Africa Deep Tech Foundation

Julian Duru explores decentralized intelligence--complex intelligent systems emerging from networks of cooperating resources rather than a single entity. The talk examines how to build such systems from private, proprietary data and how this approach could unlock new economic models capable of ending global poverty. Attendees will leave with a vision for transforming distributed intelligence into a foundation for Africa's knowledge economy.

Creative production across Nigeria often contends with limited tools, time, and talent. David Ezefuna shares how Nsibidi Fables is embracing AI to accelerate animation pipelines, cut costs, and open new doors for storytellers. The session balances opportunity with realism--examining job impacts, shifts in creative process, and the responsibilities that come with new technology. Learn how the team is deploying AI to support both in-house projects and the wider creative community, while keeping Nigerian storytelling rooted in heritage.

Trust isn't a soft value; it is foundational infrastructure for equitable, resilient governance across AI and space ecosystems. Dr Timiebi Aganaba presents a systems-level tool to quantify and operationalize trust in high-stakes, multi-actor environments where legal compliance and symbolic inclusion fall short. Rooted in a capabilities-based approach, the session walks through a prototype AI space partner-matching tool that uses adversarial wargaming and risk modeling to expose vulnerabilities such as systemic bias, decision opacity, and soft sabotage. The concept of the Glass Room reframes explainability as strategic accountability, aligning internal algorithmic processes with public commitments. For technologists, policymakers, and investors, this framework moves institutions from abstract risk awareness to measurable strategic advantage by embedding trustworthiness directly into architecture. Note: no recording is planned at this time, though this may change.

Join Ola Fadiran, Founder & CEO of ChipMango, for an insightful session on how Africa can position itself as a global player in the AI microchip design value chain. This talk introduces a scalable framework for nurturing local design talent, integrating AI-enabled learning platforms, and establishing microchip design centers across the continent. Drawing from real-world partnerships with governments, universities, and technology leaders, the session explores how to create sustainable, sovereign semiconductor ecosystems that serve Africa's unique needs and power its digital future.

Magnus Emenuga examines the current state and future of embedded systems in Nigeria. Embedded systems, small computers built into machines, are powering solutions across agriculture, healthcare, energy, and security. They enable local innovations that are cost-effective, resilient, and tailored to Nigeria's needs. The session surfaces the hurdles facing young Nigerians who want to build in this field, from limited hands-on training to expensive tools and scarce job opportunities. Magnus highlights how government, schools, and tech companies are stepping in to support the ecosystem. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of why Nigeria needs embedded systems to build better services, create jobs, and develop the next generation of tech leaders.

Join us for a live session to unveil the Africa Deep Tech Challenge 2025! Get all the details about themes, prizes, eligibility, and how to participate. Q&A with the ADTC team.

In today's data-driven world, surveillance technology has evolved from simple monitoring tools to powerful intelligence systems. Surveillance data, gathered through drones, cameras, sensors, and AI-powered analytics, plays a crucial role in helping industries like agriculture, oil and gas, logistics, manufacturing, and security scale efficiently and safely. By providing real-time insights, detecting anomalies, and supporting predictive maintenance, this data reduces operational risks, cuts costs, and enhances decision-making. Maxwell Maduka shares how TerraHaptix is applying these capabilities across Africa, from building robots at 14 to managing $2.6 billion in critical assets across six countries. Learn how surveillance data can empower industries to scale with precision, resilience, and a competitive edge.

Considering the 'Central Dogma of Life', small molecules are the closest to the phenotype, ahead of proteins, RNA, and DNA. Metabolomics comprehensively measures an organism's entire small molecules composition.

Join us for our monthly Africa Deep Tech Community meetup where we'll explore embedded systems from an engineer's perspective. Our speaker, Tangus Koech, will share insights and experiences in this crucial field of technology.

Join us for our monthly Africa Deep Tech Community meetup where we'll explore how AI is revolutionizing finance and funding for African startups and projects. Our speaker, Winifred Dibie-Awolope, will share insights on the intersection of AI and financial innovation in Africa.

A discussion on how my entrepreneurial journey in Rancard influenced my eventual focus on AI and its potential for economic transformation in Africa. A candid reflection on the challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons learned in the fast-paced high-tech business world, where our vision of demonstrating excellence in technology by Africans led to extending Google services to 75 countries and early-stage conversational AI. A firsthand perspective on how I transitioned from tech product development to tech policy, translating the lessons learned into a broader vision for technology-led economic transformation.

In this conversation, Pius Onobhayedo draws attention to the need to be deliberate about building deep tech in and from Africa for the world. The session traces a historical journey of tech entrepreneurship in Nigeria, surfaces the questions communities should be asking to make #MAG (Make Africa Great) real, and introduces a model for this journey. Backed by real cases, including Solidarity.Africa, a hybrid blockchain-driven initiative, the talk offers a practical path toward developing deep tech talent pipelines across the continent.

In this talk, we will share how Maria and technologies like her are revolutionizing the way we work. We'll explore how generative AI augments human employees and enhances our capabilities, setting the stage for a future where humans and AI collaborate seamlessly. Let's dive into how embracing AI can transform productivity and what that means for the future of work in the age of AI.

In this talk, we will explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in medical domain, from diagnostics and personalised treatment management to predictive analytics. However, while AI/ML holds promise for revolutionising healthcare, AI/ML presents ethical challenges, particularly around bias, data privacy, and access. This talk will delve into how AI systems can perpetuate inequalities, especially for marginalised communities, and the steps needed to mitigate these risks. By highlighting case studies and ongoing research, the discussion will focus on the development of fair and transparent AI models, ensuring that these technologies benefit all patients, regardless of background. Lastly, highlight the importance of long-term collaboration between technologists, healthcare providers, and policymakers to create AI/ML systems that help clinicians deliver equitable care.

Chukwuemeka Afigbo explores how African builders can design sustainable compute infrastructure for an AI-first future.

Tayo Adesanya walks through the semiconductor IP required to power autonomous machines across African environments.

Maxwell Maduka discusses advancements in bionics and how they are transforming care for amputees across Africa.

Dr Collins Agu explores how Udene and Unity boards can unlock new data acquisition capabilities for African industries.

Victor Dibia reviews the state of multi-agent LLM systems and their implications for African innovators.

Pius Onobhayedo examines DAO models that could help African communities leapfrog governance challenges.

Emeka Afigbo presents a framework for understanding and activating the latent 16 percent of African tech talent.

Tochukwu Chukwueke breaks down the realities of designing and building hardware products within African manufacturing ecosystems.

Adia shares lessons on building human-computer interfaces that respect context, equity, and long-term societal impact.

Judith Okonkwo charts the trajectory of XR across the continent and what it will take to scale inclusive immersive ecosystems.

A primer on edge computing, why it matters for Africa, and pathways to adoption across sectors.

Interrogating the infrastructure needs behind Africa's manufacturing ambitions and the role decentralized systems can play.

Hands-on exploration of nascent post-GPT-4 tools and projects, with experiments on how they can accelerate African innovation.

A candid discussion on the promise of language technology in Africa and the gaps that still need to be closed.

Exploring language as technology and the opportunity to use it as an interface that bridges the digital divide and builds inclusive global tech communities.

An overview of AI for Science, self-driving networks, and the path to more autonomous, resilient African network infrastructure.

A deep dive into Web3, its relevance to Africa, and an overview of how Fimio is approaching this space.

We discuss the role of experimentation in driving innovation and the limitations that can prevent truly radical breakthroughs.