South African agritech startup SwiftVEE has secured $10 million in Series A funding, marking one of the largest investment rounds in the continent’s livestock-technology sector.
The funding will enable the company to scale its digital livestock marketplace, expand embedded fintech and insurance offerings, and accelerate AI-powered agricultural intelligence for farmers across Southern Africa.
Founded in 2016, SwiftVEE connects farmers, buyers, and livestock agents through a real-time digital auction and trading platform. The company has processed billions of rand in livestock sales and continues to unlock market access for thousands of farmers, particularly in rural regions.
Investors in the $10 Million Round
The investment round was led by HAVAÍC, with participation from:
- Exeo Capital
- Iain Williamson, former CEO of Old Mutual
- Zire Africa
- Existing shareholders: Mike Kirsten and Carlo Dickson
This blend of venture capital, private equity, and high-profile financial-services leadership signals strong confidence in SwiftVEE’s expansion into financial products tailored for agricultural markets.
What the Investors Are Saying
Rob Heath, Partner at HAVAÍC, commented: “SwiftVEE is transforming one of Africa’s oldest industries through technology, transparency, and financial inclusion. Our investment supports their vision to digitise the livestock supply chain while enabling farmers to access much-needed financial services.”
Peter Baird, Managing Partner at Exeo Capital, said: “The agricultural sector is ripe for innovation. SwiftVEE’s marketplace, combined with new fintech and insurance offerings, positions the company to become a central infrastructure player in African agribusiness. We are excited to support their next phase of growth.”
Iain Williamson, investor and former CEO of Old Mutual, added: “SwiftVEE is building essential tools for farmers — from fairer market access to digital payments and livestock insurance. Their model addresses real risks faced by producers, and we believe it will have a meaningful impact on the agricultural economy.”
Expanding Into Fintech, Insurance, and AI
With fresh capital, SwiftVEE plans to:
- Scale its livestock marketplace across more provinces and neighbouring markets
- Offer embedded finance, including farmer credit, digital payments, and livestock-backed financing
- Introduce livestock insurance products for producers
- Enhance its AI-driven price prediction and farm productivity tools
- Expand partnerships with cooperatives, agribusinesses, and commercial farmers
SwiftVEE’s mobile-first model is designed to support underbanked and semi-digitised farmers by providing them with market access, financial services, and real-time agricultural insights.
The raise reinforces a fast-growing trend of agritech platforms evolving into full fintech ecosystems, enabling farmers to trade, insure, finance, and manage their agricultural operations in a single digital environment.
With strong backers and expanding demand for transparent livestock trading, SwiftVEE is now positioned to become one of Africa’s most influential agritech-fintech players.
