A team of former Investec executives have launched Stride Equity an equity crowdfunding (CSF) platform backed by a venture capital fund, Stride Lead, in a model that looks to rethink how startups raise funds. Stride Equity will evaluate each investment opportunity with experienced investors to choose the companies offered on the crowdfunding. Startups seeking capital will receive up to a 20% co-investment from Stride Lead, while the remaining amount will be raised through its CSF platform. It’s the country’s first combined equity crowdfunding and VC investment platform. The platform will also offer mentoring and industry connections to early-stage founders, alongside giving retail and institutional investors to back a curated list of companies.