This year’s event, powered by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and hosted by the City of Cape Town, once again created a critical third place for Africa’s startup economy to come together to celebrate the victories of the continent’s tenacious founders.

The event featured an exciting lineup of panel discussions, masterclasses, keynote presentations, pitch battles, expos, networking opportunities, and intellectual stimulation.

“As a division in the agency of the Department of Science and Innovation, TIA is tasked with creating an ecosystem that empowers startups to find the light,” said TIA Acting Executive: Innovation Enabling, Vusi Skosana, adding “we are creating a gateway into Africa, and our partnership with the SA Innovation Summit ensures that these opportunities are made easier.”

His statement was prompted by the City of Cape Town’s challenge to transform the Mother City into “the go-to destination for Africa and beyond, particularly in the realm of tech and intelligence that drives the desire for success”.

Alderman James Vos urged attendees to “push for committed actions” and to use the three days to “find solutions” for the city and our continent.

Africa’s premier ideas destination

The week was kick-started with the Von Seidels Cocktail & Connect event, which served as a catalyst for stimulating dialogue and paved the way for a series of discussions and interactions that will further the cause of African excellence.

#SAIS23 fostered connections and discoveries that will power the next phase of technological development and allowed stakeholders to see each other in a new light. Long-term partners Vexila and the City of Cape Town deepened their relationship when the City was treated to the full suite of products and unlocked new opportunities to innovate in critical electricity infrastructure.

This value unlock underlines the essential role of the summit as a platform to establish business partnerships.

“If you want to scale a business you can’t do it one customer at a time,” were the wise words spoken by Wetility founder Vincent Maposa in his Masterclass. “You need business-to-business relationships. Capital can be quite shy and those shy investors will have nuggets of information that they don’t share easily – you need to meet as peers.”

Platforms such as the Venture Stage, in collaboration with #SAIS23 partner, Sage, serve as the launching point for forging these connections.

Visionary founders use this platform to showcase their ideas, aiming to garner the admiration and interest of potential investors.

Taking innovation to the people

This year summit partner UVU Africa streamed the event live at the Khayelitsha Bandwidth Barn to help empower communities in the space that they occupy.

“If we don’t participate as Africans, there is no incentive for technology to serve us,” said Mindjoy founder Gabi Immelman in response to a discussion about the perceived threat of generative AI.

In his closing remarks, Vusi Skosana challenged the summit organisers to strive for even more inclusivity in future events. “Invite schools and rural communities to come and see the good work that we are doing here.”

He explained that the TIA mandate extends to igniting innovation in the circles just outside the founders and participants in the room. He added words of praise, encouragement and support to the audience that made #SAIS23 a success.

Thanks and awards

“Congratulations to the award winners, but to those of you who didn’t receive anything, this is not a failure. It was another opportunity to learn. When you win next year, it is because you came this year and did not win – value your lessons because wherever you go from here, you’ll be able to make a better pitch,” said Skosana.

The awards he is referring to are for the various pitch competition winners who presented to judges at the Sage Venture Stage.

SA Innovation Summit award winners:

Inventors Garage: 3rd Place – CT Labs, 2nd Place – Wheelchair Doctor, 1st Place – SenGeny Africa

Earth Observation Challenge: 3rd place – Drone Service Niger, 2nd Place – ZR3i, 1st Place – SnooCode

TIA Pitching Competition: 3rd Place – LIQID Medical, 2nd place – SwiftVEE, 1st Place – Water Hygiene Convenience

Boost UP Stand UP Pitch Competition: 3rd place- PasswordKid, 2nd Place – Chemyx, 1st Place – Bophelo, (Additional winner – Aria Cosmetics)

“It’s exciting to be among people who believe in the future and wake up every day to build it. We would like to thank all the participants, including industry-leading speakers, innovative exhibitors, and electrifying side events,” said SAIS CEO Buntu Majaja.

“SA Innovation Summit 2023 served as a melting pot where tech elites, visionary entrepreneurs, investment giants, policymakers, and thought leaders came together. We look forward to welcoming you again next year for another unforgettable experience.”

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.