By Jabulile Ngwenya
Synonymous with Africa’s rapidly growing tech, innovation and investment ecosystem, AfricArena is a platform and event that focuses on connecting startups, investors, corporates, and other stakeholders to one another within the African tech space.
Since it launched in 2017, AfricArena focuses on creating market access and fostering investment opportunities for a growing community of tech founders, angel investors, corporate innovators and venture capitalists through a digital-first approach. This digital-first approach is seen in its high-impact investment deal flow events, tailored interventions and its open-source platform which champions the principles of open innovation and entrepreneurship.
The first AfricArena Tour circuit kicks off in Johannesburg on 26 March 2025 with its one-day AfricArena Johannesburg Fintech, Deep Tech & Enterprise Summit where 20 of Southern Africa’s top tech startups will pitch their solutions to a strong audience mix of top-tier investors, venture capitalists, limited partners, general partners, government officials and ecosystem builders in the hopes of raising much needed capital for growing and scaling their startups and turning them into unicorns.
Some of the founders who are pitching their startups on the AfricArena Johannesburg stage include the following: Wisani Hlangwane, founder and CEO at FuntiER; co-founders Emile Moses and Michelle Sars at Elime Digital; Sine Shabalala, founder and CEO at Oneway Connect; Lemohang Letsoela, founder and CEO at AgroHub; Alexander Hizikias, co-founder at eQUB; Tererai Jaravaza, founder at Arimma and Micaelyn Maharaj, co-founder at Smart Business Card among many more.
Over 30 speakers who comprise of the best minds in the African and global fintech, deep tech, enterprise, business, finance, and policymaking landscape will speak at the summit on issues relevant to Africa’s fast growing tech landscape. These speakers will share their insights in keynote addresses and panel discussions that will illuminate what is happening within Africa’s tech, innovation and investment landscape.
These speakers include Melvyn Lubega, Partner at Breega who will give a keynote address on the State of Tech in Africa; Dr. Ruth Tembe, Founder, CEO and Chairperson of the Board at African Economic Development Agency; Bakang Komanyane, Principal at E4E Africa VenturesSanjay Soni, Chief Venture Architect at Jozi Angels; Thabelo Ratshihule, CEO at Savant; Thapelo Nthite, Co-Founder & CEO at Botlhale.ai; Clive Butkow, Founder & Managing Partner at Conducive Capital; Lorien Gamaroff, CEO at Centbee, Ayesha Bayat, Co-Founder at DigiYouth Africa and many more.
Each year, AfricArena goes on a roadshow with its AfricArena Tour circuit, taking its iconic flagship events known for blending thought leadership and action-driven networking to Africa’s four regions, Southern Africa, West Africa, East Africa and North Africa to source the top tech startups within the continent who are trailblazers, creating innovative solutions solving both African and global problems. These flagship events include the AfricArena Summits, which showcase Africa’s most promising tech talent to the world, connecting them to interested investors and global stakeholders; the AfricArise Founder’s Bootcamp, a hands-on program that is designed to prepare startups for investment and scaling and the the Investors Unconference, that takes place in a collaborative think tank environment where investors can connect with each other, network and strategize new ways of taking Africa’s tech, innovative and investment ecosystem forward.
In addition to its AfricArena Tour, AfricArena also showcases the best of Africa’s tech startups in its international showcases tours that go to Europe, Asia and North America to demonstrate Africa’s growing successful tech story to interested investors looking at investing in Africa’s tech founders and be a part of Africa’s dynamic tech frontier.
AfricArena has played and continues to play a key role in facilitating investment and deal flow into the continent through its startup pitch competitions. To paint a picture of AfricArena’s impact on the continent’s investment landscape, founders who have pitched on an AfricArena stage have to date collectively raised over US$884 million in the past eight years as key players within Africa’s tech, innovation and investment ecosystem create alliances to ensure African-led startups receive a piece of the global funding pie.
Get your early bird ticket to the Johannesburg Summit before the early bird special ends at 6pm on 24 March 2025 and view the program here. For more information on the AfricArena Summits, visit the website www.africarena.com.