New Venture Competition

There are currently 800 million people without access to energy in the world, 80% of them are in Africa. This lack of energy stifles economic growth and development. There are several reasons why access to energy remains a challenge across Africa – insufficient generation capacity, poor transmission and distribution infrastructure, lack of affordability and inadequate regulation. This panel seeks to discuss how the public and private sector can work together to solve Africa’s energy crisis.

According to the World Bank “Financial inclusion means that individuals and businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs, delivered in a responsible and sustainable way”. Current estimates show about ~55% of Africa’s population is unbanked and ~40% are living in poverty. Fortunately, novel financial technologies and innovative banking systems have begun to revolutionize this dynamic in recent times. This panel will explore three main themes: 1) What does financial inclusion mean in Africa, who exactly has been excluded historically and why is it important to bring them in? 2) What is the responsibility of industry participants to drive financial inclusion and help lift the continent out of poverty? 3) What does the future of Financial Inclusion in Africa look like?

It is estimated that over $5 billion was invested across Africa in 2022 – the number of start-ups is growing quickly. As the ecosystem matures, the expectations are higher for founders in Africa. Join us for an intimate fireside with some of Africa’s leading start-up founders. We will delve deep into the highs and lows of being a founder – from building a world-class team, attracting customers, and fundraising, to maintaining self-care.

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