Over R1 million raised without giving up equity.
Ann-Connect has raised more than R1 million in non-dilutive funding, enabling the company to advance product development, technology innovation, market validation and commercial growth while preserving shareholder value.
Our funding has been supported through competitive grants, innovation programmes, institutional partnerships and business competitions.
This non-dilutive capital has provided Ann-Connect with the resources to continue developing Ann-Workspace while building a foundation for future commercial and investment growth.
R1M+
Non-dilutive funding secured
8+
Institutional & corporate supporters
5
Core Ann-Workspace products
Multiple markets
Education · Government · Enterprise · Professional & Certification
Backed by a strong institutional ecosystem.
Our supporters include organisations spanning technology innovation, higher education, economic development, banking and entrepreneurship.
Technology Innovation Agency — Seed Fund
Support from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) has contributed to Ann-Connect's technology and innovation journey, supporting the development of solutions addressing real-world infrastructure and connectivity challenges.
Royal Academy of Engineering
Ann-Connect was selected for the Leaders in Innovation Fellowship (LIF) by the Royal Academy of Engineering — providing access to an international innovation ecosystem, entrepreneurial development and opportunities to build global relationships.
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa (UNISA) has supported Ann-Connect through its innovation and technology-transfer ecosystem, helping advance the company's technology commercialisation journey.
Industrial Development Corporation
Support from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) reflects the relevance of Ann-Connect's technology within the broader South African innovation and industrial development ecosystem.
Youth African Entrepreneurs Institute
The Youth African Entrepreneurs Institute (YAEI) has supported Ann-Connect as part of its entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
ABSA Bank
Support from ABSA has contributed to Ann-Connect's broader entrepreneurial and business development journey.
Competitive recognition.
Beyond grant funding, Ann-Connect has demonstrated its ability to compete successfully in high-quality innovation and entrepreneurship programmes.
3rd Place — Nedbank YouthX 2025
Ann-Connect secured third place in the Nedbank YouthX 2025 programme, providing additional validation of the company's entrepreneurial proposition and potential.
2nd Place — Standard Bank × TuksNovation Innovation Challenge 2026
Ann-Connect achieved second place in the Standard Bank × TuksNovation Innovation Challenge 2026, competing against other innovation-led businesses and demonstrating the strength of its technology and business proposition.
These achievements complement Ann-Connect’s grant funding and demonstrate continued recognition from established corporate and innovation ecosystems.
Capital efficiency by design.
Ann-Connect’s funding journey has deliberately prioritised non-dilutive capital during the company’s early development. Rather than relying exclusively on equity financing, grant funding and competitive programmes have enabled the company to:
- Advance technology development
- Validate the product in real-world environments
- Develop and strengthen Ann-Workspace
- Build institutional and industry relationships
- Access international innovation ecosystems
- Develop commercial opportunities
- Preserve equity for future strategic financing
This approach has allowed Ann-Connect to demonstrate meaningful progress before pursuing larger-scale external investment.
From funded innovation to commercial scale.
Ann-Connect is building Ann-Workspace, an integrated technology platform spanning assessment, invigilation, collaboration and AI-powered learning. The platform includes:
Learn
Offline-first digital assessment infrastructure.
Online Invigilator
Online examination invigilation.
Venue Invigilator
Venue-based examination invigilation.
Room
Video conferencing and virtual learning with engagement intelligence.
Nexa AI
An interactive AI learning assistant designed to help learners understand educational content.
The common infrastructure across these products is designed around a fundamental problem: digital services should not become unusable simply because connectivity becomes unreliable.
A foundation built for markets beyond education.
Education is where Ann-Connect’s technology has been developed and validated, but the underlying infrastructure has applications across sectors where reliable digital operations matter.
Education
Universities, TVET colleges, schools, private colleges, online schools and training organisations.
Government
Training, assessment, public-sector collaboration and distributed operations.
Enterprise
Employee training, certification, collaboration and compliance.
Financial Services
Compliance assessments, certification and regulated collaboration.
Professional & Certification Bodies
Secure, auditable examinations and assessments at scale.
This creates an opportunity to evolve from an education technology company into a broader digital infrastructure and enterprise technology platform.
International validation.
Ann-Connect’s development has extended beyond the South African market.
Through programmes and innovation ecosystems supported by organisations such as the Royal Academy of Engineering, Ann-Connect has gained exposure to international markets and technology ecosystems.
The company has participated in programmes and events across South Africa, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Türkiye, building relationships with international innovation, investment and technology communities.
Our upcoming participation in GITEX AI Türkiye 2026 in Istanbul represents another step in developing international partnerships and exploring opportunities for Ann-Workspace beyond its home market.
What we are building.
Ann-Connect’s ambition is not simply to create another examination or video-conferencing application.
We are building an infrastructure layer for resilient digital learning, assessment and collaboration.
The opportunity is driven by three converging trends:
Digital education is expanding.
Institutions are increasingly moving assessment, teaching and training online.
Connectivity remains uneven.
Reliable internet access cannot be assumed across every student, employee, branch, campus or region.
AI is transforming how people learn and work.
Organisations increasingly need intelligent tools that can support learning, collaboration and decision-making.
Ann-Workspace sits at the intersection of these trends.
The next phase.
With more than R1 million in non-dilutive funding secured, institutional validation and a growing technology platform, Ann-Connect is entering its next phase of growth. The focus is now on:
Commercialisation
Converting validated technology into recurring commercial revenue.
Market expansion
Growing adoption across education and adjacent sectors.
Product development
Continuing to build Ann-Workspace and its underlying infrastructure.
International expansion
Developing strategic partnerships and entering selected international markets.
Strategic capital
Engaging aligned investors who can accelerate the company's growth, market access and technology development.
Building the infrastructure for a more connected world — even when the connection fails.
Ann-Connect has demonstrated that it can attract competitive funding, institutional support and recognition without relying solely on dilutive capital.
Now we are focused on turning that foundation into a scalable technology business.
Interested in investing in Ann-Connect?
We welcome conversations with venture capital funds, strategic investors, development finance institutions, corporate investors and technology partners who share our vision for resilient digital infrastructure.