Unique Summit 2024 made its first appearance in Africa, Cape Town on the 18th and 19th of November 2024 at The Avenue, V&A Waterfront. This global meetup seamlessly provided delegates from over 30 countries with a vibrant platform to connect and collaborate.
The summit kicked off with pre-summit activities that gave delegates an opportunity to connect in a unique way. Startups, investors and ecosystem builders had plenty of pre-summit activities to choose from. Some enjoyed an exhilarating early morning hike up Lions Head while others opted for a scenic red bus tour, and a relaxing afternoon at Groot Constantia.
Pre-summit activities made it easier for everyone to connect and talk about investment and entrepreneurship opportunities available in Africa.
Day one was an action-packed day
Watch a short video with a recap of Unique Summit Day 1
Delegates received a warm welcome from Alderman Eddie Andrews, Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town and Arturo Menendez, Founder of the Global StartupCity Initiative. They both encouraged attendees to think boldly about ways to revolutionise Africa’s investment landscape.
After the warm welcome, public authority delegates were treated to an exciting tour of Cape Town’s dynamic DeepTech ecosystem. The diverse group of participants including public authorities from Uganda, Czech Republic and Brazil visited UVU Bio, SKEG, GreenCape, Specno and Savant. The tour gave them a glimpse into Cape Town’s key accelerators and enablers.
Apart from the interesting Deeptech ecosystem tour, the summit featured a series of thought-provoking discussions and keynote addresses that explored Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities.
A highlight from Day 1’s investor and ecosystem programme was a keynote address by Dr. Phumlani Nkontwana, Director at Stellenbosch University’s Allan Gray Centre for Africa Entrepreneurship. During his address he introduced and explained the African Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Index (AEEI), which is a macro diagnostic tool used to analyse and support entrepreneurship in Africa. In his address he highlighted key gaps and strengths across 27 African countries, giving international delegates insights into investment opportunities on the continent.
The meticulously curated programme also featured a DeepTech Deep Dive Panel discussion that brought together prominent ecosystem players. This gave them a platform to talk about collaborations, mentorship, and funding. After the panel discussion, it was clear that building sustainable startups requires bold leadership and ecosystem-wide commitment.
StartUps took part in Informative and Engaging Masterclasses
Startups had their own programme with activities aimed at helping them to build resilient and forward-thinking businesses. They attended masterclasses that provided essential tools for sustainable growth, impactful innovation, and a deeper understanding of financial management.
Another key highlight in the startup programme was a talk titled “Leveraging Technology & Innovation for Growth” by Celia Martin Vicario, Quibim’s Technical Project Manager.
Quibim, a leader in medical imaging and artificial intelligence, was able to partake in this year’s Unique Summit as part of their prize for winning the pitching competition at last year’s event in Ostrava. Celia showcased the transformative power of technology and through her talk, startups learnt about data-driven strategies and scaling impactful solutions sustainably.
Day 1 ended with a cocktail mixer at leading tech hub, Innovation City, where delegates had an opportunity to unwind and continue networking.
The 2024 edition of the Unique Summit was proudly convened by UVU Africa, a systems orchestrator dedicated to driving inclusive, high-growth economies across Africa and StartupCity Cape Town, a pioneer African member of the Global StartupCities network.
