Summit 2022
ABOUT
SA INNOVATION SUMMIT PRESENTS:
INNOVATION GOES VIRAL
The only conference where you can connect with the entire entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem on one platform.
27 – 29 September 2022
Main Venue: The Old Biscuit Mill, Cape Town
& Online
The SA Innovation Summit is back in-person and online for 2022, and celebrating 15 years as the continent’s largest and most influential tech start-up event.
SAIS2022 will be a constellation of events happening all around Cape Town culminating in a wealth of industry and theme-specific gatherings to bring a new SAIS experience to the City of Cape Town.
It will be a week filled with INNOVATION!
INNOVATION WEEK
SA INNOVATION SUMMIT
27 – 28 SEPTEMBER 2022
IN-PERSON @ OLD BISCUIT MILL
& ONLINE
29 SEPTEMBER 2022
FOUNDERS DAY @ INNOVATION CITY
& ONLINE
MORE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
The main event will kick off on the 27th September and will be in-person and online for the 27th and 28th September. 29 September the programme will continue with a Founders Day @ Innovation City.
Side events differ in form, venue and theme and will take place throughout the week.
Pitching workshop (closed event)
Early Stage Investor Meet-up (invite only)
Von Seidels VIP Networking event (invite only)
In-Person @Old Biscuit Mill & Online
PLUS:
Newtown Corporate Venture Capital Lunch (Invite only)
Finland Cocktail and Book
launch (open to SAIS delegates)
In-Person @ Old Biscuit Mill & Online
PLUS:
NFT Auction & Award Ceremony sponsored by Newtown Partners (open to SAIS delegates)
Not part of SAIS2022? Auction tickets can be purchased individually here
In-Person & Online
Other Side Events (free to SAIS delegates, registration required):
- Fail Event sponsored by Launchlab - Register here
- Agritech in Africa sponsored by Stellenbosch Network - Register Here
Our key streams for this year
Viral tech
We will go deep into the Blockchain world by bringing an NFT auction to light and inviting partners from around the world to build with us and explore the trending technologies and innovations reshaping our world.
- BLOCKCHAIN
- WEB3.0
- NFT’S & APPLICATIONS
- METAVERSE
Founders toolkit
We will bring modern Toolkits to the founder… masterclasses and panel discussions on practical takeouts for founders to scale their businesses, ride the trends and adapt to thrive.
- MASTERCLASSES
- SCALE
- ADAPT TO THRIVE
Start-up to unicorn
We tackle how ecosystems can support the impact of great new ideas, share the secrets on how to make unicorns in Africa and take a look at how corporates and start-ups develop the economy. Heads of business will share their insights into how to deal with technology and innovation from the outside-in, working with innovative start-ups, incubation and acceleration programmes and creating venture capital funds. Building portfolios with meaningful impact.
- UNICORNS IN AFRICA
- DEVELOP THE ECONOMY
- INNOVATIVE START-UPS
- VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS
What to Expect?
INSPIRATION
INSPIRATION
CONNECTION
CONNECTION
LEARNING
LEARNING
SHOWCASING
SHOWCASING
TICKET SALES NOW OPEN!
We spread the good news virus of innovation on the continent by celebrating success, showcasing start-up talent, matching talent with finance and knowledge, and creating toolkits and networks at the 2022 SA Innovation Summit.
SAIS will provide you with countless opportunities pre-, during and post-event, to share brilliant ideas, showcase your solutions and products and develop relationships with the people on the event floor, online and through our vast networking opportunities.
WHAT SAIS WILL OFFER

Funders
- Venture Capitalist
- PE
- Angel Investors
- Limited Partners
- Family Wealth Offices
- DFI’s
- Philanthropists
Our investor track is designed to put you in front of the people that matter, from visionary young
founders to fellow VC’s, and every CEO, politician and programmer in between.
We help you:
- Build valuable and enduring connections
- Find the best pipeline for early stage investing in Africa
- Hedge your risk by collaborating with other investors
- Raise funding for your fund through corporates and other fund of fund

Founders
- Founders of tech start-ups
- Co-founders
- Entrepreneurs! Those who have made it and those you will still get there!
WE ARE ENTREPRENEURS THAT STAND FOR ALL ENTREPRENEURS TO BE
PROFITABLE, SCALABLE AND CAPABLE!
At the heart of the SA Innovation Summit is the tech entrepreneur and this is evident in the
entrepreneurial competitions, demo days, pitch battles that form part of the Summit event
programme. Africa is earmarked as fertile ground for start-up investments.
- STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME
The event program offers the latest know-how and industry trends in business through key
players from the fastest growing companies on the continent sharing their tools and tactics on
stage. - FIND INSPIRATION
Although our program is designed to be packed with hands-on advice, it’s hard to leave the
Summit without being inspired. We delve into stories from founders and operators who’ve been
there and back again as well as the prominent figures that are shaping the day after tomorrow of
tech. - NETWORK & CONNECT
The Summit brings the networking game to a whole new level by gathering the entire
entrepreneurial ecosystem in one location and connecting them through a myriad of ways. Just
go ahead and pick from your preferred form of mingling: casual meet-ups through the Match &
Invest, industry-specific side events, parties, and so much more.

Ecosystem builders
- Hubs
- Accelerators
- Innovation Collectives
- Business Chambers
- Government
- Research Institutions
- ESD Programs
- Media
The African entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem is fragmented and there are hundreds of people building ecosystems in different ways. Let’s bring together builders of entrepreneurial
ecosystems to collaboratively create tools, resources and knowledge to better support communities that empower makers, doers and dreamers
- PUT RELATIONSHIPS TO ACTION
- PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING
- CO-CREATION
Our Side Events in 2022
BE INSPIRED
DEVELOP SKILLS
CONNECT & NETWORK
2022 Sponsors & Partners























