GITEX Africa: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
“GITEX AFRICA is the largest tech event in Africa, bringing together global innovators, startups, and industry leaders to drive digital transformation across the continent. It showcases cutting-edge technologies, hosts insightful panels, and facilitates impactful networking opportunities.”
- Next edition
- Apr 26–28, 2027 · GITEX AFRICA Morocco 2027 — 5th Anniversary Edition source
- Where
- Marrakech Exhibition & Convention Centre; event address: Place Bab Jdid, Boulevard Al Yarmouk, Marrakech (2026)., Marrakech, Morocco source
- Format
- in-person · 3 days (2026 and 2027 editions).
- Tickets
- No organiser-published ticket price range was found for the completed 2026 edition or the upcoming 2027 edition. The current 2027 visitor form is an interest-registration form, not a published ticket-price list. source
- Startup pass
- There is no separate startup admission pass described: startups apply to book a Startup Pod for North Star Africa. The form is open for the upcoming edition. source
- Supernova Challenge
- 100,000 USD prize pool (2026 Supernova Challenge). source
- Cadence
- Annual; held in Marrakech from 2023 through 2026, with the next edition announced for 2027.
GeneralistAIHealth & biotechFintechClimateEdtechAgtech & foodRoboticsPre-seedSeedSeries AFoundersInvestorsCorporatesDevelopersResearchersPolicy & governmentPartners
Next edition
| Dates | Apr 26–28, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | GITEX AFRICA Morocco 2027 — 5th Anniversary Edition |
| Venue | Marrakech Exhibition & Convention Centre; event address: Place Bab Jdid, Boulevard Al Yarmouk, Marrakech (2026)., Marrakech, Morocco source |
| Theme | Accelerating Africa’s Digital Economy in the Age of AI (2027) |
| Tickets | event.gitexafrica.com source |
How founders get in
The organiser presents North Star Africa as a startup showcase for founders to display products, generate leads and meet investors. Its event description also highlights live pitches and term-sheet discussions, alongside broader startup and investor networking.
- For the next edition, apply to exhibit as a startup using the organiser’s “Book your Startup Pod” form and select GITEX AFRICA (Marrakech). The form is for startups seeking to showcase products or services, generate leads and meet investors; mid-size and enterprise companies are directed to a separate application.
- To enter the Supernova Challenge, first register as an exhibiting startup. The organiser’s instructions say to submit a pitch deck, application and an English pitch video of no more than 60 seconds through the Exhibitor Portal (Ezone).
- If attending without exhibiting, submit the organiser’s visitor-interest form and select whether you want to visit the show, attend a conference, or attend a workshop or certified training. The form is currently for registering interest, not choosing a priced ticket.
| Startup programme | There is no separate startup admission pass described: startups apply to book a Startup Pod for North Star Africa. The form is open for the upcoming edition. source |
|---|---|
| Includes | The organiser describes the pod as a way to showcase products or services, generate leads and meet investors. It does not itemise the pod package inclusions. |
| Investor pass | Apply through the organiser’s Investor Programme application form. The page describes it as an application to participate in the programme. source |
| Application required | No, tickets are purchased |
Supernova Challenge
| Prize | 100,000 USD prize pool (2026 Supernova Challenge). source |
|---|---|
| Format | Exhibiting startups apply through the Exhibitor Portal (Ezone) with a pitch deck, application and an English video no longer than 60 seconds (2026 challenge instructions). Selected startups pitch in the competition; the organiser describes finals and an awards ceremony on Day 3 of the 2027 edition. The page prints the deadline below under a heading that calls the timeline “2026”; its timeline also mixes edition years, so the deadline should be read with that qualification. |
| Eligibility | A startup must be exhibiting at GITEX AFRICA. The organiser’s challenge instructions require an application, pitch deck and video submitted through Ezone; the published page lists sector categories but no additional funding-stage threshold. |
Winners
- WOLIZ (2026) — Fintech & Blockchain category winner; individual prize amount not published source
- LOOKA RESEARCH (2026) — AI category winner; individual prize amount not published source
- RISKSPOT (2026) — Cybersecurity category winner; individual prize amount not published source
- KOLOSO (2026) — Ed-tech category winner; individual prize amount not published source
- REBORN (2026) — Sportstech category winner; individual prize amount not published source
- NOORNATION (2026) — Agri tech & Sustainability category winner; individual prize amount not published source
- MODIGENCE VISION (2026) — Mobility & Smart Cities category winner; individual prize amount not published source
Judges
- Ilan Benhaim, Co-Founder & President; Co-Founder; Founder & Investor; President at MFounders, Veepee, IB Participations, Endeavor Morocco source
- Audrey Maignan, VC Investor at PROPARCO source
- Remi Prunier, Partner at Orange Ventures source
