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Africa Tech Festival 2024 celebrates the trailblazers shaping Africa’s tech future

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1 year ago

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Africa Tech Festival

The final day of Africa Tech Festival 2024 also featured several keynote fireside discussions across the various event streams

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, November 18, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com) 2024 wrapped up last week, marking the most successful edition in the event’s 27-year history. Organised by Informa Tech, the event is Africa’s most extensive showcase of enterprise tech innovation, bringing together influential founders, business leaders, policymakers, investors, and startups.

Building on the momentum of the event’s first two days, the final day kicked off with an opening address by Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, City of Cape Town. Commenting on the host city’s standing as a leading tech hub hosting 51% of South Africa’s startups, he emphasised Cape Town’s focus on skills development in AI and tech in particular, reiterating his excitement at “making Cape Town a focal point for African innovation and setting an example of how tech can empower communities and social change.”

LeadersIn Africa Summit

Preceding the main event, the by-invitation LeadersIn Africa Summit was an exclusive VIP series of executive discussions designed to facilitate actionable dialogue between 100 of the continent’s most influential tech players. Panel sessions, fireside chats, networking events, and roundtables provided a platform for sharing insights and collaborating on solutions to Africa’s tech challenges. Topics ranged from emerging technologies to AI for startups, ESG, regulatory frameworks, fundraising strategies, and support for founders and investors.

Skills development and knowledge sharing

The final day of Africa Tech Festival 2024 also featured several keynote fireside discussions across the various event streams. Skills development was a theme of the day, including a masterclass session on AI content creation, a security fundamentals certification training session, and a technical workshop where participants worked in groups to develop scaling strategies for AI pilot projects.

We’re proud of the progress made in opening dialogue, sharing insights, and working together to advance Africa’s digital transformation journey

Key Highlights

The USAID Young African Leaders Initiative(YALI) hosted the YALI Alumni Expo and Trade Show running alongside Africa Tech Festival. The YALI Expo  connected and celebrated YALI alumni making positive change in their communities by creating  these networking opportunities and showcasing innovations for sustainable impact.

One of the key topics focused on the gender gap and a panel discussion on day 4 centred around   Empowering Female Founders: Narrowing the Gender Gap in Venture Capital.  The challenge that female-founded companies face is that only 16% of tech funding and 8% of total funding go to these companies due to bias, lack of female representation among venture capital decision-makers or insufficient diversity in teams and investment criteria. It was proposed that female representation in venture capital leadership needed to be increased, more training and support was essential to encourage female founders to build networks and strengthen pitch preparation and business strategies.

The Africa Tech Festival Awards took place on the penultimate  night,  at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town. The awards celebrated the  exceptional technological advancements and expertise across the continent and highlighted the pioneering work that is transforming lives and industries across Africa, inspiring future innovation and growth. Some of the winners included:

  • Telco of the Year: MTN Ghana 
  • Innovation for Impact: WIOCC Group 
  • CXO of the Year: Patrick Benon, Orange Cameroon 
  • Changing Lives Award: Orange Burkina Faso 
  • Creative Visionary Award: Brighton Mhlongo 
  • AIConics Award: GRIT – Gender Rights in Tech 

“Africa Tech Festival 2024 exceeded our expectations in terms of engagement, active participation by key industry stakeholders, and the sheer scale of the event. As we wrap up the 2024 event, we’d like to express our gratitude to all our sponsors and supporters, with special mention to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the City of Cape Town. 

As the largest and most influential telecoms and technology event in Africa, with an audience that spans the entire ICT ecosystem, we’re proud of the progress made in opening dialogue, sharing insights, and working together to advance Africa’s digital transformation journey,” said Informa’s James Williams, Event Director of Africa Tech Festival.   

Visit the AfricaTech Festival website (https://apo-opa.co/4hPy9P7) for more details.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

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Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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14 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

By

Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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21 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

By

MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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21 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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