Morocco will centre the global tech community’s
attention on Africa’s united commitment to advancing the digital economy next
week, converging the best minds from governments, businesses, big tech,
start-ups, investors, and youths to accelerate and catalyse the continent’s
ambitious digital transformation journey.
GITEX Africa 2023, now the largest tech and start-up
show in the African continent, will make its highly anticipated debut from 31
May-2 June, with the final preparations underway across ten halls and 45,000sqm
of exhibition space in a purpose-built super venue at Place Bab Jdid, Bd Al
Yarmouk in the Red City of Marrakech. It will welcome 900 big tech companies,
government entities, start-ups, and participants from more than 100 countries while attracting tens of thousands of attendees from all over the world.
GITEX Africa is the largest business event launch of any
industry in the Middle East and Africa in recent years, and is affiliated with
GITEX Global in Dubai, the world’s largest tech and start-up show, rated by global
tech executives as the world’s best global tech event.
Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King
Mohammed VI, GITEX Africa is hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD), under
the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration
Reform.
Addressing media at the show’s official preview press
conference was H.E Dr. Ghita Mezzour, Minister of the Moroccan Ministry of
Digital Transition and Administration Reform; Sidi Mohammed Drissi Melyani, the
General Director of ADD; and Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN International,
GITEX Africa’s organiser.
In attendance were GITEX Africa’s official
institutional partners the ANRT (Moroccan National Telecommunications
Regulatory Agency), AMDIE (Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency),
ONMT (Moroccan National Tourist Office), ONDA (National Airports Office), Royal
Air Maroc, and ONCF (Moroccan National Railway Office).
“The
Kingdom of Morocco is proud to host GITEX Africa under the High Patronage of
His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him,” said H.E. Dr Mezzour.
“We’re witnessing a historic
event, the first ever edition of GITEX Africa, and the largest tech networking
and learning business event in the African continent.
“GITEX
Africa will be an opportunity for Moroccan and African start-ups owners and
young programmers to get in touch with regional and global investors and
business incubators. An opportunity as well to network with actors in both
public and private sectors.”
Mr. Sidi Mohammed Drissi Melyani, the General Director
of ADD, added that hosting GITEX Africa underlines Morocco’s commitment to work
alongside the private and public sectors to accelerate Africa’s digital
infrastructure development while promoting cross-continental e-governance
policies that improve digital transparency, openness and process integration: “The Kingdom of Morocco, as well as the whole African continent, is so honoured to host the first edition of
GITEX Africa
Morocco, which will take place in Marrakech from May 31st to June 2nd, 2023,” said
Mr. Melyani.
“This
big event, organised under the high patronage of his Majesty King Mohammed
VI, is an important opportunity to value the efforts deployed by all the
Moroccan stakeholders in the field of digital development. It is also a
platform for networking between exhibitors, investors, researchers, and tech
operators around innovative solutions and digital transformation. This first edition will definitely contribute
to enhancing digital transition in Africa as a future innovation hub, led by its
young talents and competitive start-ups.”
Magnifying
Africa’s collective digital innovation ambitions and achievements
GITEX Africa’s impressive scale in its debut edition reflects
the ambitions of Africa’s digital movement, with cross-continental initiatives
such as Smart Africa’s vision to create a single digital market in Africa by
2030 propelling the continent to the forefront of the global digital economy.
“For
too long, the world’s second-largest continent has been under-stated and
overlooked for its profound digital opportunities and aspirations,” commented Ms. LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN
International.
“At
GITEX Africa, our mission is to curate an event that will serve the purpose of
the African community in accessing business development, investment, and
learning opportunities. We focus on empowering
the new generation of tech and creative talents to augment the culture of
entrepreneurship and provide a single occasion that shall bring together the
public and private sector leaderships to build tangible meaningful outcomes.”
That GITEX Africa hoisted the sold-out sign fuelling
further expansion months before its grand opening is a testament to the world’s
confidence and optimism in the African digital opportunity, amplified by
figures that underline the aspirations of African countries in their quest for
digital excellence.
Africa’s vibrant start-up ecosystem also continues to
grab headlines with the creation of seven unicorns over the last few years
while according to analysts Briter Bridges, African start-ups raised a total of
US$5.4 billion across 900-plus deals in 2022.
The influx of global interest will see GITEX Africa
2023 host more than 400 disruptive start-ups from 30 countries, including 200
international award-winning start-ups and 11 unicorns eager to share their
achievements and access the promising African innovation hub.
All will have the opportunity to connect with 250
investors from 34 countries with US$200 billion worth of assets under
management. As the ultimate start-up incubator and a magnet for flourishing VC
funds, GITEX Africa will deliver a structured and carefully curated scouting
platform for these investors, of which 70 percent are coming from outside of
Africa.
Added Ms. LohMirmand: “GITEX integrates Africa strategically into the hyper-connected tech
ecosystem across 100 countries. It now firmly plugs Africa into the global
entrepreneurial innovation economy boasting of resources imperative for the
region to dynamize its digital transformation mission.”
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
