Africa Early Stage Investor Summit
Where Africa’s early-stage capital ecosystem meets.
The Africa Early Stage Investor Summit brings together angel investors, fund managers, ecosystem builders, and founders to exchange insights, build trust, and shape the future of early-stage investing across the continent. It’s a platform for learning, collaboration, and long-term capital formation.
Unpack the details
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AESIS was created to address fragmentation in early-stage investing and build trust among investors focused on Africa
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Angel investors, VCs, DFIs, family offices, and ecosystem leaders from Africa and globally.
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Curated discussions, deal-focused networking, co-investment exploration, and ecosystem collaboration.
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The annual investor summit for Africa’s early stage investment community was first organized in 2014 to create trust and collaboration among early-stage investors focused on backing Africa’s brightest entrepreneurs. The event was organized in parallel to DEMO Africa (a LIONS Africa initiative), was started with the aim to build an Africa centric investor community, and to boost investor collaboration and participation.
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By accelerating trust, aligning incentives, and reducing barriers to collaboration between investors.
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It functions as infrastructure — not just an event — shaping relationships and markets over time.
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It strengthens early-stage capital markets by turning conversations into long-term partnerships.
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Sanaga Ventures initiated the first investor summit in Nairobi, Kenya in 2013. The event was then organised on an annual basis by VC4A, birthed the ABAN association in 2015, and later rebranded in 2016 to AESIS. AESIS is designed as a practitioner-led convening, curating content, participants, and long-term partnerships. Sanaga Ventures continues to steward its evolution as ecosystem infrastructure.
Curated investor Community
A highly selective group of angels, fund managers, and ecosystem leaders focused on early-stage Africa. Participants are chosen for their ability to contribute insight, capital, and long-term engagement.
Knowledge & Trust Building
Practical insights, peer learning, and open dialogue strengthen decision-making and cross-border collaboration. The summit prioritizes candid conversations over panels designed for visibility alone.
Ecosystem Connectivity
Bridges local investor networks with regional and international capital, accelerating deal flow and partnerships. This connectivity helps reduce fragmentation across Africa’s early-stage investment landscape.