Private Equity

Nedbank Private Equity’s (NPE’s) partnership philosophy and commitment to sustainability were key factors in our decision to invest in the biotechnology sector.

NPE and RMB Ventures led a management buyout of 100% of three non-core companies of Ascendis Health, a JSE-listed company, in this sector: Marltons, Efekto and Afrikelp. Made on the strength of the companies' projected growth, this investment is NPE’s first in the biotechnology sector.

The largest of the three bought-out companies, Afrikelp, is a biostimulant manufacturer and one of the two leading kelp-processing businesses in South Africa, specialising in collecting, sustainably harvesting and processing the brown seaweed to produce natural growth stimulants used in agriculture and horticulture.