- Maya Horgan Famodu, Founder & Partner at Ingressive Capital source
- Aya Imai, Associate Investment Officer at International Finance Corporation source
- Asmae Hajjami, General Manager & Board Member at Saham Bank source
- Salma Farouk, Senior Investment Associate at Development Partners International source
- Farouk Lahbab, Investment Manager at CDG Invest source
- Othmane Lotfi, Investment Manager at Maroc Numeric Fund source
- Stephen Deng, General Partner at DFS Lab source
- Abdelrahman Hassan, Principal at Enza Capital source
- Mohamed Hussain, Principal at Anara Capital source
- Madina Niang, Investment Manager at Sagana source
- Faouzi Stéphane Chaahoub, Angel Investor at Band of Angels Silicon Valley source
- Utari Wanjohi, Investment Manager at E3 Capital source
- Nihal Grii, Investment Ecosystem Development Manager at Renew Capital source
- Tracy Baloyi, Investor at Crft Labs source
Meeting investors there
For the completed 2026 edition, the organiser described founders meeting investors through concierge-scheduled meetings and investor scouting. Roundtables were a separate investor format, with sign-ups limited to confirmed participating investors. The organiser has not named a matching app in the material reviewed. source
| Investors attending | 412 investors on-site, managing $350B in assets (2026). source |
|---|---|
| Formats | Concierge-arranged, pre-scheduled meetings with selected startups. · Investor scouting among participating startups by investment thesis. · Themed GP/LP investor roundtables; the organiser says sign-ups are for confirmed participating investors. · Venture Summit talks, panels and debates on the 10X Stage. |
| Meetings arranged | 4,600 business meetings generated on the show floor (2026). source |
Investor firms the organiser lists
MSMEDABpifranceBoost AfricaFinance in MotionOryx ImpactSmall FoundationIFCProparcoKuramo CapitalKFW DEGEuropean Innovation CouncilFMO500 FundAfricinvest FundFounders 212Launch AfricaMaroc Numeric FundNorrskenSavantEnza CapitalOIFC FundPlug and PlaySeedstarsSOSVUncovered FundWise GuysFirst CircleCatalyst FundMicrotractionSaviuRing CapitalPartechA15Emtech VC
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Who speaks
- Sadeque Ahmed, Executive Director: Digital Onboarding & KYC · JP Morgan Chase
- Olugbenga Agboola, Founder & CEO · Flutterwave
- Sadiq Abu, CEO · Absa Capital Markets
- Richard Jones, Director, SME Finance and Development · European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
- Seena Amidi, Managing Director & Co-Head EMEA · Plug and Play
- Roque Lozano, SVP, Network Infrastructure · Nokia
- Melvyn Lubega, Founder & Chairman · Baobab Group
- Tugce Ergul, Founding Partner · Hypernova Capital
- Rached Dabboussi, VP, Cloud Technology · Oracle MEA
- Ansar Kassim, Global Head of Data & Industrialization · Verizon
- Matthew Davis, CEO & Managing Partner · Renew Capital
- Amélia Lakrafi, Deputy & General Delegate of the APF (Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie) · National Assembly
- Leila Serhan, SVP & GCM, North Africa, Levant and Pakistan · Visa
- Bill Liao, General Partner · SOSV
- Amadou Diallo, CEO, MEA · DHL Global Forwarding
Full lineup: official speakers page.
Notable past speakers
- Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government · Kingdom of Morocco (2024)
- Ghita Mezzour, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform · Morocco (2024)
- Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General · Digital Dubai Authority (2024)
- Chakib Alj, President · General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) (2024)
- Sidi Mohammed Drissi Melyani, Director General · Moroccan Digital Development Agency (2024)
- Lacina Koné, CEO · Smart Africa (2024)
- Trixie LohMirmand, CEO · KAOUN International (2024)
Sponsors and partners
Community partner 24
Core XGlobal Tech AdvocatesEntrepreneur ExplorersGCPITAccelerate AfricaStagexx VenturesMorocco PreneurABANWomenInAISmart Cities CouncilEYEABusiness SwedenANIXIGAFAIAFRIC LINKSAssociation for Women In Cryptocurrency (AWIC)German-Moroccan Chamber of Commerce and IndustryBaobab NetworkDigital NigerAfrica Data ProtectionEndeavorWOMEN CHOICEXR The Moroccan AssociationWennovation Hub
Media partners: HealthCare Digital, Hit Radio, IT Edge, ITP Media
Government partners: Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Digital Development Agency (ADD)
Startups there
700+ startups (2026; North Star Africa programme) · official startup directory
Alumni the organiser highlights
- Yakeey source
Programme
| Tracks | Global Keynotes & Government Leaders (2027 published content pillar) · North Star Africa (2027 published content pillar) · AI, Data & Trust (2027 published content pillar) · Future Economy (2027 published content pillar) · Industry & Energy (2027 published content pillar) source |
|---|---|
| Side events | The investor-programme page refers generally to evening side events in Marrakech. It does not provide a named or dated side-event programme for the upcoming edition. |
