Here’s who’s speaking at this year’s edition of AfricArena

Organisers of the AfricArena Summit, which takes place on 11 and 12 November at Century City Convention Centre in Cape Town, have announced the names of the thought leaders, founders and investors that will speak at the event.

Confirmed speakers at the event include venture capitalist and business speaker Vusi Thembekwayo (pictured above), who will deliver a keynote on the Fourth Industrial revolution.

Entrepreneur and founding partner at Street Capital, Nigerian Iyinoluwa Samuel Aboyeji will share his expertise on building a successful African startup that one can take global.

The AfricArena Summit will be held at the Century City Convention Centre in Cape Town on 11 and 12 November

Breega Capital co-founder and managing partner Ben Marrel will also provide his perspective on investing in African tech startups.

This while Goodwell Investments’ investment associate Danai Musandu will discuss privacy and ethics.

Also confirmed to speak at the summit is SA SME Fund CEO Ketso Gordhan who will give a talk on powering the venture economy in South Africa.

Furaha Afrika Holdings founder and CEO Matsi Modise will draw on her experiences in enterprise development and building entrepreneurship ecosystems to give a talk on incubating and accelerating the next generation of African startups.

Attendees at the third annual AfricArena Summit will be introduced to over 100 African and African-focused tech startups and innovators from over 20 countries.

Among these startups will be the top 10 contenders handpicked as Best of Ecosystem from each of the major capitals around the continent during the AfricArena Tour.

In addition, there will also be 34 finalists whose innovative ideas shone in 11 challenges aimed at solving some of the most pressing issues on the continent, as well as a slew of the best startups from AfricArena partner organisations including Startupbootcamp, Endeavor South Africa, MEST and FSAT Labs.

The startups will be battle out in the pitch sessions, showing off their products to an audience of international and local investors that will include representatives from Breega Capital from Europe, South Africa’s Knife Capital and SA SME Fund, Germany’s Greentec Capital, MAVA Ventures from the USA, GSMA from the UK and Pwc Japan, along with more than 150 others from all over the world.

Other confirmed speakers listed on AfricaArena’s website include:

• Knife Capital co-managing partner Andrea Böhmert
• Kalon Venture Partners CEO Clive Butkow
• Firebird Fund managers CEO Cathy Goddard
• Vizibiliti Insights CEO and founder Courtney Bentley
• Legalese director Eitan Stern
• Southern African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (Savca) CEO Tanya Van Lill
• Startupbootcamp AfriTech CIO and co-founder Zachariah George
• Strategic adviser and investor Aaron Fu
• One Africa Capital CEO and founder Yvonne Maitin
• Goodwell Investments investment associate and ESG officer Mercy Zulu-Hume
• Flutterwave and Andela co-founder Iyinoluwa Aboyeji
• Finchatbot CEO and founder Antoine Paillusseau
• Techpol CEO and founder Gwen Ngwenya
• Appy CEO Pedro Beiráo
• Sea Monster CEO and founder Glenn Gillis
• Enza Capital CEO Mike Mompi
• Zando CEO and Jumia managing director Sacha Breuss
• Jumo operations director for Africa James Townsend-Rose
• Recomed CEO and founder Sheraan Amod
• The Sun Exchange CEO and founder Abraham Cambridge
• 4DI Capital partner Anton Van Vlaanderen
• MEST Africa managing director Ashwin Ravichandran
• 4I founder and FSAT Labs CEO Renier Kriel
• Outsourced CFO managing director and co-founder Louw Barnardt
• Hogan Lovells LLP’s Aissatou Sylla
• Israeli Embassy in South Africa head of Economic Mission Amit Lev
• Quicket director and co-founder James Tagg
• Microsoft Middle East and Africa strategic ISV recruit Rochelle Mountany

Featured image: Entrepreneur, venture capitalist and business speaker Vusi Thembekwayo (AfricArena via Facebook)