The Innovation and Startup Festival (ISF), formerly called Ibadan StartUp Fest, Southwest Nigeria’s largest gathering of innovators, founders, investors, policymakers, and future-forward talent, returns on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the University of Ibadan International Conference Centre.
Building on the remarkable success of the past edition, which hosted 3,000+ participants, 50+ speakers, and notable public and private partners, including Google, SeedFi, KPMG, Unified Payments, Capital Sage, Alternative Bank, and a long list of others, ISF 2025 is set to welcome 5,000+ attendees, 50+ global speakers, and 50+ exhibitors.
This year’s edition, themed “Tech Excellence and Regional Innovation,” will spotlight:
● Tech Excellence Awards Gala honouring achievements across 13+ sectors, including fintech, healthtech, agritech, cybersecurity, hardware, and renewable energy.
● Breakout panels, masterclasses, and workshopshosted across all five halls of the University of Ibadan International Conference Centre.
● The ISF Deal Room, designed for investor-founder connections and corporate matchmaking.
● Ecosystem activation week, featuring tech hub conversations and a Cocktail Friday for tech professionals.
High-level participation is expected from government leaders, private sector executives, and development partners. Dignitaries already expected include the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), with invitations extended to Southwest State Governors and international ecosystem leaders.
A key highlight is the launch of the Southwest Innovation & Startup Grant (SISG), powered by ISF and the DAWN Commission. The grant will provide ₦1m–₦2m Idea Grants and ₦2m–₦5m Go-to-Market Grants, reinforcing ISF’s commitment to supporting early-stage founders and driving regional growth.
“ISF 2025 will not just be another conference; it will be a defining convergence for regional innovation, where ideas meet execution, and where the Southwest shows its capacity to lead Africa’s technology renaissance,” said Tosin Kolawole, Team Lead of ISF.
With sponsorship and partnership opportunities now open (₦1m–₦25m packages), ISF 2025 offers brands, governments, and development organisations an unparalleled platform for visibility, engagement, and impact.
Interested organisations can view the detailed sponsorship brochure here through this link ( https://drive.google.com/file/d/160i4rnFJRM7imuYHT1mOqWy0GWzlO3EH/view?usp=sharing )
For more information or partnership inquiries, Contact Tosin at [email protected] | +234-806-669-2349.
