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The Opportunity

Organisers of the Africa Tech Summit, a leading tech conference series hosted in London, Nairobi, Kigali, Accra and Cape Town that drives business and investment across the continent, held the 7th edition of the London event in June 2023 and its 8th edition in June 2024, both at the London Stock Exchange, while the 7th edition of the Nairobi conference took place on 12th - 13th February 2025. These major gatherings connect hundreds of industry leaders from across Africa with international investors, corporates and ventures thus enabling the sharing of insights and perspectives on the African tech ecosystem.

My Role

  • The Sixth D appointed “Strategic Partner” for annual Africa Tech Summits held at London Stock Exchange & Nairobi Sarit Centre between 2023 to 2025 (having helped make the London, Nairobi and Kigali events happen since their inception);

  • Help secure speakers - keynotes and panellists - and support shaping of programme for this 2-day event by curating several of its panel discussions;

  • Speaker / moderator role leading panel discussions and these Summits “Investor Showcase” that have, during 2023-2025, featured eminent business leaders from, amongst others: Google; ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator; Partech Africa; Novastar Ventures; LocalGlobe; Founders Factory Africa; Catalyst Fund; Enza Capital; First Circle Capital; Madica; Factor(e) Ventures; SuperAdvisors; Halcyon; Ingressive Capital; Atlantica Ventures; Verto, Andela; and Executives in Africa - brought all speakers together on conference call briefings prior to the events and shaped the interactive event day discussions to ensure they provided thought provoking debate for their audiences, with the entrepreneurs involved in the “Investment Showcase” pre-selected prior to the events were seeking to raise $1mn to $15mn+ in funding.

Results

  • Africa Tech Summit London 2023 and 2024 sold out as did the Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2025!

  • Each conference connected +300 delegates from +200 companies and +30 countries

  • In each of the 3 years (2023, 2024 & 2025) circa 12-15 early stage startups pitched to x8 high profile international investors

  • Led participants to engage in social media outreach pre, during and post the Summits with this highlighting the startups featured in the “Investment Showcase” and key issues founders and investors need to consider when seeking to accelerate growth and scale by serving markets across Africa

  • Each of the Summits were packed with networking, sessions and meetings, with the event organiser publicly stating that the 2023 edition was the “biggest and most energetic London event yet” while also celebrating the “smooth running of the Investment Showcase” in 2024!

  • Success inspired further collaboration with Africa Tech Summit and The Sixth D:

    • Created, hosted and distributed a “Climate, Tech & Sustainability in Africa” podcast & video series (sponsored by Mercy Corps Ventures and PeerCarbon)

    • Conducted research and authored report exploring how Africa can meaningfully adapt / contribute to the global transition to “net zero” while catalysing its own sustainable growth - report released January 2025 in run up to 12th - 13th February Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2025. Download your copy below.

Download the Africa Climate Tech & Sustainability Report here: https://lnkd.in/dfiGMPcq. Authored by The Sixth D, in collaboration with the Africa Tech Summit and Mercy Corps Ventures, this report was launched in January 2025 in advance of the Africa Climate Tech & Investment Summit, part of Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2025.

This followed the release, throughout 2024, of several related podcasts which you can download here: https://bit.ly/PodcastATS.

Thanks to the climate tech leaders and investors who participated in research, conducted by The Sixth D, that underpins this thought leadership - this includes: Hetal Patel & Toffene Kama (Mercy Corps Ventures); Rebecca Mincy (Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund); Greg Murray (KOKO Networks); Filip Lövström (Roam); Martin Freimüller (Octavia Carbon); Erik Hersman (Gridless); Kidus Asfaw (Kubik); Nthabiseng Mosia (Easy Solar); and James Fabola Jr (Arnergy).

Prior to this The Sixth D was the “Strategic Partner” for the Africa Tech Summit London in June 2023 and 2024 at the London Stock Exchange.