Business Report

Tech Credit Fund backs Accelerit fibre expansion in underserved communities

Siphelele Dludla|Published
According to the company, the approach helps broaden access to affordable internet services and extends connectivity to communities that may otherwise be overlooked by traditional telecommunications providers.

According to the company, the approach helps broaden access to affordable internet services and extends connectivity to communities that may otherwise be overlooked by traditional telecommunications providers.

Image: Supplied

A private credit fund focused on technology and digital infrastructure has deployed a structured funding facility to support the expansion of fibre and wireless broadband networks in underserved South African communities.

Tech Credit Fund (TCF), a private credit platform under Solcon Capital, announced that it has provided funding to Accelerit Technologies to accelerate the rollout of connectivity infrastructure across parts of Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Northern Cape.

The funding will enable Accelerit to expand its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH), Wireless-to-the-Home (WTTH) and Fibre-to-the-Business (FTTB) networks in six communities, including Ermelo, Phomolong, Etwatwa and Carletonville, where the company has been extending internet access to townships, peri-urban areas and rural communities that have historically lacked reliable connectivity.

TCF CEO, Pramod Venkatesh, said the investment aligns with the fund’s objective of supporting businesses that have already demonstrated operational success but require growth capital to scale.

“Accelerit is exactly the kind of business TCF was built to support — operationally proven, already serving real communities, and held back only by access to the kind of structured, growth-aligned capital that traditional funders haven’t been able to offer businesses at this stage. We’re proud to back their continued expansion into underserved markets,” said Venkatesh.

Founded in 2011, Accelerit has adopted a multi-technology deployment model aimed at reaching households, small businesses and public institutions in areas where larger fibre network operators have limited presence. The company operates an open-access infrastructure model, allowing other internet service providers and fibre network operators to deliver services using its network.

According to the company, the approach helps broaden access to affordable internet services and extends connectivity to communities that may otherwise be overlooked by traditional telecommunications providers.

Accelerit founder and CEO, Mandla Ngcobo, described the funding as a significant step in the company’s growth plans.

“This funding represents an important milestone for Accelerit as we continue expanding our network footprint and increasing access to affordable, reliable internet services across South Africa,” he said.

“The support from Tech Credit Fund strengthens our ability to scale operations, accelerate infrastructure deployment, and continue connecting communities that remain underserved by traditional connectivity providers.”

Beyond connectivity, the investment is also expected to support job creation and economic activity in the communities served by the network.

Accelerit currently employs more than 80 people directly through its permanent workforce and field installation teams. The company estimates that a further 185 jobs are supported indirectly through civil works contractors, infrastructure suppliers, equipment vendors, resellers and community-based support services.

This brings the company’s total employment footprint to more than 265 jobs, the majority of which are held by Black South Africans.

The expanded network is expected to benefit residential households, small enterprises such as spaza shops and filling stations, as well as public institutions including schools and clinics.

TCF said its funding model is designed to provide structured, growth-oriented capital to revenue-generating businesses operating in the technology, telecommunications and infrastructure sectors. The fund is a subsidiary of Solcon Capital and operates with support from the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency.

The latest transaction highlights growing interest in financing digital infrastructure projects aimed at bridging South Africa’s connectivity gap, particularly in underserved communities where access to affordable high-speed internet remains limited.

BUSINESS REPORT