Africa’s tech ecosystem is a vibrant yet challenging landscape, marked by extraordinary growth and significant hurdles.
The continent’s startups are at the forefront of innovation, but they face a complex web of regulatory and policy challenges that can stifle their potential.
Over the past few years, African startups have attracted nearly $5 billion in investment, fueling a surge in technological advancements and job creation.
In 2022, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa stood out with substantial funding, raising $896 million, $818 million, and $652 million, respectively.
This rapid growth has propelled Africa’s tech sector to a valuation of over $480 billion—an impressive 32-fold increase over the last decade, compared to Europe’s 17-fold growth to $20 trillion.
However, the expansion comes with its own set of challenges. The recent global slowdown in venture capital has affected Africa as well, with a 40% decline in funding from 2022 to 2023. This downturn reflects broader economic uncertainties and highlights persistent issues within the continent’s regulatory and policy frameworks. Fragmented regulations, bureaucratic red tape, and inconsistent policy implementation continue to pose barriers to startup growth and innovation.
In this context, certain key figures are leading the charge to address these issues and drive Africa’s tech revolution. They are at the helm of annual events that play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and building partnerships across the continent.
These events not only showcase the best of African tech talent but also serve as platforms for discussing policy reforms, navigating regulatory challenges, and connecting startups with investors and policymakers.
Meet the key figures behind the major events driving the continent’s tech revolution and fostering essential connections among startups, investors, and policymakers. Their efforts are instrumental in shaping the future of technology on the continent, creating a more conducive environment for innovation and growth.
9. Tom Jackson – Disrupt Africa/Africa Startup Summit
Location: Various African cities
Tom Jackson is a co-founder of Disrupt Africa, a leading platform covering African tech and startup ecosystems. A passionate advocate for African entrepreneurship, Jackson is known for his deep insight into the continent’s tech scene and his efforts to provide visibility for startups through media and events.
Disrupt Africa was founded in 2014. It is a media company and platform dedicated to promoting and supporting the African startup ecosystem. The organization has been instrumental in organizing events such as the Africa Startup Summit, which focuses on showcasing and nurturing African startups and fostering connections among entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.
Also, the Africa Startup Summit is part of the broader Africa Tech Summit series. It focuses on providing early-stage startups with exposure and resources to scale, offering a dynamic space for networking, pitching, and knowledge sharing among innovators, investors, and policy-makers.
8. Christophe Viarnaud – AfricArena
Location: Cape Town, South Africa & satellite events in African cities
Christophe Viarnaud is the founder and CEO of AfricArena, a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with a passion for driving growth in Africa’s venture capital scene. With over 20 years of experience, he has been instrumental in bridging the gap between African startups and global investors, facilitating strategic partnerships and growth.
AfricArena is a premier tech conference aimed at connecting African startups with international investors. It offers a platform for startups to pitch their innovations while fostering relationships with venture capitalists, corporates, and tech leaders from across the globe.
7. Olumide Olayinka-Lagos Startup Week
With over 8 years of experience in start-ups, scale-ups, and established corporations, Olumide Olayunka, co founder of Lagos Startup Week specializes in launching innovative products and solutions for both B2B and B2C markets. As a seasoned Product Management leader, he has a proven track record of delivering high-impact, customer-centric products that address real-world challenges. His expertise spans Fintech, Ecommerce, and Logistics, where he has consistently driven growth and profitability through technology and digitization.
Lagos Startup Week, an event founded in 2017 celebrates and supports the startup ecosystem in Lagos. The week-long event features play host to about 5000 of Africa’s top founders and investors, through networking opportunities, workshops, panels, pitch competitions, and keynote speeches, aimed at fostering collaboration and growth within the entrepreneurial community,
6. Tom Cuthell – Africa Tech Festival (Incorporating AfricaCom)
Tom Cuthell is the Event Director at Informa Tech, spearheading the Africa Tech Festival and its flagship event, AfricaCom. Cuthell oversees other major tech events including London Tech Week and previously, he was Vice President of Global Festivals and Senior Director at Informa Tech Founders. His earlier roles include Portfolio Manager at KNect365, where he expanded maritime and energy events, and Senior Conference Producer at Informa. Olumide holds an MA in Imperial and Commonwealth History from King’s College London and a BA in History from the University of East Anglia.
