For early founders
The Artive incubator.
For commerce founders with an idea and early proof. You get the lab’s methods, the Artive bench and a route to pilots with brands and retailers, for equity agreed up front.
What you getEverything but the obsession.
- 01
The lab’s method
The four gates, the one-number tests and regular check-ins, so you learn fast and stop early if you should.
- 02
The Artive bench
Brand, product, engineering and growth help from the teams behind Artive Commerce.
- 03
A route to pilots
Introductions to brands and retailers who want to test new ideas on their channels.
- 04
A path to the studio
Pass the gates and we can build the venture with you properly, with more of our people and, where it makes sense, money.
Who it’s forEarly, obsessed, commerce.
- 01
At the idea or prototype stage
You’ve spoken to people with the problem, or built a first version. The scorecard shows where you stand.
- 02
Inside our focus areas
AI, checkout, retail media, social and chat, data, township retail or commerce infrastructure.
- 03
Ready to go full time
Or already there. The incubator moves quickly, and it needs you in it.
How it worksApply to graduate.
Apply
Through the pitch form. The questions change to fit where you are.
Talk
If it fits, we meet to go through the idea and what you need.
Agree
The equity, what we put in and the first gate, in writing.
Incubate
Work through the gates with the lab and the bench beside you.
Graduate
Into the studio, out on your own terms, or a clear stop. Every outcome is a result.
Incubator or studio?
| Compare | Incubator | Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Idea or prototype | Proven at a gate |
| Who leads | You | You, with an Artive team |
| What we put in | Method, the bench, introductions | People, time and, where it makes sense, money |
| Equity | A smaller share, agreed up front | A larger share, agreed up front |
How the deal worksWe invest. We own a share.
We don’t charge founders for our time, and we don’t work for free either. What we put in is paid for in equity.
- 01
Pitching is free
The pitch and the first call cost nothing and commit you to nothing. Your idea stays yours.
- 02
Terms before work
Before we put in any work, we agree in writing what it earns: a share of the venture.
- 03
Talent, time and money
We invest our people and our time, and money where it makes sense. The bigger the investment, the bigger the share.
- 04
You can keep the majority
Founders can stay majority shareholders. We want you running it, not working for us.
- 05
We don’t walk away
Our stake stays if you later decide to go on without us. We don’t waste resources, and we don’t leave ventures half-built.
QuestionsGood to know.
Yes. A share agreed in writing before we start, sized to what we put in. Founders keep the majority.
A small number at a time, so each one gets real attention.
No, but you need to be building for South African commerce, and able to meet when it matters.
Got a commerce problem worth a company? We want to hear it.
A few lines is enough: the problem, who has it and why now.