10 Years of Impact – Looking Ahead
Dates: November 5–7, 2026
Venue: Hôtel Sarakawa, Lomé, Togo
Theme: Rethinking Entrepreneurial Support in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Participation: Free of charge, subject to registration approval
1. Event Overview
The Afric’innov Summit 2026 is a pan-African event dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and the strengthening of entrepreneurial ecosystems across Africa. Organized by Afric’innov to mark its tenth anniversary, the Summit will bring together key stakeholders working to advance entrepreneurship and innovation on the continent in Lomé, Togo.
Over three days, from November 5 to 7, 2026, entrepreneurship support organizations, investors, public institutions, businesses, experts, and ecosystem partners will meet to exchange ideas on the changing entrepreneurial landscape and the opportunities emerging from artificial intelligence.
Beyond celebrating ten years of Afric’innov’s impact, the Summit aims to encourage collective thinking about the future of entrepreneurial support and establish shared priorities for the years ahead.
2. Theme and Objectives
The central theme of the 2026 edition is “Rethinking Entrepreneurial Support in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
The rapid development of artificial intelligence is transforming professional roles, business models, and entrepreneurs’ needs. These changes invite ecosystem stakeholders to reconsider their methods, tools, and approaches to supporting entrepreneurs.
The Summit’s main objectives are to:
-
Encourage knowledge sharing and the exchange of best practices among African entrepreneurial ecosystem stakeholders.
-
Explore how artificial intelligence can improve entrepreneurial support services.
-
Strengthen collaboration between support organizations, investors, institutions, and businesses.
-
Examine the changing role of entrepreneurship support professionals, financing challenges, and service quality.
-
Develop a shared vision for the future of the ecosystem, notably through the Lomé Manifesto, which will outline the Afric’innov community’s strategic priorities and ambitions.
3. Target Audience
The Summit is primarily intended for stakeholders contributing to the development of entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa:
-
Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs): incubators, accelerators, fab labs, and startup studios.
-
Investors and funding organizations: investment funds, business angels, banks, and financial institutions.
-
Entrepreneurship support experts: coaches, mentors, consultants, trainers, and sector specialists.
-
Institutional stakeholders: ministries, public administrations, and government agencies.
-
Businesses, startups, and ecosystem partners committed to advancing African entrepreneurship and innovation.
4. Three-Day Program Overview
Thursday, November 5 — Welcome and Opening Activities
-
Participant registration and arrival.
-
ITC training on artificial intelligence and entrepreneurial support.
-
Optional “Togo Tech & Innovation Experience” to discover the Togolese innovation ecosystem.
-
Welcome reception for delegations, partners, speakers, and Afric’innov community members.
Friday, November 6 — Conferences and Discussions
-
Official opening with Afric’innov and relevant public authorities and partners.
-
Keynote address on how AI is changing African economies and entrepreneurship.
-
Panel discussions on AI as a driver of economic development.
-
Practical demonstrations and use cases from startups, SMEs, and entrepreneurship support organizations.
-
Collaborative workshops (“World Café”) and presentations of thematic lab findings.
-
Gala dinner celebrating Afric’innov’s tenth anniversary.
Saturday, November 7 — Future Priorities and Commitments
-
Afric’innov community general assembly.
-
Presentation of the Lomé Manifesto and its main strategic priorities.
-
“Softlanding Togo → Africa” session featuring Togolese startups and meetings with support organizations from target countries.
-
Departure of delegations and closing of the Summit.
5. Expected Outcomes and Significance
The Afric’innov Summit 2026 is expected to strengthen connections among African entrepreneurship stakeholders, encourage new partnerships, and generate practical proposals for adapting entrepreneurial support to technological change.
The event will also provide an opportunity to celebrate ten years of Afric’innov’s work and establish new priorities for a more connected, effective, and sustainable pan-African community.
In summary: The Afric’innov Summit 2026 is a platform for networking, reflection, and collective action, designed to help shape the future of entrepreneurial support in Africa, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and cooperation across the ecosystem.
Organizer
Afric’innov is a pan-African network dedicated to strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa, particularly by supporting and professionalizing organizations that assist entrepreneurs.
Established in 2017, the network aims to connect, strengthen, and promote Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) across the African continent, particularly those supporting innovative entrepreneurship.
Its approach focuses on improving the quality of services provided to entrepreneurs, encouraging the exchange of best practices, and contributing to the development of sustainable entrepreneurship in Africa.
Key Missions
- Strengthen the capacity of incubators, accelerators, fab labs, and other organizations that support entrepreneurs.
- Improve the quality of entrepreneurial support services, particularly through training programs, practical tools, and a quality certification label.
- Foster collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors, institutions, and innovation experts.
- Promote entrepreneurial impact and contribute to the development of a more dynamic and sustainable African entrepreneurial ecosystem.
