Keynote Fireside Chat: Navigating M&As and Local Investments to Thrive in the Tech Ecosystem

In 2023, African startups experienced a significant funding crunch, securing only $3.5B - a steep -46% decline compared to 2022. This global venture capital downturn has shaken traditional funding structures within Africa’s tech sector. As a countermeasure, mergers and acquisitions have surfaced as a promising avenue to access capital and resources, accelerating scaling efforts and facilitating entry into new markets.

Simultaneously, championing intra-African investments is crucial to reducing reliance on foreign capital to foster robust, durable tech ecosystems. In this interview, we unpack winning strategies to bridge the funding gap in the startup ecosystem.

• Strategic M&As: how mergers and acquisitions can bridge the funding gap, providing startups with the necessary capital and resources to scale rapidly.

• Intra-Africa investments: the importance of local investments in nurturing self-sustaining tech ecosystems, reducing reliance on international funding sources.