In the often‑undercapitalised Francophone African startup ecosystem, Saviu Ventures takes a refreshingly pragmatic approach to exits. Rather than chasing elusive “unicorns”, the firm focuses on generating realistic returns through well‑planned, early exits.
From day one they emphasise the endgame: the fund signals to founders that exit planning isn’t an afterthought but central to the strategy. As one Saviu portfolio lead explains: “We start by telling founders our thesis … we don’t know who the buyer will be or when the exit will happen, but it’s something we all keep in view from day one. Saviu’s portfolio strategy reflects this: they invest early (seed‑to‑Series A) in tech‑enabled ventures across Francophone Africa, often leading with support on recruitment, business development and exit readiness.
The fund expects relatively low failure rates (no more than ~20 %) compared with traditional VC norms in the region. On exits specifically, Saviu pursues strategic sales to corporates or consolidators operating in Africa, rather than waiting for IPOs or massive secondary markets that don’t yet exist in many Francophone countries. For instance, it fully exited its stake in eyewear‑retailer Lapaire and achieved a successful partial exit from logistics platform Kamtar by selling to larger regional players.
Valuation discipline is embedded in their process: Saviu typically values portfolio companies at around ten times annual revenue and aims for returns of 5× or more on investment, while negotiating discounts at early stages to protect against valuation mismatches.
Saviu Ventures’ exit philosophy in Francophone Africa is grounded in realism, early planning, and strategic buyer alignment—a formula tailored to the specific liquidity constraints of the region yet capable of delivering meaningful outcomes for founders and investors alike.
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