South Australian Venture Capital Fund

The South Australian Venture Capital Fund (SAVCF) is a $50 million initiative established to assist dynamic and innovative early-stage companies in accelerating their growth to national and global markets. Managed by Artesian Venture Partners, Australia's largest and most active early-stage venture capital firm, the fund aims to stimulate economic activity and job creation within South Australia. It seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of local entrepreneurs by attracting private co-investment from national and international investors, while earning a commercial rate of return for its investors, including the South Australian Government.

The fund focuses on high-growth and export-potential companies that have demonstrated a market for their product or service and have either commenced generating revenue or can show customer validation and a clear path to revenue generation. While there are no sector restrictions, the fund requires that eligible companies have at least 50% of their assets and staff located in South Australia during a period that ends 12 months from the initial investment date. The SAVCF is structured as a co-investment fund, requiring each initial investment to be matched with at least 50% investment from other sources, such as venture capital funds or high-net-worth investors.

As of December 2022, the SAVCF has invested in 10 companies, supporting 440 jobs within these investee companies. The fund's portfolio includes investments in sectors such as technology, healthcare, clean energy, cybersecurity, defence, agrifood, space, and medtech. The SAVCF continues to play a pivotal role in empowering South Australia's innovation ecosystem, fostering the growth of early-stage startups, and contributing to the state's economic development and job creation initiatives.