Africa Tech Festival, which includes AfricaCom was founded in 2008 and is one of the most important gatherings for tech professionals, investors, and telecom leaders. The event highlights innovation, policy development, and infrastructure growth, especially in telecommunications and digital technologies.
5. Dr. Nick Bradshaw – AI Expo Africa
Dr. Nick Bradshaw brings 25 years of expertise in the technology sector, specializing in marketing complex technology solutions and advancing Enterprise collaboration software and cloud platforms. His career spans Europe, North America, and Africa, where he has served a diverse range of multi-billion-dollar global clients. Bradshaw successfully built and exited a digital practice and Microsoft Gold software start-up, Complexus, and has since consulted with numerous tech start-ups on Sales and Marketing operations across the UK, Europe, and Africa.
Following the exit of Complexus, Bradshaw founded the AI Media Group in 2017. AI Expo Africa is the continent’s largest AI and machine learning event, bringing together thought leaders, developers, and investors. The expo focuses on advancing the adoption of AI and related technologies in Africa, fostering collaboration and innovation in fields like healthcare, finance, and education.
4. Ehi Braimah – IoT West Africa
Ehi Braimah is the CEO of the Africa Infrastructure Event Centre (AIEC), a pivotal figure in advancing IoT infrastructure and solutions in West Africa. With extensive experience in tech event management, Braimah has been at the forefront of discussions and initiatives that push the boundaries of IoT in Africa.
IoT West Africa is a leading event focused on the development and expansion of the Internet of Things in the region. The event connects tech innovators, investors, and policy-makers, driving conversations around smart cities, IoT solutions, and the future of connectivity in West Africa.
3. Tomi Davies – Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (AESIS)
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Tomi Davies, co-founder and President of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), is a renowned angel investor and startup advocate. With over two decades of experience, Davies has been instrumental in building early-stage investment frameworks across Africa, mentoring startups, and promoting angel investment.
AESIS is one of Africa’s leading early-stage investment events, gathering investors, venture capitalists, and high-potential startups. The summit focuses on enhancing the ecosystem for early-stage investing, promoting collaboration, and driving funding opportunities for startups across Africa.
2. Trixie LohMirmand- GITEX Africa
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), brings nearly 30 years of experience in the global events industry. At DWTC, she oversees the strategic and commercial growth of the organization’s major division, focusing on creative marketing, talent development, and expanding a diverse portfolio of international business and lifestyle events.
She is the CEO of KAOUN International. LohMirmand serves on the Board of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and The Marketing Society, and is President of the Singapore Business Council (UAE). She is also an Advisory Council Member at Nord Anglia International School Dubai. She was Vice President at Reed Exhibitions. LohMirmand holds an Executive MBA from The University of Manchester and has completed advanced leadership programs at Harvard Business School.
Gitex, or Gulf Information Technology Exhibition, is a leading technology event in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) region. Held annually in Dubai since 1981, Gitex showcases the latest in IT and telecommunications, attracting global participants. GITEX Africa, an extension of GITEX Global, highlights Africa’s technological advancements and promotes digital transformation. Its inaugural event in Morocco 2023 saw 1800 startups meet up with 1000 investors worth $1 trillion in assets.
1. Maurice Lévy – Viva Technology (VivaTech) Africa
Maurice Lévy, Chairman of Publicis Groupe, is a key figure in the global advertising and tech landscape. His leadership has transformed VivaTech into one of the world’s largest tech events, with a strong focus on promoting African startups and fostering global partnerships for the continent’s tech ecosystem.
Maurice Lévy was instrumental in transforming Publicis from a renowned French creative agency into a global powerhouse through major acquisitions, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Bcom3, and digital entities like Digitas and Razorfish. Under his leadership, Publicis grew to over 80,000 employees, generated $10 billion in revenue, and expanded to 104 countries.
VivaTech Africa founded in 2016 is part of the larger VivaTech event, which aims to promote tech startups and foster innovation across the globe. The event provides African startups with a platform to showcase their products and ideas, connecting them with investors and global tech leaders for collaboration and funding.
Note: The personalities featured in this compilation have been carefully selected by a distinguished panel of editors, experts, and analysts at Nairametrics. It is important to note that none of the individuals listed have solicited their inclusion.
While this list aims to be comprehensive, it is by no means exhaustive; numerous other contributors have played significant roles in advancing the African tech startup ecosystem. This compilation is exclusive to Nairametrics and may be updated periodically to reflect changes and advancements in the field. Feedback will be appreciated.