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Vertice MedTech Holdings, the leading independent distributor of specialised medical devices in Southern Africa, has been acquired by a consortium of private equity and development finance investors. Amethis, the Africa-focused impact private equity firm, French development finance institution Proparco, and AI-focused investment vehicle ccap.ai joined Vertice’s executive management team to complete the acquisition.
Ethos Private Equity, which had backed the company since it was founded in 2018 alongside a management group led by Hendri Pretorius, has exited the company. The acquisition aims to help the company drive its next growth phase across Africa and into Europe.
“We are thrilled to welcome Amethis, Proparco and ccap.ai as our partners in Vertice’s next phase of growth,” said Hendri Pretorius and Group CFO Jonathan Lowick in a joint statement. “Their combined sector expertise, international footprint and strong network are ideally suited to support our expansion across Africa and Europe.”
Over the past seven years, Vertice has established itself as the dominant independent distributor of specialised medical products in South Africa. According to the company’s website, it ranked as the fourth fastest-growing company in South Africa in 2023 and 28th on the continent. It employs more than 780 people, supports more than 70,000 procedures per month and has trained or supported over 130,000 healthcare professionals through medical education programmes.
The company operates across 17 specialist divisions and runs facilities in six South African cities, including distribution centres in Pretoria, Durban, and Cape Town. Its supplier network includes multinational medical device makers such as Abbott, Stryker, and Haemonetics, covering product categories spanning cardiovascular care, urology, orthopaedics, and spinal surgery.
Beyond hardware distribution, Vertice has also built a second vertical called Vertice Software that develops AI-powered diagnostics and clinical workflow tools delivered through a globally scalable SaaS model. The software division began expanding its reach into Europe in 2024 and now delivers digital health services across more than 16 countries. This twin strategy puts the company at the crossroads of medical devices and digital health, and thus makes it attractive to investors.
The consortium says they intend to support the management team to grow both sides of the business. On the medical devices front, they plan to strengthen market share in existing markets and push into new African markets. The software division is expected to extend the company’s reach into Europe, with M&A remaining an option where it makes strategic sense.
For Amethis, the deal fits its broader strategy of backing high-growth businesses that combine strong financial performance with meaningful impact. “Vertice has built a unique platform at the intersection of medical devices and digital health, two critical pillars for improving access to quality healthcare in South Africa and beyond,” said Marieke Geurts, Managing Director at Amethis South Africa.
Tibor Asboth, Head of Private Equity Africa at Proparco, said, “This investment fully reflects Proparco’s commitment to supporting high-impact businesses that contribute to sustainable development across the continent.”
“We believe technology will play a transformative role in improving access, efficiency and patient outcomes, particularly in underserved markets. Together with our partners, we look forward to supporting Vertice’s management team in scaling a business that not only delivers strong growth, but also contributes meaningfully to the evolution of healthcare systems,” added Willem Roos, partner at ccap.ai.
