Business leaders and investors engage in focused networking ahead of a private capital raising event.
OCFO opens applications for Capital Connect 2026, helping South African scale-ups secure strategic funding and engage directly with active investors.
CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA, April 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Outsourced CFO (OCFO), a global financial consulting and accounting firm, has opened applications for its 2026 Capital Connect programme, a focused investor readiness
initiative designed to connect high-growth South African businesses with strategic capital partners. The programme will culminate in a private investor roundtable where selected companies will present directly to funders actively deploying capital.Capital Connect is tailored for post-revenue, growth-stage businesses seeking R5 million or more in funding to accelerate their next phase of expansion. The selected companies will complete the OCFO’s Funding Readiness Journey before the roundtable event, preparing them for the day. This structured process ensures that each business is financially sound, investor-ready and fully prepared for engagement. Only once this groundwork is in place do selected companies gain access to a curated network of venture capital firms, private equity funds, private debt providers and institutional investors, with funding mandates ranging from R5 million to R50 million.
“Raising capital is not just about having a strong business,” says Christiaan Jacobs, Head of Capital Raising Services at Outsourced CFO. “It is about demonstrating that your business is financially credible, scalable and ready to deploy capital effectively. Too often, businesses enter investor conversations without that foundation, and it holds them back. Capital Connect is about fixing that before it matters most.”
At its core, Capital Connect addresses one of the most persistent challenges facing scale-ups. While many businesses have strong products, traction and ambition, they often struggle to communicate their value in a way that resonates with investors. The result is missed opportunities, prolonged funding cycles and, in many cases, capital that never materialises.
OCFO’s Capital Connect programme is designed to change that. Selected companies are taken through the firm’s Funding Readiness Journey, a structured process that aligns financial systems, refines investment narratives and ensures that businesses are fully prepared before entering the investor room.
The programme focuses heavily on the financial backbone of each business. Investors are not only assessing vision and potential, but also the strength of the numbers behind the story. Metrics such as revenue quality, margin performance, cash flow visibility and forward-looking forecasts play a critical role in shaping investor confidence and funding outcomes.
“Numbers tell a story, and investors rely on that story to assess risk and opportunity,” Jacobs explains. “When those numbers are clear, consistent and aligned with the growth narrative, it changes the entire dynamic of the conversation. It becomes far easier for investors to engage, understand and ultimately back the business.”
Insights from previous participants highlight just how significant this shift can be. Founders often discover that the challenge is not a lack of knowledge about their own business, but rather how that knowledge is communicated.
Altesh Naijoo of Insaaph Capital, a previous Capital Connect participant, highlights the value of the programme’s structured preparation. “The funding gap analysis demonstrated a very clear understanding of our business,” he says. “It highlighted the key pain points and the gaps we needed to address. While we were aware of these challenges, seeing them clearly articulated and documented made it far easier to focus on what needed to be solved in order to realise our vision.”
The programme’s emphasis on clarity, structure and positioning is reinforced through the experience of other founders who have completed the journey. Many report that the process not only improves their investor readiness, but also strengthens internal understanding of their own business.
Hepsy Mkhungo of One Linkage, also a previous participant, highlights the importance of perspective when engaging with potential funders. “We know our business better. We know our story,” she says. “It is just how we tell it so that other people can understand it. It is about being concise and putting ourselves in the position of a potential investor, and articulating it in a way they can clearly grasp.”
These insights reinforce a central principle behind Capital Connect. The gap between a great business and a funded business is often not performance, but communication and structure. By addressing both, the programme helps companies move from potential to investable opportunity.
The pitch event itself is designed for focused, high-value engagement. Each selected company will deliver a ten-minute investment pitch, followed by a ten-minute question and answer session with investors. This structured format ensures meaningful interaction, while also enabling investors to efficiently assess multiple opportunities in a single setting.
Capital Connect is open to South African businesses that have been operating for at least two years, demonstrate consistent revenue, and are led by experienced founders or executive teams. Companies should offer scalable products, services or technologies, and be actively seeking strategic capital of R5 million or more.
Jacobs emphasises that the diversity of capital partners involved is a key strength of the initiative. “Not all capital is created equal, and not all businesses require the same funding structure. By bringing together a range of investors, we create an environment where companies can find the right capital partner for their specific growth journey.”
Applications for Capital Connect 2026 are now open and will close on 30 April 2026. With limited places available, the selection process is competitive and focused on identifying businesses with strong fundamentals and clear potential to scale.
For founders and leadership teams serious about raising capital, this is an opportunity to move beyond preparation and into meaningful investor conversations. Those interested in Capital Connect 2026 can learn more or discuss their suitability by booking an informational meeting with Christiaan Jacobs by booking directly on his calendar here.
Applications can be submitted via the official form here, which can be found here.
Christiaan Jacobs, Head of Capital Raising Services at Outsourced CFO, is available for media interviews and can provide further insights on capital raising and investor readiness for South African businesses. Media are free to make contact using the details below.
About Outsourced CFO
Outsourced CFO is a global financial advisory firm supporting more than 1300 organisations across over 25 industries. From its roots in South Africa, the company has expanded internationally and now boasts a presence in Cape Town, London, and New York. Outsourced CFO provides a complete suite of services including fractional CFO support, accounting, compliance, strategic financial guidance, and talent placement. By combining deep financial expertise with modern technology, the firm helps entrepreneurs and high-growth companies gain clarity, raise capital, and build sustainable businesses. For more information about Outsourced CFO, or to contact one of the team, please visit www.ocfo.com.
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