Bring us into your business.
Serelis partners with founders and owners who are ready to grow. We come in as long-term shareholders and work alongside you, with the capital, people and systems to get there.
What we bring
More than a cheque. Most partners use two or three of these.
- 01
Capital
Investment to fund the next stage: people, stock, equipment or product. Sized to what the plan actually needs.
- 02
Product and engineering
A team that has shipped commerce, insurance and business software. We build the website, app or platform with you.
- 03
Systems and operations
The admin, reporting and workflows that let a business grow without adding chaos. Out go the spreadsheets.
- 04
A seat beside you
Someone to think out loud with on pricing, hiring and the big calls, plus introductions across the Serelis group.
Three ways to partner
Every partnership is shaped around the business. They tend to start in one of three places.
Invest
- Best for
- Businesses with a clear plan that need funding to carry it out.
- How it works
- Serelis invests capital and becomes a shareholder. We stay close and help where it counts.
Build
- Best for
- Businesses held back by technology, systems or the lack of a product team.
- How it works
- Our team builds what the business needs. Instead of a large invoice, Serelis takes a stake in what we help create.
Invest and build
- Best for
- Businesses ready to move quickly on several fronts at once.
- How it works
- Capital and a team together, with Serelis as a long-term shareholder and working partner.
Who we partner with
We look at the founder first and the business second. It tends to work best when most of these are true.
- You run the business and you are in it every day.
- Customers already pay you, or are about to.
- Better technology or systems would change what the business can do.
- You want a partner for years, not a quick exit.
- The business is based in, or built for, South Africa.
How it works
- 01
Tell us about it
A short form below. Ten minutes, and nothing to prepare.
- 02
First conversation
If it looks like a fit, we set up a call to hear the story and what you need.
- 03
Look under the bonnet
We spend time with the numbers, customers and systems. You get our honest view either way.
- 04
Agree simple terms
What we bring, the shareholding in return and how decisions get made. Upfront and in writing.
- 05
Build it together
We get to work alongside you, and keep showing up long after the paperwork is done.
Five things you can hold us to.
Bringing in a partner is one of the biggest calls a founder makes. These are ours to keep.What fair terms look like
One page. Plain English.
Before a lawyer touches it, you see the whole deal on a single page: what we bring, what we get, how we decide and how either of us can leave. If it cannot be explained simply, it is not a good deal.
Earned, not promised.
Every share we take is tied to something you can point at: cash in the bank or work delivered. If we do not deliver, we do not get it.
Your name stays on the door.
It is still your business. We sit beside you, not above you, and the few big calls we make together are written down on day one.
No exit clock.
There is no fund behind us waiting for a payout, so nobody is pushing you to sell. When it gets hard, and it will, we are still here.
Check our homework.
Have your own lawyer read every word. We will answer every question they ask, and we would think less of a deal where nobody did.
Eamon BoonzaaierFounder, Serelis
How much of my business would Serelis own?
It depends on what we bring and what the business needs, so there is no fixed number. We agree it with you upfront, in writing, before any work starts. In most cases we are a minority shareholder alongside the founder.
Do I stay in charge?
Yes. It is your business and you keep running it. We are shareholders and partners, not managers. How we make big decisions together is agreed at the start.
Do you only invest money?
No. For many businesses the most valuable thing we bring is the team: engineers, designers and operators who have built this before. Some partnerships are mostly capital, some mostly work, many are both.
What size of business do you look at?
Anything from a business that has just started trading to an established, owner-run company. What matters most is the founder and what the business could become.
Is what I share kept confidential?
Yes. We treat everything you share in confidence and are happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement before you send anything sensitive.
Does it cost anything to apply?
No. Telling us about your business is free and does not commit you to anything.
Tell us about your business
A person at Serelis reads every one, and we reply to everyone, usually within two working days. Nothing here commits you to anything.
Not sure you are ready? Take the Growth Check first, or readwhat fair terms look like.
Prefer email? eamon@serelis.co