Are you in South Africa, get ready for the biggest innovation event of the year! The SA Innovation Summit (SAIS), will explore the dynamics and challenges of the innovation ecosystem, met with boundless opportunities.
Get ready for an inspiring journey that will drive deal-making and inspire innovators, build tech businesses, and forge powerful networks.
Set against backdrop of Cape Town, Africa’s startup Capital, the Summit is taking place from 26 to 29 September 2023 at the Sun Exhibits Arena at GrandWest as well as an additional 10 side events taking place across the city.
Get ready for a deep dive into the continent’s most awe-inspiring tech innovations and extraordinary startup success stories.
The Summit expects over 3,500 participants, including industry-leading speakers, innovative exhibitors, entrepreneurial visionaries, investment powerhouses, and policymakers. SAIS’23 is powered by the Technology Innovation Agency, an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).
What to Expect at the Innovation Celebration
According to the United Nations’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2023, Innovation is a key ingredient for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
It is the promise of job creation and economic prosperity while tackling the challenges of poverty and climate change that plague the world, including Africa.
The objective of the Summit is to create a platform for knowledge exchange among various stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem that ultimately drive deals and decisions for the betterment of society. Through showcasing technological advancements, cutting-edge research, and success stories, the aim is to inspire and encourage innovation.
“Attendees will seize the opportunity to etch their story on how they celebrate, support, or invest in Africa’s Innovation Frontier, each of us assuming a vital role in shaping the future of our continent,” says Buntu Majaja, CEO of SAIS.
He continues to highlight that this is a challenge we can only rise to in unity and that SAIS’23 is a testament to this collaboration as they [SAIS] are joined by distinguished partners working on building and enabling innovative businesses to succeed.
SAIS is therefore a platform for such attendees to work together with the likes of the Dept of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), SiMODISA’s Startup Act Movement, The Innovation Hub (TIH), and the African Institute for Entrepreneurs (Aife).
They represent issues to tackle that ensure startups thrive, such as having the right policies, funding incubation, and including diverse voices from different backgrounds.
“Gone are the days when startup founders primarily leaned on friends and family. Today’s startups need robust early-stage funding, encompassing pre-seed, seed, and pre-series A stages. Beyond capital, this funding brings mentoring, networks, and specialized industry knowledge – all of this will be gathered at SAIS’23” – Dr Audrey Verhaeghe, CEO of ANZA Capital.
Audacious Angels will host an insightful side event on angel investing. RCS – Level Up together with TSIBA Academy is hosting a startup-focused celebration event to launch and scale businesses from Africa to the world.
The Namibian Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) as well as Innovate UK KTN are reinforcing the bridges that startups from Africa and beyond can sell, raise funding, and build new technologies on. To join some of the side events, visit Innovation City a SAIS23 venue partner that will host various networking sessions.
“A vital element to the success of TIA’s strategy to deliver on its mandate is continuous engagement with various stakeholders in the NSI, industry, and the public sector. This, we do through establishing mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborating with like-minded organisations, locally and internationally” says Patric Krappie, CEO of TIA.
Speakers and Panels
SAIS has gathered some of the brightest minds from around the world and the continent to share their wisdom, ideas, and experiences.
Here’s a sneak peek at who you can look forward to:
- Rapelang Rabana: Rekindle Learning’s founder, she’s changing the game in how we learn.
- Professor Jeffrey Sachs: A top voice from Columbia University, he’s making waves worldwide at the UN and as a bestselling author with his knowledge and vision.
Tapping into the latest tech trends:
- Algorand’s UCT Fintech Hub’s Anda Ngcaba will guide us through how blockchain is driving innovation in Africa and how you can get involved.
- Krista Davidson from Injini will give us a look into the future of education.
Making waves in their industries:
- Celina Lee from Zindi is leading the charge in data science in Africa.
- Velani Mboweni, the brain behind Lula, is thinking up new ways for us to move around our cities.
Financial wizards:
- Zachariah George the MP of Launch Africa Ventures will share a thing or two about investing in Africa’s future from having done the most startup deals on the continent.
- Vincent Maposa from Wetility has big plans to light up our continent with funding of up to $60 million.
Experts from companies like Sage’ Mduduzi Dladla will share how startups can leverage innovative digital technology as the backbone for scaling their businesses
Aside from the exhilarating speaker line-up, attendees can expect almost 50 other sessions on hot topics such as green innovation, new tech trends, and starting your own business.
Networking Opportunities
After-event parties, workspaces, and networking lounges are set to take place with selected cocktail events, creating a relaxed atmosphere for participants to engage in conversations and close deals. There are several events to look out for, including a SAIS23@Night, after party, after-after party, and investor tour for finance gurus.
“As the largest start-up event in Africa, SAIS provides various platforms for developing and showcasing African innovation and thought leadership to support start-ups and inspire sustained economic growth across Africa. TIA is proud to be the Headline Partner to the SA Innovation Summit.” – Patric Krappie, CEO of TIA.
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