The Summit, also in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Skills (MOLS) and the Ethiopian Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MinT) and supported by the Ethiopia Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), made its debut in 2021. It quickly established GSA Africa as part of the world's largest independent startup ecosystem awards platform. As the first and only continent-wide competition aligned with sustainable development goals, GSA Africa scouts tech innovation across all 55 African countries. This year’s Summit will focus conversations on building innovative nations and innovation-based economies through a lens of youth capabilities and cross-border partnerships. During its highlight, the gala dinner and awards ceremony on 27 October, 15 winners whose solutions address critical global issues will be recognised. These winners will have the exclusive opportunity to engage with the GIIG Africa Fund.

UNICEF operates in 52 countries across Africa and works to protect the rights of every child in the region. In Ethiopia, UNICEF, in close partnership with the Government, works in the areas of health, nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), child protection, education, and social policy to empower children and women to survive, thrive and fulfil their full potential. By associating with GSA Africa’s Innovation Award, UNICEF Ethiopia underscores its dedication to digital transformation that supports improved living standards and equal rights. As part of GIIG’s intention to find, fund, and grow globally relevant innovation in Africa, this partnership reflects the shared vision of both entities.

“Our involvement in the GSA Africa Summit is an excellent opportunity to promote local innovative solutions in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa that will improve the lives of women and children,” says Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, UNICEF Country Representative in Ethiopia. “By investing in young innovators and startups, we are investing in the future generation. An estimated 41 per cent of Ethiopia’s population is under the age of 15. Encouraging young people to think outside the box on how to improve the wellbeing of families through innovation is also an opportunity for UNICEF to embed these new solutions into our programming which can only benefit the nation.”    

"In collaboration with UNICEF Ethiopia, the Summit’s discussions will offer a targeted perspective on leveraging innovation to address urgent challenges, improve quality of life, and set a course for sustainable progress for both present and future generations,” says Jo Griffiths, GIIG co-founder. “As we advocate innovation, it's important to remember that its core purpose is not only technological advancement but the transformation of lives. Having UNICEF's support is not just an endorsement, but a beacon for all innovators in Africa. Their commitment and vision align with ours, and together, we're confident of setting another benchmark this year.”

The Summit is an opportunity for investors, sponsors and donors to be directly involved in Africa's growing innovation landscape. This year, 8,272 entries from 54 African countries resulted in 71 regional winners across Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western, and Central Africa. The Summit’s gala dinner, which is set to welcome GSA Africa’s stakeholder network of startups, government delegations, like-minded investors, and foundations, will title 15 final winners. Ethiopia, as the host country for the GSA Africa Summit, exemplifies how GSA Africa is effectively accelerating and amplifying African innovation on the global stage, a strategic necessity for attracting investment and scaling into new markets. This commitment to backing African talent is further supported by the success of Kubik, an Ethiopian startup that not only won Startup of the Year and the ESG category in the previous season of GSA Africa but also claimed the title of Global Startup Awards’ Startup of the Year.

Sponsors and potential attendees can register their interest at https://www.globalstartupawardsafrica.com/gsa-summit