Gitex Africa 2025 : African startups in search of investors to make Africa win
From April 14 to 16, 2025, Marrakech hosted the third edition of GITEX Africa. The event gathered more than 45,000 visitors, 1,500 exhibitors from 130 countries, and 250 startups. For the latter, the objective was clear: to find investors…
By Dounia Ben Mohamed in Marrakech
“Are you gonna make money for Africa?” shouted Nigerian journalist Mayowa Adegoke to galvanize the audience during a panel that embodied the spirit of the event: driving technological innovation for the economic development of the continent.
Organized by KAOUN International, the international subsidiary of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), responsible for all GITEX events worldwide, in collaboration with the host country’s officials, starting with the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, in partnership with the Digital Development Agency (ADD), the third edition of GITEX Africa 2025, held in Marrakech from April 14 to 16, delivered on its promises: with over 45,000 visitors and 1,500 exhibitors from 130 countries, 125 government entities, and 250 startups, it confirmed its status as the largest tech show in Africa. The stated goal: to bring together all strategic players to accelerate digital development for Africa’s benefit. With nuances depending on whether one is a Moroccan official, a startup, or an investor.
Morocco in the spotlight
For Morocco, Gitex has become a strategic lever. Minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni recalled that this event is part of Morocco’s ambition to position the Kingdom as a regional digital hub. In this regard, the national plan for technological sovereignty, signed with the ABA Technology group on the sidelines of this edition, provides for the training of 20,000 talents per year, support for 100 PhD candidates, and assistance for 50 local startups.
A rush for investment
For everyone else, Gitex is above all a marketplace, where people come to buy and sell.
In 2025, more than 400 investors attended, representing $250 billion in assets under management. Among them were giants such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Innovation Council (EIC), as well as many African and diaspora-based funds. The goal: to find the next African unicorn.
Behind the scenes, one investor confided, “The dealflow is there. But we still lack solid, well-supported models. We need to stop funding slides and start funding teams.”
The 600 B2B meetings organized between startups and investors led to discussions—some promising, others less so. “You can feel there’s still convincing to do. But being here already gets you noticed,” said a Kenyan startup founder between two “business” meetings.
Africa aims to seduce
With more than $2 billion raised in 2024, the African tech ecosystem has bounced back. Figures like Awa Gueye (Wave) or Olugbenga Agboola (Flutterwave) have shown that it is possible to build giants from the continent. But the road ahead is still long. “Africa is trending in the slides of VC funds, but still too absent from their portfolios,” a French venture capitalist noted. “Yet African innovations are often more relevant than what we see in Europe”—due in large part to their resilience.
The event also highlighted key sectors such as AgriTech, EdTech, and ethical AI. Innovations at this edition included the Africa Future Connectivity Summit, which brought together players in cloud and 5G, while the Diaspora Studio aimed to connect expatriate talents with local opportunities.
Tech SMEs and digital transformation
For the first time, a dedicated Tech SME Village was set up. Redouane Lhaloui (APEBI) emphasized their invisible yet essential role. “These are the SMEs that install, develop, secure. They’re not in the spotlight, but they are the builders of Africa’s digital ecosystem.”
This recognition aligns with the “Morocco Digital 2030” strategy, which places artificial intelligence at its core. But according to experts, AI must remain at the service of humanity: “We shouldn’t treat it as a trend. It can standardize ideas if misused,” warned expert Yasser Monkachi.
A show, but what comes after?
At the closing, one question lingered: what will remain after the pitches, panels, and photo ops? For many founders, the real work begins now—turning exposure into real opportunities. “We have brilliant ideas, solutions adapted to our contexts. What we need are partners who believe in the long term,” confided a Senegalese entrepreneur in HealthTech off the record.
Gitex Africa 2025 proved that Africa is brimming with initiatives. The next challenge is to turn that energy into sustainable investments. Because yes, the real question remains:
“Are you gonna make money for Africa?”
