The 6th annual India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit will officially convene at The Westin in Cape Town from 13 to 15 July 2026. Bringing together over 300 delegates from more than 26 countries, the landmark event will unite top-tier entrepreneurs, institutional investors, corporate leaders, and policymakers to deepen economic ties and accelerate cross-border transactions along the strategic India-Africa corridor.
The India Africa Entrepreneurship Forum is delighted to announce that Ethiopis Tafara, Regional Vice President for Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Summit. Joining him on the programme is Premier Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape — whose address underscores the significance of Cape Town as a hub for continental trade and investment. As one of the most influential voices shaping investment and private-sector development across the continent, Mr Tafara’s participation, alongside Premier Winde and other distinguished speakers, reflects the growing importance of the India-Africa economic corridor and the increasing momentum of south-south engagement. His keynote address is expected to provide valuable insights into Africa’s evolving investment landscape, the role of private capital in economic transformation, emerging opportunities for India-Africa partnerships, and the future of entrepreneurship and innovation across emerging markets.
Originally established as a collaborative platform to bridge the two ecosystems, the Summit has evolved into a vital catalyst for institutional investment, technology transfers, and strategic business relationships. This year’s edition focuses heavily on leveraging the shared developmental needs of both regions, specifically exploring how innovation, digital infrastructure, and digital commerce can enable African markets to leapfrog traditional economic developmental stages. India and Africa together represent nearly $7 trillion in combined economic potential, with growing opportunities across sectors such as healthcare, AI, fintech, climate tech, manufacturing, logistics, and digital infrastructure. As businesses and investors increasingly look toward emerging markets for long-term growth, the India-Africa partnership is becoming one of the most compelling economic corridors globally.
Baljinder Sharma, Convenor and Co-Founder of the India-Africa Entrepreneurship Forum (IAEF), commented: “The relationship between India and Africa is fundamentally a partnership of equals. Both regions possess an extraordinary, youth-driven entrepreneurial energy born out of necessity and a shared appetite for innovation. As we open the 6th edition in Cape Town, our focus moves beyond trade into deep-tech collaboration, human capital development, and structural investment. We are not just building business connections; we are establishing a robust, bilateral investment corridor capable of shaping global commercial flows. By aligning India’s proven digital platforms and scalable technologies with Africa’s immense market potential, we are unlocking sustainable economic development for both continents.”
The 2026 Summit has attracted substantial backing from major regional and global institutions spanning financial services, logistics, risk analytics, and digital payments, all actively driving integration across the corridor.
Arvind Purmessur, Executive Vice President, Global and International Corporates, Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), added: “MCB is proud to partner with the India Africa Entrepreneurship Forum for its 6th summit in Cape Town— a dynamic forum that promotes collaboration across the India–Africa corridor. This sponsorship reflects our commitment to Africa’s development and to building strategic partnerships that drive meaningful and lasting business impact. At MCB, we believe in enabling opportunities that empower businesses across both regions.”
Venessa Dewing, Vice President Sales, DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa stated: “The India-Africa trade corridor is becoming an increasingly important engine of growth for both regions, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs, SMEs and established businesses alike. As a global leader in international express logistics, DHL Express is proud to support the India-Africa Entrepreneurship Summit and contribute to the conversations shaping the future of trade, innovation and investment between our markets. Together, we have an opportunity to build more connected, resilient and prosperous trading relationships for the long term.”
Sandeep Chagger, Managing Director for Africa of Peach Payments, stated: “Peach Payments is committed to moving the continent forward and sponsoring the 6th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit directly advances our mandate to build the core infrastructure of African digital commerce. Both the Indian and African markets share deep entrepreneurial environments. Sponsoring this summit allows us to bring our industry knowledge, robust technical solutions and payments expertise to the fore in a dynamic environment of exciting businesses. This event offers excellent networking opportunities to pursue new business as trade grows between the two regions.”
Reflecting on the importance of robust data networks and market transparency in facilitating these cross-border capital flows, Saurav Chatterjee, CEO and Director of CareEdge Ratings Africa, noted: “CareEdge Africa is proud to sponsor the 6th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit, reflecting our commitment to strengthening the information infrastructure needed to unlock investment across one of the world’s most promising growth corridors. As India deepens its economic engagement with Africa, new opportunities are emerging across infrastructure, manufacturing, digital innovation, renewable energy and financial markets. CareEdge is supporting this momentum by advancing sovereign and corporate risk analytics, enhancing market transparency and expanding rating coverage across the continent. By reducing information asymmetry and enabling more informed investment decisions, we aim to help channel long-term capital into sustainable and inclusive growth across the India–Africa corridor. This vision is also reflected in the CareEdge Group’s own growth journey in Africa. Having established its presence in Mauritius several years ago, the Group has since expanded its footprint with operations in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. This ongoing expansion complements the broader India–Africa growth story, reinforcing our long-term commitment to the continent and our belief in Africa’s immense economic potential. As we continue to deepen our regional presence, CareEdge remains focused on enabling investment, fostering market confidence and supporting sustainable economic development across Africa.”
Dr. Parmesh Pallanee, Managing Director of SIL stated: “SIL’s partnership as a prominent sponsor of the 6th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit reflects our commitment to enabling Africa’s digital growth through technology, innovation, and strategic partnerships. With over three decades of experience and a presence across 15+ African countries, SIL has delivered transformative digital solutions across sectors, including enterprise applications, cloud and infrastructure services, cybersecurity, AI-driven solutions, and digital platforms that empower organizations to operate smarter and scale sustainably. The Summit provides a unique platform for entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders to explore opportunities and build meaningful collaborations. As Africa advances its digital agenda, moving from “intent to execution” is critical – turning technology visions into secure, scalable solutions that drive business growth and lasting impact.”
Over the three-day Summit, delegates will engage in high-level plenary sessions, targeted business-to-business matchmaking, and specialised investor focus groups. Key themes on the agenda include expanding regional investment frameworks, digital talent readiness, climate-smart agriculture, and the scaling of fintech ecosystems across Sub-Saharan Africa.
This year’s Summit will also feature an exceptional line-up of global business and investment leaders, including Anita George, CEO of Prosper ETE; Padmaja Ruparel, Co-Founder of IAN Fund; AJ Patel, Founder of TiE Global; Harish Mehta, Chairman of Onward Technologies; Sushil Jiwarajka, MD of EssJay Corporation; Vimal Shah, CEO of Bidco Africa; Manish Shah, Chairman of Kingsway Group; Kanwal Rekhi, Founder of Inventus Capital; Satya Narayan, Founder of CL Educate; Anirudh Damani, Founder of Artha Ventures; Pradeep Gupta, Chairman of CyberMedia Group; Dr Shreeram Iyer, Chairman of Prisma AI; Manish Panchal, Executive Director of Equirus Capital; Madan Padaki, Founder of JAN AI; Ambassador Lavina Ramkissoon of the African Union; Tomi Davies, President Emeritus of ABAN and CiC of TVCLabs; and Busisa Moyo, CEO of United Refineries, Zimbabwe.
