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Königstein Capital
In 2009, after 30 years’ experience in Namibia’s financial services industry, Königstein Capital was started by its current partners. Over the last decade our clients have entrusted us with just under N$ 1 billion. Our investment team has built up a solid track record in the private equity and unlisted markets in Namibia.
What we have done through the Property Funds
Königstein Capital has partnered with various property developers over the years to deliver over 2,200 housing and 36 commercial units all over the country. Our funds have also been invested in several infrastructure projects that delivered over 940 erven to individuals seeking land on which to build their homes. The ripple effects of these investments go far beyond the property itself. It includes 1700 jobs which were created during the construction phases of these developments, the creation of economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and the forming of new communities.
What we have done through Spitz Capital and the Spitz Investment Fund
With our private equity funds we have ventured into the healthcare, agriculture, biomass and manufacturing sectors. One of our flagship investments is the Namibian Oncology Centre, a first of its kind in Namibia. It opened its doors in 2012 to serve cancer patients who previously had to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Mashare Irrigation, another portfolio company of Spitz Capital, produces cash crops such as wheat, maize and potatoes for the Namibian market. The company currently has 400 hectares under irrigation with a further 280 ha under development. When in full production, the company will cover more than 5% of the country’s demand for maize and wheat.
One of the anchor investments in our portfolio is Mashare Berries whose investment value to date stands at over N$100 million. We view it as one of our crown jewels as it meets all of the most important factors when we consider investments. They are: being an investment in scalable Namibian opportunities that produce sustainable returns, have a job creation impact and earn foreign currency. Mashare Berries is the first large-scale blueberry farm in the Land Of The Brave. Mashare Berries not only employs over 50 people full-time, during harvest it also provides seasonal employment to over 1,200 people. Blueberries are exported to end consumers in Europe, the UK, Russia, Hong Kong and several countries in the Middle East. The berries are picked by hand which provides new employment opportunities in the Namibia’s region with the highest unemployment rate.
Another one of our portfolio companies is Namibia Plastics. This company aims to produce locally and export regionally. It specialises in the extrusion of specialist plastics and highquality prints. The factory was opened in 2017.
Königstein Capital investment focus
Namibia has an excellent infrastructure. It has one of the best road networks in Africa, a recently expanded worldclass deepwater port in Walvis Bay, a recently upgraded international airport, a competitive financial industry, rule of law and a stable power supply network. These assets create a competitive environment for companies operating in Namibia to service the region as well as international markets. We believe there is a great opportunity in leveraging these assets and making long-term investments that will generate competitive returns.
Our country is grappling with high rates of unemployment, in particular among young people. In a country such as ours, rich with resources and untapped potential, especially in agriculture, we are specifically seeking investments that can help stimulate employment and job creation and drive real economic growth.
Our vision is to make investments that generate sustainable returns, leverage the Namibian platform, thereby creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.
Namib Growth Fund
Against this backdrop Königstein Capital is raising its 5 th fund called Namib Growth Fund. This new fund will be administered in terms of Regulation 13 of the Pension Fund Act. It will focus on investing in opportunities that generate sustainable returns, leverage the Namibian platform, create jobs and contribute to economic growth.
The Namib Growth Fund will focus on what has already been tried and tested: export-oriented businesses that can service both local and international markets, stimulate job creation and leverage Namibia’s competitive advantages.
Investment will be the driver of the next Namibian growth phase and we believe that our pipeline of investment opportunities presents an excellent start to this chapter.
