Sahara Sparks 2019

AFRICA IN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

Sahara Ventures, the organizers of Sahara Sparks event is partnering with Chanzo Capital the firm behind Angel Fair Africa, Africa’s deal-making event to co-organize a week-long series of events targeting innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, policymakers, development partners and corporate.

The week themed, Africa 4.0, Africa in The Fourth Industrial Revolution is aimed at creating a platform for different stakeholders to meet and reflect on the role of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in fostering social-economic development in Africa in the era of 4th Industrial Revolution.

The series of events are expected to happen between 7th – 12th October 2019 involving different stakeholders from the Africa innovation, technology entrepreneurship and investor ecosystem. The week will attract speakers, investors and startups from across the globe.

The aim of the event is to spark conversations towards the recent technological advancement in Africa and what it means to the grassroots citizens, the role of technology in addressing challenges and creating opportunities in different sectors in Africa. The week will also explore investment opportunities and encourage transactions to happen to finance early-stage entrepreneurs with innovative technological solutions that can be adopted.

The event is the follow up of the 2018 event which saw over 700 stakeholders attending the event from across the African continent including Tanzania’s former President, His Excellency, Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, who emphasized on the importance of investing in future skills and adopting technological innovations for the growth of the African continent and on addressing employability issues. Quoting him,

“Only those with the highest levels of skills will be employed, so it’s critical that we invest in education to prepare the human capital on the African continent come 2050 when a lot of jobs will be lost to Innovation”.

Sahara Sparks is currently Africa’s largest innovation and technology entrepreneurship event. The event started in Tanzania and now has four chapters in four other African countries; Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Malawi through a series of events titled, city sparks. The event has been able to reach more than 600 startup companies, attract over 3000 event attendees and 180 speakers from across the world. Sahara Sparks is part of Sahara Ventures, a company whose mission is to build Africa innovation ecosystem by working with different partners and stakeholders from both the public and the private sector.

Timeline

07TH -08TH OCTOBER 2019

• MEDIA AND PRESS
• STARTUP BOOTCAMP
• ECOSYSTEM ACTIVITIES

09TH- 10TH OCTOBER 2019

• SS2019 MAIN EVENT (SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS)
• URBAN AND FUTURE SKILLS FOR AFRICA
• DIGITAL AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION
• ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR HEALTH
• CLIMATE CHANGE & GREEN ECONOMY
• THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
• GENDER AND DIGITAL DIVIDE
• AGRITECH INNOVATIONS
• STARTUPS & INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS
• LEADERSHIP & POLICIES AFRICA 4.0
• URBANIZATION AND FUTURE CITIES

11TH OCTOBER 2019

• ANGEL FAIR AFRICA MAIN EVENT (DISCUSSIONS AND PITCHING SESSION)
• INVESTMENT IN THE AFRICA 4.0

12TH OCTOBER 2019

• ECOSYSTEM TOUR AND MEETUPS

Angel Fair Africa is a deal-making event, which brings investors to invest in startups and early-stage entrepreneurs who are growing across the African continent. The Angel Fair Africa event which started in 2013 has resulted in $23 Million worth of investments in tech and tech-enabled ventures in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast and Mozambique. MORE ABOUT ANGLE FAIR AFRICA 2019

Watch this video with impressions of last year’s Sahara Sparks event.

Sahara Sparks 2019