to entrepreneurs in their venture capital applications to maximise their success rate.

The paper investigates seasonal effects in seventeen indices on nine African stock markets using regression analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square Median tests. Significant seasonal effects are found on some, but not all indices. The strongest effect observed is the month-of-the-year effect followed by the day-of-the-week effect. The West African Regional stock Exchange (BRVM) exhibited a reversed ‘December decline - January rise’ pattern, while the turn-of-the-month effect observed for Egypt disappeared after the turn-of-the-year effect was removed. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, no seasonal effects for Namibia were found. For the other markets, at least one seasonal effect was observed, suggesting some exploitable trading opportunities.

The aim of this paper is to assess which factors impact the development of early-stage venture capital in South Africa. Factors identified for other markets and countries are explored and their relative importance in South Africa determined from the perspective of market participants. These include venture capital and private equity fund managers, government institutions, intermediaries and university research coordinators. The study used both an online survey, to capture a broad representation of opinion, and interviews, for in-depth responses. There was broad consensus among respondents with regards to the key factors requiring attention, which include the lack of funds targeted at early-stage investments, the lack of specialised fund managers, and the low entrepreneurial skillsets in the country. Through a detailed analysis of the responses, certain measures are proposed that can enhance the development of early-stage venture capital in South Africa such as engaging more with angel investors and improving the cooperation between the different market players in the sector.