Last year, the annual Africa Tech Summit (ATS) organised by MEST debuted in Accra, Ghana but today, MEST announced it is bringing the event to the mega city of Lagos, Nigeria on December 6 and 7. It said this year’s edition will discussions that will identify and explore the key players and innovations sweeping the continent.
MEST founder Jorn Lyseggen, said: “Africa is fast becoming a destination for top technology companies and players. Global brands and personalities like Mark Zuckerberg and Y Combinator have visited and invested in the continent in recent months, and Lagos in particular is on its way to becoming an influential stage in the global tech space. We’re especially excited to host ATS in a city and a country that we believe is really going to take off.”
Speakers include some of the biggest names in the tech and mobile space, including representatives from Google, Uber, Vodacom and Samsung, as well as a range of African entrepreneurs from leading companies Interswitch, Iroko, Main One and many more.
“MEST places a strong emphasis on curating the right crowd. ATS attracts an impressive list of attendees across from telcos, banks, multinational tech giants, entrepreneurs, investors and media. This year’s summit promises attendees the opportunity to drive forward new ideas and forge relationships with the some of the brightest minds in the field,” says Katie Sarro, Managing Director of MEST.
New to this year’s program is a MEST Demo Day on December 7 where MEST’s top portfolio companies will pitch in front of a range of investors. ATS also coincides with MEST’s recent launch of the Lagos Incubator, which currently has a portfolio of five startups sitting in Nigeria.
Says MEST Lagos Incubator General Manager Neku Atawodi, “I’m thrilled about the opportunity to highlight Nigeria’s vibrant tech scene as well as comparing and learning from others across the region. ATS is a great venue for bringing the different pockets of Sub-Saharan Africa together in one place, under one roof, for two days of exchanging ideas.”
This year’s panel topics include: comparing tech landscapes across regions, building the infrastructure to support Africa’s ambitions, leaders in fintech, developments in agritech, corporate venture capitalism, investing in African tech, and finally a MEST Startup Demo Day.
Some of the speakers confirmed thus far include:
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Mitchell Elegbe, Founder & CEO, Interswitch
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Funke Opeke, Founder, MainOne
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Omobola Johnson, Chairperson, Global Alliance for Affordable Internet
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Jason Njoku, Founder, Spark & Founder & CEO, Iroko
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Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Country Manager, Nigeria, Google
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Ebi Atawodi, General Manager, West Africa, Uber
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Wale Ayeni, Senior Investment Officer, IFC World Bank Group
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Sam Ajadi, Insights Manager – Ecosystem Accelerator, GSMA
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Tayo Oviosu, Founder & CEO, Pagatech
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Chika Nwobi, Partner, Rise Capital & Founder/CEO, Level 5 Lab
To register and attend this event, click here.
