Founders Connect and African Impact Initiative—supported by Bamboo—are hosting a one-day event to help attendees unlock capital, foster partnerships, and accelerate innovation in East Africa.
The event, bringing together 300+ founders, investors, and tech leaders to drive the future of African technology follows successful editions across Lagos, London, and Toronto, which collectively hosted over 2,500 attendees. The one-day summit aims to address critical gaps in founder-investor connections and provide practical insights for scaling in today’s market.
“East Africa’s tech ecosystem is demonstrating remarkable resilience and innovation, yet many founders still struggle to access the right networks and capital,” said Peace Itimi, Founder of Founders Connect. “Through this summit, we’re not just creating another tech event – we are building a bridge between East Africa’s ambitious founders and the resources they need to scale. Our platform has documented the journeys of over 100 African founders, and we have seen firsthand how the right connections at the right time can transform startups into market leaders.”
Some of the speakers include Mia von Koschitzky-Kimani, Partner at Future Africa, Dennis Ondeng, CEO of Kopo Kopo, Allan Mwangi, Entrepreneurship Development Manager at ALX and Nick Joshi, CEO of Leta and more.
The event will have exclusive keynote sessions and expert-led discussions on Raising capital in Africa – strategies for securing funding in today’s market, Scaling a startup in East Africa – Proven growth frameworks and building high-impact careers – Thriving in tech, venture, and beyond. There will also be a Pitch2Win competition for early-stage founders with up to $12,500 in funding opportunities. The funding package includes a $10,000 SAFE Note from African Impact Initiative and a $2,500 equity-free grant from Founders Connect, along with mentorship opportunities from successful founders.
Ambitious early-stage startups can apply for the Pitch2Win competition at foundersconnect.xyz/launchpad. Get your tickets for the one-day conference at selar.com/fcnairobi. The conference runs from 2:00 to 5:00 PM, followed by an evening mixer until 8:30 PM.
“We’re excited to join forces with Founders Connect to expand our support for African founders, investors, and operators,” said Osaretin Obano, Executive at African Impact Initiative. “By leveraging our combined strengths, we can unlock more capital, increase visibility, and accelerate market access. It’s a win for the entire ecosystem, and we can’t wait to get started.”
Event Details
- Date: March 15, 2025
- Time: 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Venue: The Piano, PQVW+HFG, Near 171 Brookside Drive, Nairobi, Kenya
- Startup Competition Application Deadline: March 1, 2025