At the end of April, participants from the Under 30 Africa community, the local Botswana community and the global Under 30 network, will gather over the course of three days in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone. Here they will share a platform for networking and crucial conversations rooted in sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship.
This latest summit is the second one held in Gaborone, following on from the success of the first-ever Under 30 Summit Africa, which was held in the Southern African country last April. There were around 200 speakers at this debut event, from a variety of sectors including manufacturing, creativity and technology, fashion design, and horticulture.
Botswana is a country whose growth is ripe with opportunities for young entrepreneurs, as well as being the nation that ranks highest for the most women business owners in Africa, and across the globe. It is swiftly becoming a global hub of business and technological innovation, so it is easy to see why this nation has been picked to host an event that showcases the power of entrepreneurial capitalism and allows the best and brightest young business leaders to connect, learn, teach, build and network.
Sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship are all in the limelight right now. You only have to glance at news sites to see numerous articles on these three topics. One hot topic at the moment is Artificial Intelligence, and how it has led to major leaps in advancements over the last few years, from its help within the healthcare sector to AI software being able to help gambling operators detect problem gambling in players.
Conversations around such innovative topics are crucial, and summits like these are a great way of exhibiting and celebrating what the next generations are doing and creating. Last year, the Forbes Under 30 Summit was described as being instrumental in aiding the young generations of the world to become torch bearers, highlighting the power of hope that they bring and how they are becoming the agents of change that the world needs.
Not only will the four day event be a chance for conversation, teaching and networking, but it is an unrivaled opportunity for cultural immersion. The lineup this year has already been confirmed to include a world-class selection of both local and international speakers. From government, venture capital and business role models providing inspiration to local performers, chefs and entrepreneurs showcasing the sounds, cuisine and local culture of Botswana, it is set to be an engaging event full of social and cultural opportunities for participants and stakeholders.
Those coming include Ghazi Shami, Founder & CEO of Empire Distribution; Chris Maurice, CEO of Yellow Card; Kailee Scales, CEO of Pencils of Promise; Denim Richards, Actor and Founder of Khumo Studios; Fireboy DML, Award Winning Afrobeats Artist; Uche Pedro, Founder and CEO of Bella Naija, and many more. These speakers will share their insights and expertise, offering attendees unparalleled opportunities for networking and learning.
Hype surrounding the event has been brewing over the last few months. Recently, Grammy-award singer Nomcebo Zikode took to Instagram to announce that she would also be speaking at the summit. She expressed her excitement to participate in what she described as a gathering of “elite young entrepreneurs and change-makers from across the world to participate in phenomenal networking, actionable thought leadership, a world-class food experience and an amazing show-stopping concert.”
It seems as though both the speakers and the attendees are excited to see what this next generation of leaders have to say.