Nurturing Innovation: Maravion’s Support for Incubators and Developmental Agencies

At Maravion, we believe that deep-tech innovation flourishes when visionary ideas are matched with strategic guidance and investor confidence. From 2021 onwards, we’ve worked closely with incubators and developmental agencies to help entrepreneurs translate scientific breakthroughs into sustainable businesses. Our role has extended beyond mentorship; we’ve been hands-on in building business cases, securing funding, and guiding scale-up strategies.

Turning Ideas into Investable Ventures

From 2017 to the present, Maravion, through its founder, served as a technical and business mentor to over 40 biotech, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and other deeptech SMMEs incubated in South Afruca. Our support included:

• Developing commercialisation strategies for cutting-edge innovations;

• Crafting business plans and financial models tailored to the realities of South Africa’s deep-tech landscape;

• Helping entrepreneurs define and communicate their value propositions, aligning them with customer needs and market gaps;

• Facilitating the translation of complex science into compelling, investor-ready narratives through storytelling and pitch training.

As a result, we supported several SMMEs in securing seed funding, each averaging >R10 million, enabling them to advance product development, regulatory alignment, and market entry.

Catalysing Regional Deep-Tech Economies

Maravion supported g a feasibility study on the manufacture of Marula oil. This in-depth study included:

• Assessment of manufacturing processes, labour and infrastructure requirements;

• Techno-economic modelling to determine cost competitiveness;

• The design of an industrial plant to produce marula oil and byproducts.

• And the development of a comprehensive business case determiniung required capital investment

Our approach ensured the project was both economically viable and strategically aligned with local bioeconomy goals.

Bridging Science, Business, and Impact

Our work with incubators and development agencies is driven by one mission: to build a thriving, inclusive deep-tech sector in South Africa. By equipping innovators with strategic tools, tailored business support, and access to funding, Maravion has helped lay the groundwork for science-backed enterprises with real-world impact.

We remain committed to fostering entrepreneurship that is not only visionary, but also viable, scalable, and transformative.