Discovering Talent. Driving Innovation. Shaping Africa’s Future
Africa is rapidly emerging as a global hub for innovation, digital transformation, engineering, entrepreneurship, and creative technology. Across the continent, a new generation of women and young innovators is developing groundbreaking solutions in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, fintech, robotics, climate technology, advanced manufacturing, and the creative economy.
Yet despite this momentum, many talented innovators continue to face persistent barriers, including limited visibility, inadequate access to financing, unequal opportunities, and underrepresentation in leadership, investment, and decision-making spaces. These challenges are systemic and require deliberate, coordinated action to ensure that Africa's innovation ecosystem is inclusive and fully harnesses its talent.
Positioning Africa’s Creative and Technological Talent for the Global Innovation Economy
The Women in STEM Africa Summit 2026, hosted by Women in Technology and Innovation Africa (WITIA), responds to these challenges by creating a platform that connects talent with opportunity, investment, knowledge, and strategic partnerships.
The Summit aligns with the objectives of Kenya's Research Financing and Capacity Strengthening Masterplan (2026–2036), which aims to increase research and innovation investment to at least 2% of GDP, and contributes to the achievement of five Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The Summit will convene innovators, investors, policymakers, industry leaders, academia, development partners, startups, students, and corporate organisations from across Africa and beyond to explore how the continent can identify, nurture, finance, and scale its scientific, technological, and creative talent while strengthening Africa's position in the global innovation economy.
Through high-level policy dialogues, keynote addresses, innovation showcases, exhibitions, investor engagement, talent discovery platforms, and strategic networking opportunities, the Summit will serve as more than a conference. It will be a catalyst for collaboration, investment, and inclusive innovation, generating actionable partnerships and opportunities that translate policy ambition into tangible outcomes for women and girls in STEM across Africa while strengthening the continent's innovation ecosystem.
Target Audience
The Summit is targeted towards:
Women in technology and engineering
Startup founders and innovators
Investors and venture capital firms
Corporate executives
Policymakers and regulators
Universities and research institutions
Development organizations and NGOs
STEM students and young professionals
Selected startups will pitch innovative solutions to a panel of investors.
Pitch Categories
- Artificial intelligence
- Climate and green technologies
- Engineering solutions
- Health technologies
- FinTech
- Creative technology
- EdTech
- Presentation of Investor Pitch Certificates
- Closing remarks
- Announcement of the Women in STEM Africa Summit 2027