Founder of Sedna: tech-enabled, circular solutions for Africa’s waste and energy. Building real, practical, non-woke climate impact with partners on the ground.
Senda International, a Hong Kong-domiciled investment and holding company, is addressing Africa’s plastic waste and energy challenges with a portfolio of five modular pyrolysis plants in South Africa. Our technology thermally decomposes non-recyclable plastics into paraffinic/light oils (42 tons/day per plant) and char (17 tons/day per plant), diverting waste from landfills and oceans while generating clean, local energy. Sites include Atlantis (Cape Town, development started March 2025, ops Nov 2026), Pretoria (starts Sept 2025, ops Feb 2027), Johannesburg, Durban, and a second Cape Town plant, with rollouts from March 2026, subject to EIAs.
Leveraging continuous-feed pyrolysis technology from Chinese partners Autowei (machines) and Mrs. Bi (construction), who provide vendor financing for initial plants, Senda ensures commercial viability and reduced capex risk. IES (50% local partner) funds development, with our HK structure offering offshore security and USD returns. Seeking USD 20.6M (USD 19.7M capex for Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and second Cape Town plant + USD 0.9M opex runway) until Atlantis ops, structured as preference shares (11% interest, 0-3 year payback, 5% equity sweetener), delivering 23-55% IRR for VCs (unlevered 27-72% project IRR). Total portfolio value is USD 38.1M, with EBITDA projected at USD 5.6M+ annually by 2030.
ESG impact includes diverting 500+ tons/day waste, creating 50+ jobs per site, and reducing CO2e emissions, aligning with UN SDGs 7, 11, 12, and 13. Partnerships with Waste Group (sites/feedstock) and Nestlé (LOI for low-sulphur fuel) enhance scalability. This BRI-ready project targets HK-based VCs with Chinese synergies. Visit sedna.earth for more.
I'm Jean Craven — entrepreneur, adventurer, and founder of Sedna, a bold new venture turning Africa’s plastic problem into clean energy through scalable pyrolysis tech.
Born in Rhodesia and raised on a farm in South Africa’s Free State, I’ve always had a deep connection with land, grit, and leadership — honed further during my Navy days and at Stellenbosch University, where I earned my B.Comm in Accounting.
From launching a maize mill in Cape Town to trading futures and options, and later serving in senior roles at Peregrine and Rand Merchant Bank, I’ve always sought the edge where challenge meets opportunity. That edge sharpened further at Export Trading Group, where I helped scale the business from $80M to over $1.5B, and through Barak Group, which I founded and grew into Africa’s largest credit fund ($1.3B AUM across 25 countries).
But I’m not just boardrooms and balance sheets. As founder of Madswimmer.com, I’ve broken world records in high-altitude and cold-water swims to raise funds for children's charities — proving that impact can come from pushing human limits.
Today, my energy is focused on Sedna: deploying tech-enabled, circular-economy solutions to Africa’s waste and energy challenges. I’m passionate about creating practical, non-woke environmental solutions — backed by strong partners, real numbers, and boots on the ground.
Father of four, based in Kommetjie, and still addicted to cold water and hard problems.