Grindstone Accelerator

About

Grindstone is a structured entrepreneurship development programme, started in South Africa in 2013, that helps high-growth, innovation-driven companies put the building blocks in place to scale and become sustainable and fundable. Selected scale-ups go through a tailored programme lasting six to nine months, built around four areas: knowledge, networks, funding and markets. Alongside the accelerator, the group runs Grindstone Ventures, a post-seed, pre-Series A fund that invests in Grindstone cohort companies, and Grindstone Boost, which provides back-office support for startups. Grindstone is jointly owned by venture capital firm Knife Capital and Thinkroom Limited, and names The SA SME Fund as a supporter of its growth.