Updated:
HBD Venture Capital
Mark Shuttleworth established HBD Venture Capital after building Canonical, the open-source software company. The office sits in Durbanville, South Africa, and...
HBD Venture Capital
Mark Shuttleworth established HBD Venture Capital after building Canonical, the open-source software company. The office sits in Durbanville, South Africa, and operates as a privately owned emerging-market investment group. HBD allocates across venture stages from seed through Series B. It deploys via fund commitments, direct co-investments, and SPVs. Confirmed sector exposure includes FinTech, AgriTech & FoodTech, Digital Health, Industrial Tech, and Mobility & Transportation. All activity remains inside Africa. The firm also holds commercial real estate on Príncipe Island, São Tomé and Príncipe, including Bom Bom Resort and Sundy Praia. The team consists of former investment managers who later founded Knife Capital to oversee legacy positions. Philanthropic vehicles sit alongside the investment office, notably the Shuttleworth Foundation and Ubuntu Foundation. No public headcount or AUM figure exists. HBD's structure keeps investment decisions inside the family office while outsourcing execution to external managers and co-investment partners, creating a hybrid mandate that blends direct oversight with fund-of-funds exposure.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Location
Region
Africa
Country
South Africa
City
Durbanville
Corporate office
12 Plein Street, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550, South Africa
Principals
Mark Shuttleworth
Founder
Keet van Zyl
Business Partner
Eben van Heerden
Business Partner
Anita Nel
Business Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at HBD Venture Capital?
Mark Shuttleworth sets the mandate. Former investment managers Keet van Zyl, Eben van Heerden, and Anita Nel maintain ongoing relationships with the office after founding Knife Capital.
How does HBD Venture Capital source proprietary deal flow?
The firm receives opportunities through its network of external fund managers and accepts direct co-investment proposals from those managers or other parties.
Is HBD Venture Capital structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It functions as a single-family office that invests through fund managers and selected direct deals rather than running its own venture fund.
Does HBD Venture Capital participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
HBD makes both fund commitments and direct co-investments presented by its managers.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The capital originates from Mark Shuttleworth's sale and ongoing ownership of Canonical, the enterprise software company.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on venture capital firms?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: