Effective Altruism Summit: South Africa 2026
One day. The world’s most pressing problems. With people doing something about them.
EA Summit: South Africa returns to Cape Town for its third year on Saturday 31 October 2026.
Applications close this Wednesday, 28 October, and places are limited.
If you have questions before you apply, join our online information session on Wednesday evening at 7 PM SAST: https://luma.com/2wnf122c
What it is
Effective altruism asks how we can do the most good with our limited resources, combining compassion with rigour. The summit brings together around 150 leaders, professionals, funders and students from across South Africa and the region for a full day spanning high-impact careers, economic development, global health, pandemic preparedness, animal advocacy, AI governance and effective giving. You will leave with sharper thinking, real connections and a concrete next step.
What happens on the day
Talks from people working on these problems in South Africa and beyond
Workshops and small-group discussions, so much of the day is interactive
One-to-one mentorship with experienced people in the fields you care about, matched before the day
Organisations presenting open roles, fellowships and programmes
A practical look at how to give well from South Africa, and what the evidence says works
Why apply
Nearly 8 in 10 people at our 2025 summit were at their first effective altruism event, 9 in 10 left planning a new step, and months later most had acted on it. Globally, this community’s work is estimated to have saved more than 300,000 lives, including backing the trials and rollout of malaria vaccines now reaching children in 25 African countries.
Who should apply
Mid-career professionals and decision-makers, funders and philanthropists, students and early-career people with real initiative, and experienced community members who come to contribute. If you are new to these ideas but have a track record of getting things done, you're in the right place.
Tickets and how to apply
Name your own price, from free. The free tier is for anyone for whom the price would be a barrier, no explanation needed, and the price you choose makes no difference to your application. Lunch and refreshments are included.
We select on the quality of applications rather than first come, first served, so please give your answers a few minutes. Decisions go out on a rolling basis and all applications must be in by Wednesday 28 October 2026. Attendees must be 18 or older.
Still deciding? The information session on Wednesday evening at 7PM SAST walks through the day, who will be in the room and how to apply, with time for questions: https://luma.com/2wnf122c
Details
Saturday 31 October 2026, 08:00 to 18:00
Woodstock, Cape Town
More about the summit: https://effectivealtruism.co.za/effective-altruism-summit-2026
Questions: summit@effectivealtruism.co.za
Hosted by Effective Altruism South Africa