As the global AI race intensifies, Africa has a unique opportunity to own its AI transition rather than be a passive recipient of technology built elsewhere. This panel brings together leaders in AI infrastructure, talent development, and market formation to explore how the continent can build the compute capacity, cultivate the technical talent, and create the market conditions needed to compete and lead in the AI era.

Join Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of Sand Technologies, for a keynote exploring how technology can be harnessed as a force for good across the African continent, driving inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainable development.

Behind every successful African venture is a story of grit, adaptation, and hard-won lessons. This panel brings together founders and operators who have navigated the complexities of building and scaling businesses across the continent, sharing candid insights on what it really takes — from early-stage struggles to growth-stage challenges — to build ventures that last.

As the global philanthropic landscape evolves, a new generation of African givers and institutions are reimagining what effective philanthropy looks like on the continent. This panel explores how African-led philanthropic models can move beyond dependency on external donors, center local knowledge and agency, and channel resources toward the initiatives that matter most to African communities.