The Innovation Frontier

An afternoon of thought-provoking conversations with the brightest minds in African business, technology, and innovation. From AI and culture to venture capital and infrastructure - explore the ideas shaping Africa's future.

Full Schedule

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM 30 min

Registration

Oberndorf Event Center Lobby

Check in, collect your badge, and network over refreshments before the program begins.

2:00 PM - 2:10 PM 10 min

Opening Remarks

Oberndorf Event Center

Welcome from the Africa Business Forum Co-Chairs.

Event Co-Chairs
Arinze Obiezue Dumi Mphamba Nicole Mbithe
2:10 PM - 2:40 PM 30 min

Fireside Chat: Africa, Talent, and the AI Revolution

Oberndorf Event Center

An intimate conversation with OpenAI's Africa Lead about artificial intelligence, talent development, and the continent's role in the global AI ecosystem.

Guest
Emmanuel Lubanzadio Africa Lead at OpenAI. Former Head of Government Affairs for Africa at Twitter. Fluent in English, French, German, and Lingala. Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader and Schmidt Futures Fellow.
Moderator
Hope Moussi
2:40 PM - 2:45 PM 5 min

Transition Time

2:45 PM - 3:20 PM 35 min

From Promise to Proof: What Must Be True for Africa's Venture Ecosystem to Deliver

Oberndorf Event Center

A realistic assessment of Africa's venture capital landscape. Address current skepticism about VC returns while identifying genuine opportunities ahead. What attracted non-African investors to the continent? What needs to change - the VC approach or business models themselves? An honest conversation about building businesses that can meet venture expectations in the African context.

Panelists
Arjuna Costa Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Flourish Ventures, investing in fintech across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Former Omidyar Network. Harvard MBA. Maurizio Caio Founder & Managing Partner of TLcom Capital. Two decades of venture investing and board leadership in African tech. Stanford GSB MBA.
Moderator
Emmanuel Egyam
3:20 PM - 3:30 PM 10 min

Networking Break

3:30 PM - 4:05 PM 35 min

Building on the Frontier: Perspectives from Operators and Architects

Oberndorf Event Center

Empowering, actionable guidance for builders. Follow the formation of new ventures from team formation through ideation to execution. Learn strategies from successful entrepreneurs, managing the psychology of building, tactical advice on finances and customer acquisition, and handling personal resilience when facing discouragement. Real talk about what it actually takes to build on the continent.

Panelists
Nneile Nkholise South African engineer and serial entrepreneur. Founded iMed Tech (3D-printed medical prosthetics), 3DIMO, and Thola Inc. Forbes Africa 30 Under 30. Noureddine Tayebi Founder & CEO of Yassir, North Africa's most valuable tech company. Stanford-trained engineer building multi-service platforms across emerging markets. Tawanda Sibanda McKinsey Partner. Technology and innovation leader with a decade of experience launching and transforming financial institutions across Africa.
Moderator
Nicole Mbithe
4:05 PM - 4:10 PM 5 min

Transition Time

4:10 PM - 4:45 PM 35 min

Culture in Context: Taking African Stories, Platforms, and Audiences Global

Oberndorf Event Center

Explore three critical dimensions: globalizing African culture in this unique moment, reframing narratives to correct misconceptions, and leveraging new technology tools for content creation and distribution. From media and fine art to journalism, discover practical strategies for taking African stories to the world.

Panelists
Ijeoma Ejimadu Head of Operations & Finance at Amplify Africa. Columbia Business School MBA. Former Uhuru Investment Partners and Chevron. Osoranna Mojekwu Visual artist documenting contemporary Nigerian culture. Access Bank Art X Prize finalist. Adidas Lagos Flagship Artist in Residence. John-Allan Namu CEO & Co-Founder of Africa Uncensored. Award-winning investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker. Stanford JSK Fellow.
Moderator
Arinze Obiezue
4:45 PM - 4:50 PM 5 min

Break

4:50 PM - 5:25 PM 35 min

Tech Futures: Infrastructure, AI, and the Next Chapter for Africa

Oberndorf Event Center

Building technology infrastructure on the continent. The future of work and education in Africa. Navigating government partnerships with realistic expectations. AI deployment strategies: can China's low-cost model work in African markets facing consumer pricing challenges? A forward-looking conversation about the systems, policies, and innovations that will define Africa's tech trajectory.

Guest
Fred Swaniker Founder & CEO of Sand Technologies (AI & data science) and African Leadership Group. TIME 100 honoree. Former McKinsey, Stanford GSB alumnus. Building institutions that unlock Africa's human capital.
Moderator
Dumi Mphamba
5:25 PM - 5:35 PM 10 min

Closing Remarks

Oberndorf Event Center

Final thoughts from the Africa Business Forum Co-Chairs.

Event Co-Chairs
Arinze Obiezue Dumi Mphamba Nicole Mbithe
5:35 PM - 6:00 PM 25 min

Networking Reception

Oberndorf Event Center

The conversations continue. Join us for refreshments, music, and extended networking with all speakers and attendees. This is where connections deepen and new relationships begin.

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