GEC+Africa 2026 opens in Cape Town under ‘Connecting Africa’ theme - IOL
The GEC+Africa 2026 will take place at the CTICC over two days.
The Global Entrepreneurship Congress Africa (GEC+Africa) 2026 kicks off at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Wednesday.
The congress will welcome entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, corporates, and ecosystem leaders from across the African continent.
The theme for this year is: “Connecting Africa”.
The congress is expected to welcome approximately 2,000 delegates for two days of dialogue, collaboration, and action focused on advancing entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth across Africa.
Hosted by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Africa and 22 On Sloane, GEC+Africa established itself as Africa's largest entrepreneurship gathering, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and ecosystem stakeholders to connect, exchange ideas, unlock investment opportunities, and build partnerships that support business growth and economic development.
As a partner, African Bank joins a growing network of organisations committed to supporting entrepreneurship, enterprise development and economic inclusion across Africa.
Group Chief Transformation and Sustainability Officer at African Bank, Edna Sathekga-Montse, said Africa’s entrepreneurs are already building the businesses that will create jobs, open markets and shape the continent’s next phase of growth.
“African Bank’s role is to help more of those businesses move from potential to scale by widening access to finance, markets and the support that growth demands. GEC+Africa brings entrepreneurs, capital, business and policymakers together around that shared task, and that is why this partnership matters to us,” Sathekga-Montse said.
The 2026 edition comes at a pivotal moment for Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Across the continent, founders are building innovative businesses, creating jobs and developing solutions that address local and global challenges. At the same time, they continue to shape the future of entrepreneurship in Africa.
Executive Operations and GEC+Africa Lead at 22 On Sloane, Carmen Rudd said this year’s congress brings together some of Africa’s most influential leaders, innovators, investors, and policymakers at a time when collaboration has never been more important.
“GEC+Africa continues to create a platform where meaningful conversations lead to partnerships, opportunities and practical solutions that strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems across Africa," Rudd said.
The programme will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers and leaders, including Western Cape Acting Premier and Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Alfred Simmers; Minister of Small Business Development Stella Tembisa Ndabeni; Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi; and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, among others.
The programme will explore some of the most pressing opportunities and challenges facing Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem, including entrepreneurship-led growth, digital transformation, innovation, market access, investment readiness, small business development and cross-border collaboration.
A highlight of the congress will be the culmination of the Road to GEC+Africa Regional Bootcamp and Pitch Competitions, which have taken place across Botswana, Uganda, Namibia, Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
The competitions brought forward promising entrepreneurs from across the continent, with the Top 15 finalists now set to take the stage at GEC+Africa 2026 in Cape Town to pitch their businesses on the global stage.
GEC+Africa 2026 is powered by African Bank, in partnership with Microsoft, Amazon, Telkom, Masisizane, UNDP, W&RSETA, FirstRand, Wesgro, the Western Cape Government, SEDFA and the City of Cape Town, with GEN Africa and 22 On Sloane as hosts.
