This October, Lagos is set to host a significant gathering of investors and capital providers, all aiming to catalyze the next wave of investment and historic funding opportunities for Africa’s most promising startups. At Moonshot by TechCabal 2025, the continent’s premier innovation summit, attendees will have the chance to engage directly with entrepreneurs, foster cross-border collaborations, and strategize exit plans that will accelerate the growth of Africa’s innovation landscape.
Following a global dip in funding during 2023 and 2024, the African tech sector is showing promising signs of revival. In the first half of 2025 alone, startup investments surged to $1.42 billion across 243 deals, marking a 78% increase compared to the previous year. African startups are increasingly venturing into international markets, exporting innovative solutions that tackle worldwide challenges. To sustain this upward trajectory, it is essential to enhance deal flow, develop stronger exit pathways, and boost investor confidence to channel more capital into the ecosystem. These critical themes will be at the heart of discussions among founders, venture capitalists, angel investors, and limited partners (LPs) throughout the event’s diverse sessions.
Leading these insightful conversations will be industry leaders such as Maxime Bayen, Operating Partner at FundCatalyst; Lexi Novitske, General Partner at Norrskken 22; Tito Cookey-Gam, Principal at Partech Africa; and Eloho Omame, Partner at TLcom Capital. Additionally, Digital for Development (D4D), representing the European Union, will bring a delegation of over 100 investors and ecosystem stakeholders from Europe to Lagos, aiming to foster vital partnerships and accelerate investment flows between African startups and global capital markets.
Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO of Big Cabal Media, shared his perspective on the event: “Africa’s tech ecosystem is gaining significant traction, with global investors increasingly eager to support its emerging startups. This event is a pivotal opportunity to connect visionary founders with the right funding, explore sustainable exit strategies, and build scalable partnerships. Moonshot 2025 is designed to transform this momentum into concrete opportunities for all ecosystem players. Beyond financing, we will delve into cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence, payment infrastructures, digital assets, and the creative economy, while also engaging policymakers, corporations, and ecosystem enablers.”
Reflecting on their involvement, Hussein Jaffar, Deputy Coordinator of the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub Africa Branch, remarked, “Moonshot serves as a vital platform to operationalize the Global Gateway initiative by linking African innovators with European investors and collaborators. Through the D4D Hub, we are committed to transforming these connections into tangible partnerships, showcasing scalable digital innovations, and unlocking fresh investment avenues that reinforce Africa’s innovation ecosystems while advancing shared global goals.”
Sponsored by Sabi, Moonshot 2025 will also highlight Africa’s rapid embrace of artificial intelligence (AI). Nigeria’s Minister of Trade, Jumoke Oduwole, is slated to discuss how forward-thinking trade policies are empowering startups, boosting digital service exports, and positioning Nigeria as the continent’s digital trade nucleus.
Recognized as one of Africa’s most influential gatherings for early and growth-stage capital, Moonshot will feature an in-depth exploration of Africa’s next-generation payment systems. This session will examine how APIs, digital-first infrastructure, mobile money adoption, and cross-border interoperability are driving financial inclusion and fueling new trade opportunities. Another panel will focus on the transformative impact of cryptocurrencies and digital assets in facilitating cross-border payments and expanding financial access across the continent.
Wole Ayodele, CEO of Fincra, emphasized, “APIs have become the cornerstone of digital commerce, enabling instant settlements, embedded financial services, and smooth cross-border transactions. At Moonshot 2025, we will explore how these innovations can unlock new growth and operational efficiencies for businesses throughout Africa and beyond.”
Tomi Oduyemi, Growth Lead at Cardtonic, added, “Moonshot is a crucial forum that unites the visionaries and innovators propelling Africa’s digital economy forward. It fosters the connections and insights necessary to scale innovation and generate meaningful impact across the continent. We are proud to contribute significantly to this year’s event.”
With platinum sponsorship from Fincra, Raenest, Flutterwave, Luno, Cardtonic, Roqqu, Opay, Interswitch, and Busha, this two-day event welcomes global and African venture capitalists, startup founders, leading tech executives, policymakers, creatives, students, and organizations championing Africa’s innovation ecosystem.
Featuring over 120 speakers, nine specialized content tracks, and an anticipated attendance exceeding 4,000 participants, Moonshot 2025 builds on the momentum of last year’s successful edition, which attracted more than 3,500 attendees from over 15 countries. Registration remains open at moonshot.techcabal.com.