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Here are the top African tech conferences, summits startups should attend in 2020
Get your calendars out and diarise these key dates for the most important tech conferences, expos and summits that will take place in Africa in 2020.
This year’s edition will comprise three summits, namely: the Money & Blockchain Summit, Startup Summit and Future Summit. Organisers expect over 150 speakers and 350 companies to attend the three-day event.
Attendees can expect to gain insights from among others, Safaricom, IFC, CocaCola, Partech Africa Fund, Bolt, Asante Financial, Decred, TLcom, Alitheia Capital, 4DiCapital, GSMA, Uprise Africa, Impact Hub, KeshoLabs, Antler and Oui Capital.
Date: 4 to 6 February
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Delegates at the twelfth Africa Energy Indaba Conference are expected to discuss energy generation solutions in Africa. A diverse group of luminaries and high-profile speakers is expected to share their real-world insights about the changing energy landscape in Africa.
The Africa Energy Indaba also includes a two-day exhibition where world class industry organisations will be able to demonstrate their commitment to provide the solutions Africa needs to meet its growing energy demands.
This, while the event’s MarketPlace Business Matchmaking Programme will provide exhibitors and conference delegates with the opportunity to meet with other high-level attendees, speakers, sponsors and investors at the event.
Date: 3 and 4 March
Location: Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa
Blockchain Africa Conference 2020
This event claims to be Africa’s leading blockchain and cryptocurrency conference. This year’s edition is expected to see delegates cut through the hype and showcase the potential of these disruptive and innovative technologies.
The conference will also explore how blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are providing opportunities for individuals, governments, startups, companies and institutions, by removing and improving inefficient systems and processes within and across organisations.
Date: 11 and 12 March
Location: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa
With over 1200 tech leaders and professionals from across Africa, Women in Tech Africa 2020 is set to become the most progressive conference for women in technology on the continent, with game-changing sessions, inspiring speakers and cutting-edge technology all under one roof.
Whether it’s keynotes from industry heavyweights, interactive technical workshops or practical career-development advice, organisers claim the event will leave participants better prepared to take their place as a leading participant in Africa’s Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Date: 18 and 19 March
Location: Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town, SA
Internet of Things (IoT) Forum Africa is one of Africa’s leading IoT events. This year’s edition topics will include topics on IoT security, platforms and devices, industrial (IIoT), 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), smart cities and the future of IoT.
Date: 25 and 26 March
Location: Johannesburg, SA
The sixth edition of the Transform Africa Summit, which will be held under theme “Integrating Africa”, is expected to attract more than 4000 participants.
Expect heads of state and government, regulators, representatives of international organisations, industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, young innovators, civil society and academia all to attend.
Date: 20 to 23 April
Location: Conakry, Guinea
This summit claims to be East Africa’s premier strategic event for telecoms, media, broadcasting and technology leaders.
East Africa Com will also include awards, The Ahub East startup space and a digital broadcasting breakout.
Date: 12 and 13 May
Location: Radisson Blu, Nairobi Upper Hill, Nairobi, Kenya
A tech conference, exhibition and technology awards ceremony all rolled into one, this year’s edition of Africa Tech Week will focus on educating South Africa and other African countries on the challenges and opportunities to be gained by drafting appropriate plans and policies for The Fourth Industrial Revolution.
African Tech Week will also recognise and reward companies on the continent that have demonstrated excellence in the area of innovative product development.
Date: 13 and 14 May
Location: Cape Town, SA
West Africa Com aims to unite the West African francophone and anglophone technology, media and telecoms markets.
At the event speakers will detail how the telco value chain can leverage its assets to deliver low cost broadband connectivity and digital services to the consumers and enterprises in West Africa.
Date: 8 and 9 July
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, Dakar Sea Plaza, Senegal
AI Expo Africa, now entering its third year, is the largest business focused Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Data Science B2B trade event and conference in Africa.
This year’s edition builds upon the success of the 2018 and 2019 events that were held in Cape Town, that cemented it as the largest gathering of its kind, with over 1000 registered decision makers, investors, buyers and suppliers focusing on real world AI and data science business applications.
Date: 3 and 4 September
Location: Cape Town, SA
Nigeria Com is one of the most influential place for technology, media and telecoms leaders and the best opportunity to network with like-minded individuals.
Date: 9 and 10 September
Location: Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lagos
The SA Innovation Summit bills itself as Africa’s biggest startup event. Last year’s edition attracted 600 companies, 1340 entrepreneurs and 150 investors. The summit’s programme includes pitching competitions, ecosystem tours and exhibitions.
Date: 16 to 18 September
Location: Cape Town, SA
Healthcare Innovation Summit Africa
This conference will tackle hot topics such as robotics, electronic health records, delivering personalised healthcare, AI, IoT in healthcare, the, future of healthcare and much, much more.
The summit, which is now in its fourth year, will bring together heads of technology, policy makers and key stakeholders from public and private hospitals, clinics, hospices, technology solution providers, as well as healthtech entrepreneurs and academics.
Date: 17 and 18 October
Location: Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, SA
Now in it’s sixth annual year, Edutech Africa is intentionally designed to inspire and encourage knowledge exchange and to showcase disruptors who are having a transformative impact on every aspect of education.
Date: 19 and 20 October
Location: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, SA
AfricArena aims to accelerate the growth of tech startups and the ecosystems in which they operate by providing a platform where they can share their business model, gain valuable networks and attain funding.
The two-day conference aims to create links and opportunities between startups, investors and established companies, but also between the African continent and the rest of the world.
Date: 9 and 10 October
Location: Cape Town, SA
According to its organisers, whatever your focus within connectivity or enterprise digital transformation, AfricaCom is the place to meet everybody who’s anybody in African telecoms and technology.
Date: 10 to 12 November
Location: Cape Town International Convention Centre, SA
Africa Early Stage Investor Summit
Africa’s early-stage investor community will once again come together in Cape Town for the seventh annual Africa Early Stage Investor Summit.
This exclusive investor-only event, jointly hosted by VC4A and African Business Angel Network (ABAN) brings together Africa’s early stage funding community, thought leaders and industry experts from across the continent and beyond.
Date: TBA, November
Location: Cape Town, SA
Featured image: Delegates at last year’s edition of the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (VC4A via Facebook)
