Africa Tech Summit London, regarded as Europe’s leading African technology conference, will return to the London Stock Exchange on May 29, 2026, to celebrate its 10th edition.
The milestone event will mark a decade of bringing together some of Africa’s most influential technology leaders, global investors, regulators, entrepreneurs, and innovators, while exploring the next phase of growth for Africa’s digital economy.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract more than 350 investors, founders, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders to discuss emerging technologies, trends, and opportunities that will shape the continent over the next decade. Discussions will span key sectors including fintech, artificial intelligence (AI), climate innovation, venture development, and digital infrastructure.
Commenting on the summit’s evolution, Managing Director of Africa Tech Summit, Andrew Fassnidge, noted that the African technology ecosystem has undergone significant transformation since the event was launched in 2016.
“When Africa Tech Summit was born in 2016, the ecosystem looked very different. Many ventures were purely focused on securing funding, formal VC activity was still emerging, and most startups were simply surviving round to round,” he said.
He added that despite periods of market corrections and challenges, African technology companies have demonstrated resilience by expanding across borders, facilitating trade, and recording a growing number of mergers and exits as the ecosystem matures.
“Investment remains a critical part of this journey, and the Investment Showcase plays a key role in connecting high-growth ventures with the capital, strategic partners, and market access needed to accelerate international expansion,” Fassnidge added.
According to the 2025 Partech Africa Tech Venture Capital Report, African technology startups secured $4.1 billion in funding in 2025, representing a 25 per cent year-on-year increase from the $3.25 billion raised in 2024. The report described 2025 as the strongest funding year for the ecosystem since 2022.
The growth was largely driven by debt financing, which reached $1.6 billion, representing a 63 per cent increase compared to the previous year, reflecting renewed investor confidence and a more mature investment landscape.
Although fintech remains the largest recipient of equity investment on the continent, increasing investor interest is also being seen in sectors such as cleantech, healthtech, enterprise solutions, and other emerging industries.
Technology ventures operating in fintech, blockchain, artificial intelligence, payments, agritech, cybersecurity, and Web3 have been invited to apply for the summit’s Investment Showcase before April 22, giving selected startups the opportunity to pitch to investors and global partners during the May 29 event.
As competition for quality ventures intensifies, investors are increasingly looking beyond funding alone. Access to strategic networks, regulatory expertise, and data-driven growth strategies are becoming important factors in investment decisions.
At the Africa Tech Summit London Investment Showcase, selected companies will present their innovations to investors capable of providing not only capital but also the strategic partnerships and expertise needed to scale businesses and navigate increasingly complex markets.
The organisers believe that with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and the emergence of a more experienced generation of entrepreneurs, Africa’s venture ecosystem is well-positioned for long-term and sustainable growth.
Over the past decade, Africa Tech Summit has expanded from a single event into a global platform, hosting editions across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. During this period, it has connected more than 30,000 delegates from over 80 countries, facilitating investments, partnerships, and collaboration throughout the African technology ecosystem.
The 2026 edition will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, fireside chats, masterclasses, and specially curated sessions focusing on fintech, artificial intelligence, IPOs, climate technology, digital infrastructure, investment, and cross-border trade.
Participants will also hear from leading African technology companies, investors, and industry experts, while engaging with partners driving the continent’s next phase of innovation and economic growth.
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