Startup Picnic Venture Studio (SPVS) is creating the future of African publishing and intellectual property.

We started as a networking picnic for entrepreneurs in 2014, bringing together innovators, investors, and creatives over a braai, sports, and conversation. Today, we have evolved into a venture studio with one clear mission: to transform African intellectual property into globally scalable businesses, using technology and AI as accelerators.

Our Foundation (Traction)

We are not experimenting from zero — we are executing on an existing foundation:

• Bula Buka Distribution already supplies books to Exclusive Books, Bargain Books, Van Schaik, Takealot, and other retailers across South Africa and SADC.
• We have access to 1,000+ manuscripts, some published and some unpublished, with demonstrated readership.
• We already refer millions of rands of printing business annually to printers and see a major opportunity to build scalable printing and print-on-demand solutions across Africa.
• Our technology-first distribution model allows any author or publisher to list their book and sell directly into bookstores — bypassing slow and outdated middlemen.

This is an execution play, not a theoretical concept. With additional resources, we are ready to add a sales team, acquire manuscripts at advance prices, scale our distribution footprint, and open access for hundreds of African authors and smaller publishers.

Our Approach

SPVS operates as a multi-vertical studio, integrating publishing, technology, and IP infrastructure:

• Publishing & IP Acquisition: Targeting 10,000 manuscripts within 5–7 years, with a focus on books that can become films, series, and other derivative products.
• Distribution & Retail: Expanding Bula Buka Distribution, adding physical and digital retail channels, and simplifying market access for African creators.
• Printing & POD: Building printing infrastructure, including on-demand printing to reduce costs and waste.
• AI & Software: Developing catalogue management tools, royalty tracking, and contract automation.
• Content Conversion: Creating pathways to adapt books into film, audio, merchandise, and other IP extensions.

Our Vision

We aim to build the most comprehensive African publishing and IP ecosystem, one that:

• Enables creators to earn fairly and transparently.
• Makes African stories available to readers globally.
• Creates derivative products (films, series, merch) that circulate African culture worldwide.
• Lays the groundwork for scalable, technology-driven infrastructure that lasts.