{"id":90979,"date":"2026-01-16T19:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/?p=90979"},"modified":"2026-04-02T10:07:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T10:07:14","slug":"outlier-140-african-startup-scene-shoprite-solar-maths-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/2026\/01\/16\/outlier-140-african-startup-scene-shoprite-solar-maths-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Outlier #140: African startup scene, Shoprite solar, maths students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Earlier this week we hosted the first of our <\/em><strong><em>Out to Lunch<\/em><\/strong><em> webinars for the year. We couldn\u2019t have chosen a better guest for the first one of the year in Dr Martin Gustafsson, a renowned education researcher and advisor. Martin was generous with his time and knowledge and he challenged many of the common assumptions around education in South Africa based on currently available data and his own research. More than anything though he demonstrated the power and importance of data in understanding education in SA. \ud83d\udc47 Read on below for some of his insights into the key issues and challenges. Outlier members (not yet a <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/theoutlier.co.za\/subscribe\"><em>subscriber<\/em><\/a><em>?) can watch a full <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/theoutlier.co.za\/members\/webinars\"><em>recording of the webinar<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In this week\u2019s newsletter:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>African startups in 2025<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shoprite\u2019s rooftop solar rollout<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2025 among hottest years on record<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Murders on the Cape Flats continue to climb<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SA schools are not producing enough quality maths students<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"series-africa\"><strong>\ud83d\udcda <\/strong>Series A-frica<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90983\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-11.png 810w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-11-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-11-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-11-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Africa\u2019s start-up funding in 2025 had a now familiar look: The \u2018Big Four\u2019 (Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa) once again absorbed the bulk of capital raised on the continent. In the latest year-end-wrap from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/thebigdeal.substack.com\/p\/2025ir2\">Africa: The Big Deal<\/a> startups in the four countries together took 82% of all start-up funding on the continent, a share that\u2019s barely shifted since 2019. Typically, this sits between 80% and 86%. That dominance holds whether you look at equity or debt (both at 82%). But the grip loosens when you shift from money to deal activity: 64% of ventures raising funding were based in these four countries, and the concentration falls further as deal sizes get smaller, from 81% of $10m+ raises, to 69% for $1m\u2013$10m, and 56% for $100k\u2013$1m. In other words: the Big Four still own the mega-rounds, but there\u2019s growing momentum outside the usual hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within the top four countries, Kenya led the continent in 2025, pulling in almost $1bn \u2014 nearly a third of Africa\u2019s total. Egypt followed with $614m, split roughly evenly between equity and debt, while South Africa came in close behind at $600m, powered overwhelmingly by equity ($545m). Nigeria was the outlier: funding fell 17% year-on-year to $343m, shrinking its share of continental funding to 11% its lowest level since tracking began in 2019, even though it still topped the chart for the number of ventures raising $100k+ (86).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read the full breakdown of funding at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/thebigdeal.substack.com\/p\/2025ir2\">Africa: The Big Deal<\/a> and check out their <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/thebigdeal.gumroad.com\/l\/bQSRD\/africabigdeal\">startup funding database<\/a> for deeper insight into African startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u25bc<\/strong><strong>Brought to you by our partner Shoprite<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-10.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90982\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-10.png 810w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-10-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-10-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-10-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Shoprite Group has now installed 100 solar systems and reached this milestone at Shoprite Morula supermarket in Soshanguve, near Pretoria. Since 2015, the Group has installed photovoltaic systems with a peak capacity of over 43.3 MW, which generate enough clean electricity to power nearly 12,300 households a year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 2025 financial year, 7.2% of the retailer\u2019s electricity came from renewable sources, up from 6.5% in 2024. It consumed 151,243 MWh of renewable energy, reducing its carbon emissions by 137,026 tonnes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Shoprite Group was also one of the first companies to wheel renewable electricity through the City of Cape Town\u2019s grid in 2024. It is currently wheeling electricity to 13 sites, including its home office in Brackenfell, and is actively seeking further wheeling partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The group has also fitted 1,397 refrigerated trailers with solar panels, saving 3.2 litres of diesel per trailer per day and reducing emissions by an additional 6,000 tonnes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Becoming an <\/em><strong><em>Outlier member<\/em><\/strong><em> gives you access to all our newsletters, tools and charts. Pro members also get free access to all Renew reports. Being a supporting member also means you\u2019re helping us continue to collect data and produce charts. From just R120\/month you get all this and you get to help us. Thank you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theoutlier.co.za\/subscribe\">Become an Outlier member today<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hot-trend\">\ud83d\udd0b Hot trend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-9.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90981\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-9.png 810w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-9-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-9-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-9-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83e\udd75 2025 was one of the three <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/berkeleyearth.org\/global-temperature-report-for-2025\"><strong><u>hottest years on record<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, even though the year began and ended with a La Ni\u00f1a event, which typically has a cooling influence. Scientists expect 2026 to be similarly warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/outlier-renew.co.za\/\">Subscribe to Outlier Renew<\/a> to receive the weekly renewables and climate updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/outlier-renew.co.za\"><strong>Send me Outlier Renew<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"murder-cape\">\ud83d\udea8 Murder Cape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-8.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-8.png 810w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-8-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-8-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-8-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Police figures for October to December 2025 are not yet available, but in the first nine months of the year, 2,104 murders were reported to police stations on the Cape Flats. That\u2019s a 20% increase since 2018, when 1,760 murders were reported between January and September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Cape Flats\u2019 suburbs are notoriously gang-ridden and face high youth unemployment. Murders on the Cape Flats make up 75% of all murders reported in the City of Cape Town district between January and September 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See the full story and statistics at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/groundup.org.za\/article\/police-data-shows-cape-flats-murders-on-rise\/\">GroundUp<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfeb Not adding up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa\u2019s schools don\u2019t produce enough good maths graduates, but there are unexpected pockets that do better than expected, said education economist Dr Martin Gustafsson in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/theoutlier.co.za\/members\/webinars\">webinar hosted by The Outlier earlier this week<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa\u2019s biggest schooling bottleneck isn\u2019t the matric pass rate; it\u2019s the small pipeline of learners leaving school with strong enough maths to enter university programmes. There\u2019s a myth that because the number of learners achieving bachelor-level passes has been increasing that the schooling system is producing more students than are needed, he said. But his analysis of the data suggests the schooling system is under-producing maths-ready students by about 10% relative to what universities actually require, forcing institutions to admit students who don\u2019t meet their own minimum maths thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is not a good thing for the whole tertiary education system, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/theoutlier.co.za\/members\/webinars\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>African startup scene, Shoprite solar, maths students<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":90983,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1387,1380],"tags":[21,159,73,59,174,1399,1412,1413],"newsletter-post":[],"site":[],"class_list":["post-90979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-outlier","category-this-week-in-charts","tag-africa","tag-climate-change","tag-crime","tag-education","tag-murder","tag-rooftop-solar","tag-startups","tag-webinar"],"acf":{"post_style":"bc","show_on_front":"Yes","link_through":"Yes","big_number":"","big_number_caption":"","big_number_link":"","big_number_background":"","big_number_text_colour":"#000000","big_number_icon":false,"big_number_wide":"yes","featured_chart":false,"flourish_chart_id":"","flourish_sub_title":"","flourish_chart_width":"medium","is_newsletter_post":"No","chart_url":"","background_colour":"#0089AA","text_colour":"#FFFFFF"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90979"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90984,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90979\/revisions\/90984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90979"},{"taxonomy":"newsletter-post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsletter-post?post=90979"},{"taxonomy":"site","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outliereditor.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/site?post=90979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}