Three years ago, I had a simple but urgent question:
Why are there so many great small businesses in South Africa — the lifeblood of our communities — that just aren’t growing?
I’d spent over a decade building software and marketing solutions for some of the country’s biggest brands. But the moment I turned my focus to local, independent businesses, I realised how stacked the odds were against them. Large players like Checkers Sixty60 and global chains like McDonald’s could pour millions into technology and marketing, keeping them ahead of the online ordering trend.
Meanwhile, small businesses had no choice but to follow their customers online, signing up to tech platforms and marketplaces — and paying huge commissions to middlemen like UberEats, Booking.com, and Fiverr. In the process, they lost direct contact with their customers and found it harder to compete.
So we built ManyHands — a platform that gives small businesses everything they need to sell directly under their own brand: online orders, subscriptions, bookings, delivery, and marketing automation — all done-for-you, with no upfront costs or long contracts.
We’ve taken our time to get it right. The platform is built, tested, and ready. We’ve secured a R750,000 corporate partnership and have more than 500 businesses on our waitlist.
Now, we’re entering our next chapter:
Looking for investment:
We’ve opened a R10 million seed round to accelerate growth, expand product capabilities, and scale our customer success team.
–> Join the funding round
Growing our team:
This funding will bring in top talent, from developers to onboarding specialists, ensuring every new business gets world-class support.
–> See our open roles
Inviting another 1,000 businesses to grow 3x with us:
We’re opening the doors for another 1,000 South African food & beverage and service businesses to join, own their customer relationships, and keep more of their profits. We setup everything for you for free and you only pay us 2,7% of your online sales.
–> Start selling online
Small businesses are the backbone of South Africa — they contribute 30% to South Africa's GPD and employ over 60% of our country. That's millions of families supported and thriving local economies. With the right tools, they can compete head-on with the big guys, keep more of their profits, build lasting customer relationships and generational businesses.
This round isn’t just about funding a company. It’s about funding independence, resilience, and growth for thousands of local businesses.
🔗 Read the full investor memo here: invest.manyhands.co.za
We’re excited to have you join us as we fight for small business like David against Goliath. We know it’s not easy, but we’ve seen a glimpse of the future — and we’re committed to making it bright for the rest of us, not just a privileged few.
Anton Moulder, Founder & CEO
