Microsoft has announced the introduction of its first African Startups AI Fest at GITEX Africa in Marrakech, Morocco today. Spearheaded by the organization’s Africa Transformation Office (ATO), the event promises to inspire and support startups to accelerate their journey to market with the right AI-powered tech solutions. The event, scheduled for 6 June 2024, will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, with virtual access available to attendees across the continent.

The African Startups AI Fest will bring together founders, entrepreneurs, business decision-makers, engineers, and developers from across the continent in the startup space. This inaugural event aims to showcase the transformative power of AI and how startups can use this revolutionary technology to drive innovation and take their ideas not only to local markets but also to a global stage.

“There is a need to provide startups on the continent with the resources to take their concepts from the drawing board to customers,” says Lillian Barnard, Microsoft Africa President. “From AI-enabled tech solutions to advanced digital skills, startups need to be given every opportunity to thrive in a highly competitive global market because they are the catalysts for job creation and economic growth in Africa.” 

Over the years, Microsoft has supported startups on the continent to grow and develop. These success stories include the likes of RE Legal Interact, M-KOPA, Omnisient, Zen Dawa, Deepecho and Terragon. Attendees of the inaugural African Startups AI Fest will be introduced to these and other startup success stories on the continent. In addition, Microsoft, its partners and customers will introduce and demonstrate how entrepreneurs can leverage AI tools in ways that give their businesses the extra edge in a competitive landscape.

The organization aims to reach 6,000 to 10,000 of these businesses and provide them with customized support through the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub program. Founders and entrepreneurs will be primed for growth through industry-specific webinars designed to help startups scale, pitch coaching sessions that will help investors enhance their pitching skills and navigate common challenges, investor community sessions that will connect startups with top investors from the Continental investor community to glean key insights on securing their first investments, integration with the Microsoft Independent Software Vendor program and insights on how to best use AI technologies to propel their businesses forward.

To register for the African Startups AI Fest, participants can register HERE by June 5^th, 2024.