PAPEfunds Expands Strategic Investment In SA StartUp Entersekt
PAPEfunds Expands Strategic Investment In SA StartUp Entersekt. Entersekt, The Financial Authentication Company has announced that PAPEfunds has expanded its investment in the company. Following an initial investment in July 2022, PAPE Fund 3 recently acquired Nedbank Private Equity’s equity stake in Entersekt, increasing its total investment and ownership stake. Nedbank Private Equity is a division of Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (“Nedbank Private Equity”).
PAPE Fund 3 is a ZAR1.06bn (USD55m) private equity fund that is fully invested in six South African mid-cap unlisted businesses that have grown internationally. The fund initially invested in Entersekt International in July 2022. PAPE Fund Managers is a Level-1 rated Black Empowered fund manager and PAPE Fund 3’s investment has now enhanced Entersekt’s BEE credentials.
Entersekt is one of the leading providers of financial fraud prevention and payment security solutions, and has accelerated its global growth over the past year:
- In December 2023, in one of the largest transactions ever by a South African fintech company, Entersekt announced it had acquired the Modirum 3-D Secure software business from Modirum, a security technology firm based in Helsinki, Finland.
- Entersekt secures over 2.5 billion transactions per year for over 850 financial institution clients globally, giving it a compelling global footprint and a clear technology advantage of a solution spanning across digital, payment, and data channels of issuers, acquirers, and merchants.
- Most recently, Entersekt was highlighted as a partner of Mastercard’s in their Scam Protect announcement, a suite of specialized solutions powered by cutting-edge AI technologies, which help identify and prevent fraud and financial scams.
Dr Zuko Kubukeli, PAPE Fund Manager’s CEO, said “We are very excited about Entersekt’s potential to grow from being a South African tech company into an internationally recognized enterprise with a presence in the USA, Europe, the Nordics, Pakistan, and the Philippines. This is a great South African success story, and we are delighted that PAPE Fund 3 and its investors are now firmly part of the journey.”
“PAPE has been a valuable investor and advisor to Entersekt since their initial investment in 2022,” added Schalk Nolte, CEO of Entersekt. “Their expanded investment is evidence of their confidence in our business and the tremendous growth opportunities ahead. Nedbank has also played a significant role in aiding our progress, as both an investor and a customer. While they are transitioning from an equity holder, they remain a valued client, providing us with great insights into the needs of the market.”
“Nedbank Private Equity has been invested in Entersekt since 2013, and its’s been remarkable to have walked this journey together and witness the evolution of the business and all its achievements,” said Amir Regev, Principal: Private Equity at Nedbank CIB. “From Nedbank being one of Entersekt’s first customers to now servicing hundreds of customers globally, it is a testament to the quality of the management team and their innovative solutions. I am confident that Entersekt will continue to thrive and redefine the boundaries of what is possible.”
