Canada-Africa Innovation Festival
In 2025, the African Impact Initiative convened a two-day Africa Day gathering of government officials, policymakers, private sector leaders, and diaspora members to spotlight the newly released Canada–Africa Strategy and drive critical dialogue on its implementation across trade, investment, and innovation. This year, we are taking it up a notch.
Brought to you in collaboration with the Mennonites Economic Development Associates; The Canada-Africa Innovation Festival is a unique convergence of startup founders, operators, entrepreneurs, investors, local innovators, policymakers, and the enterprisingly curious.
The Canada-Africa Innovation Festival is more than a conference, it’s an ecosystem-building initiative for startup founders, operators, key industry leaders, panels, fireside chats, workshops, pitch competitions, and collaboration opportunities with the investors and entrepreneurs shaping the future of African Innovation, from Canada to the world.
The festival will highlight insights and success stories of African Startups and Innovators building for Africa from Canada, and from Africa to the World. Themes will cover global expansion and its implications for stakeholders, investors, and the African technology ecosystem.
The Festival is organized around five core themes; each designed to connect policy priorities with real market opportunities and ensure that the Canada–Africa Strategy translates into measurable outcomes on the ground.
Trade, Investment & Market Expansion explores how Canadian and African businesses can access new markets through the AfCFTA, diaspora-led trade, and structured market entry pathways, with a focus on reducing cross-border friction, enabling SMEs to scale internationally, and aligning capital with opportunity.
Venture Capital & Startup Financing to bring together a deal flow engine, bringing together venture capital firms, institutional investors, and high-growth startups. Discussions will center on syndication models, investment readiness, and opening pathways for Canadian capital to participate in African innovation.
Digital Economy & Emerging Technologies will highlights the role of AI, fintech, digital infrastructure, and platform economies in driving Africa's next phase of growth, exploring how technology enables scalability, cross-border collaboration, and global competitiveness.
Talent, Diaspora & Workforce Mobility focuses on the African diaspora as a strategic bridge for knowledge transfer, capital, and opportunity. We'd be exploring talent mobility, workforce development, and how diaspora networks can unlock both economic and innovation outcomes.
Sector Innovation brings targeted focus to high-impact areas including health, climate and clean technology, agriculture and food systems, and infrastructure, centering real use cases, scalable solutions, and the investment opportunities embedded within each.
We can't wait to have you.
Toronto Tech Week is a citywide celebration of the people building what’s next. From May 25–29, 2026, founders, investors, and builders come together for hundreds of community-led events across Toronto, connecting tens of thousands of people around Canadian tech. Torontotechweek.com.