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Fast enough? A Japanese team has just broken the world record for fibre optic data transmission. Using a new 19-core cable, they sent data at 1.02 petabits per second (1,020,000 Gbps) over 1.8km, 14.57 million times faster than the average internet speed (70 Mbps) in South Africa. ⚡

The Boks are back, but SARU needs a solid sponsorship and broadcasting play – there are hundreds of millions on the board this Bok Friday….

The Springboks’ fiercest rivals, the All Blacks, are valued at a staggering R35 billion (based on a private equity fund raise). And, given that the Boks are back-to-back World Cup winners, have a 76% win rate and feature arguably their most iconic player ever, Siya Kolisi, they’re among the most successful (and thus valuable) teams in rugby history. 

But off the field? Not quite as tidy.

In 2024, Springbok brand owners SARU reported a R93 million loss, largely due to its United Rugby Championship (URC) investments. So, looking to boost the Boks’ commercial value, SARU pitched a deal to sell 20% of its broadcast and commercial rights to Ackerley Sports Group for R1.3 billion. 

The value of the Springbok name

But member unions blocked the deal, so SARU went with Plan B: Go full commercial. And the results are already showing: They secured big-name sponsors like Pick n Pay R70 million per year and FNB as the front-of-jersey sponsor at R220 million annually. The Springboks also launched new brand stores, where you can buy all kinds of Springbok-branded items.

And finally, the ticket prices for matches. Tickets for Springbok games now average around R2’000. It’s steep by local standards, but stack it up against a Twickenham test match (where tickets go for an average R3’500), and the pricing starts to look more like what you’d expect for the greatest team in the game.

All positive signs for SARU making more money, and allowing the game of rugby to grow.

The part of rugby that still needs figuring out

The real challenge now? Broadcasting. Springbok matches are still locked behind DStv’s Premium paywall at R799/month for streaming, R979 if you’re still on a decoder. But DStv is bleeding subscribers. In the past year alone, MultiChoice has lost 1.2 million of them, nearly half from South Africa.

And fewer subscribers mean fewer viewers. Which means sponsor ROI starts to look a little wobbly.

Meanwhile, Showmax Pro (also MultiChoice-owned) already bundles Premier League & PSL games with movies and series for R120 per month. And there are strong rumours that MultiChoice is actively considering unbundling sport from DStv to launch a dedicated SuperSport streaming service, perhaps to keep SARU (and its sponsors) happy.

But they’d need to move fast: Players like Netflix are gearing up for sports content and could enter bids for rugby rights. So SARU is under pressure to make Springbok games accessible to more South Africans, and in turn, boost the reach and value of their sponsorships.

They’ve already taken a step in the right direction: Upcoming Bok matches will now be simulcast on SABC, opening access to millions more fans.

The long-term play?

A reimagined sports broadcasting model that actually works for fans. We’re watching this space (and the Bokke this weekend).

Go Bokke!

🏗️ Product Owner @ Flexhire

🧑‍💻 Full-Stack Developer - Co-Founder Role @ Nairola

🖌️ UX Writer @ Luno

🎨 UX Designer @ Digitas Liquorice

🤝 People Partner @ Capitec

Hiring? Get in touch, and we will feature it here.

New from Octoco, Octoco AI is quietly building real-world tools that already work

Our friends over at Octoco have launched a new arm under the leadership of Nolan van Heerden, the serial founder perhaps best-known as the man behind Garmin’s Varia Bike Radar. Octoco AI is taking a different approach to artificial intelligence: fewer buzzwords, more business value.

Backed by a team with experience across seed-stage startups and NYSE-listed tech, Octoco AI is built for companies that want to go beyond cosmetic AI and actually use it to unlock real productivity, operational leverage and competitive edge.

What do they do?

They help companies ideate, validate, and build production-grade AI solutions — from discovery workshops and internal data audits, to functional MVPs and fully integrated systems. Think everything from AI-enhanced claims processing to full-on co-created AI-native businesses.

What makes them different?

They don’t just consult. They co-create, operating with deep technical expertise and product rigour, and they stay in it to ship. And they’ve built their practice around one simple belief: the AI era doesn’t reward half-measures. It rewards reinvention.

So if you’re a founder, exec or venture builder betting on AI to transform your business — and want to partner with a team that’s helped 30+ startups build their tech — Octoco AI is the business to talk to.

_{*This content is part of a paid partnership with Octoco.}

👩‍⚖️ AI Shenanigans in Court. South African lawyers are in the soup for citing non-existent, AI-generated legal cases in court filings. Again. The Legal Practice Council is stepping in after these fictional legal precedents were uncovered. If only the AI hallucinated that you paid your massive legal bill…

🚁 Peak Cleaning. Two giant drones have buzzed in to reclaim Mount Everest from trash, swooping down from 6’065 meters to base camp. They transported about 280kg of refuse, slicing what usually takes Sherpas hours down to mere minutes. Yet, nature isn't playing nice; drones can't handle wind speeds over 60km/h and struggle where the air thins out.

☕️ Coffee Cashback. Platō is stirring things up in South Africa with the launch of a seamless, card-linked loyalty app. By partnering with Yoyo and leveraging in-store instant 5% cashback on all transactions, Platō is pouring rewards without the pesky loyalty cards. Within just three weeks, over 30% of transactions at their 98+ locations passed through the app, double the industry norm! Looking forward to getting some barista bucks…

🔪 Knife Capital Slices Into 15th Year. South Africa's Knife Capital just celebrated its 15th anniversary by injecting Series A funds into two local innovators, Sticitt and Optique. Sticitt aims to revolutionise school payments for over 75,700 users, while Optique offers digitally-powered eyecare across 19 outlets. Glad Knife Capital is staying sharp.

✅ The Stack. Founders need tools and suppliers they can trust. Check out our Founder’s Stack with your own CFO for a fraction of the cost with OCFO, WhatsApp marketing with 2'000% ROI powered by Chat Inc, and loads more vital startup tools & services.

Yesterday, we told you about Arable’s Sprout desktop hydroponic grower and asked where you’d bet your chips in the future of food — most say vertical farming’s the way…

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🥬 Urban vertical farming (stack it high, grow it local) (59%)

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🪴 Grow-at-home tech (salad on your countertop in 2 weeks) (12%)

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🚚 Cold chain logistics (keep it cool, cut the spoil) (9%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🔥 Carbon-smart crop insurance (climate risk is real) (3%) 🟨

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🧠 AI-powered agri ops (drones, data & decisions) (17%)

Your 2 cents…

Awesome, Meymia, yes we love smarter farming. ✨🌽

And so you should, Chris! If you share The Open Letter with 1 friend, you get our Guide to Validating Business Ideas for free. 2 Friends, and you get our list of 100+ SA startups ideas. 🚀

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