| Awards | The published startup awards programme is the Supernova Challenge. Its 2026 winner list names winners across seven sector categories and four special awards. The organiser’s published 2026 results include Woliz (Fintech & Blockchain), Looka Research (AI), Riskspot (Cybersecurity), Koloso (Ed-tech), Reborn (Sports tech), NoorNation (Agritech & Sustainability) and Modigence Vision (Mobility & Smart Cities); special-award winners include DevDraft, Oreus, VelyVelo and Kalbe. The overall published Supernova prize pool was 100,000 USD (2026). |
| Official app | GITEX AFRICA mobile app |
| Hashtag | #GITEXAFRICA |
Past editions, as published
| Edition | Dates | Attendees | Investors | Startups | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 source | Apr 7–9, 2026 | 55,000 visitors & buyers (2026) | 412 on-site investors (2026); $350B in assets under management (2026) | 1,500+ exhibitors & startups overall (2026); 700+ North Star Africa startups (2026) | recap · video · photos |
| 2025 source | Apr 14–16, 2025 | 52,000 visitors & buyers (2025) | — | 1,450+ exhibitors & startups (2025) | |
| 2024 source | May 29–31, 2024 | 45,000 visitors & buyers (2024); a separate organizer-posted post-event overview reported over 30,000 visitors (2024) | — | 1,400+ exhibitors & startups (2024); a separate organizer-posted post-event overview reported 1,500 exhibitors and nearly 700 startups (2024) | recap · report |
| 2023 source | May 31 – Jun 2, 2023 | 32,000 visitors & buyers (2023) | — | 900+ exhibitors & startups (2023) |
Cities: Marrakech (2023–2026)
Who attends
| Geography | 145 countries represented (2026). source |
|---|---|
| Roles | Founders, Investors, Corporates, Developers, Researchers, Policy & government, Partners |
| Stages | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A |
Official links and socials
In the press
- Gitex Africa 2026: Companies ink deals to transform Morocco — Connecting Africa (2026)
- Nexus Factory Launch at GITEX Africa Positions Morocco as a Future AI Gateway — Morocco World News (2026)
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to Supernova Challenge.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 7, 2026:
- event.gitexafrica.com/2026-speaker-enquiry
- event.gitexafrica.com/Investor-Application
- event.gitexafrica.com/startup-enquiry
- event.gitexafrica.com/visitor-interest
- gitexafrica.com
- gitexafrica.com/africa-supernova-challenge
- gitexafrica.com/agenda2026.aspx
- gitexafrica.com/articles/africa-gitex-africa-morocco-2024-second-edition-grand-opening-convening-the-continents-most-influential-tech-experts-government-leaders-innovators-and-investors
- gitexafrica.com/articles/celebrating-innovation-and-collaboration-in-africas-tech-ecosystem-gitex-africa-2024-postevent-overview
- gitexafrica.com/articles/gitex-africa-2026-companies-ink-deals-to-transform-morocco
- gitexafrica.com/articles/nexus-factory-launch-at-gitex-africa-positions-morocco-as-a-future-ai-gateway
- gitexafrica.com/faqs
- gitexafrica.com/home
- gitexafrica.com/home; https://gitexafrica.com/who-attends
- gitexafrica.com/hotels-and-accommodations
- gitexafrica.com/investors
- gitexafrica.com/news
- gitexafrica.com/plan-your-trip
- gitexafrica.com/speakers
- gitexafrica.com/startup
- gitexafrica.com/uploads/Documents/GitexAfrica2023Preview.pdf?v=08041927491
- gitexafrica.com/who-attends
- gitexafrica.com/workshops
- visit.gitexafrica.com/campaign/media
- facebook.com/GITEXAfrica
- instagram.com/gitexafrica
- linkedin.com/showcase/gitexafrica
- youtube.com/@GITEXAFRICA
- x.com/GITEXAfrica
GITEX Africa: frequently asked
When is GITEX Africa 2027?
GITEX Africa 2027 runs Apr 26–28, 2027 at Marrakech Exhibition & Convention Centre; event address: Place Bab Jdid, Boulevard Al Yarmouk, Marrakech (2026)., Marrakech, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does GITEX Africa cost?
Published ticket prices run No organiser-published ticket price range was found for the completed 2026 edition or the upcoming 2027 edition. The current 2027 visitor form is an interest-registration form, not a published ticket-price list.. Startups: There is no separate startup admission pass described: startups apply to book a Startup Pod for North Star Africa. The form is open for the upcoming edition..
How do startups get into GITEX Africa?
There is no separate startup admission pass described: startups apply to book a Startup Pod for North Star Africa. The form is open for the upcoming edition.
How many investors attend GITEX Africa?
The organiser reports 412 investors on-site, managing $350B in assets (2026). investors. For the completed 2026 edition, the organiser described founders meeting investors through concierge-scheduled meetings and investor scouting. Roundtables were a separate investor format, with sign-ups limited to confirmed participating investors. The organiser has not named a matching app in the material reviewed.
What is Supernova Challenge?
GITEX Africa's pitch competition. Prize as published: 100,000 USD prize pool (2026 Supernova Challenge).. Eligibility: A startup must be exhibiting at GITEX AFRICA. The organiser’s challenge instructions require an application, pitch deck and video submitted through Ezone; the published page lists sector categories but no additional funding-stage threshold.
How big is GITEX Africa?
55,000 visitors and buyers (2026). attendees, 700+ startups in the North Star Africa programme (2026); the organiser also reports 1,500+ exhibitors and startups combined (2026). startups, from 145 countries (2026). countries, per the organiser.