Supported a Black woman-owned enterprise to scale hydroponic farming
2025
Azowel was supported through Growth Gateway’s intervention to mobilise investment into South African SMMEs that enable green growth and advance the low carbon transition
Azowel’s innovative crop cultivation solution boosts productivity and yields by up to 260% while using 9x less water through hydroponics, helping neglected farms grow crops efficiently.
Azowel operate 20+ upgraded greenhouses in KwaZulu-Natal province, supplying major retailers and planning a packaging facility to scale and export.
They plan to build a packaging facility to meet rising demand for fresh produce in South Africa, tackle local climate challenges, and enable export expansion.
Their challenge
- Restricted business operations and growth due to limited funding, power cuts, poor transport and high production costs
- Limited investment readiness stemming from gaps in capabilities to properly market their business model and plan to investors
People often ask me what the secret is to building this business under such difficult circumstances. My answer this year has been [Gateway] reaching out to me
Welile Gumede
Founder, Azowel Projects
How we helped
Growth Gateway supported with targeted analysis and lead generation support
- Refined Azowel’s investment pitch to highlight impact and scalability
- Defined a growth strategy to scale hydroponic farming operations
- Supporting a £650k equity raise which may unlock £3M from the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa
Impact generated
£100k
Debt financing
secured
100+
New jobs
(expected)
- Helped secure £100k in debt financing, enabling operational scaling
- Expected to create 100+ jobs, contributing to local employment
- Presented at COP29 Regional Platform for Climate Projects initiative