Cocktails & Capital: Backing the Backers

Name: Cocktails & Capital: Backing the Backers
Start: 2026-10-22T15:30:00+00:00
End: 2026-10-22T17:00:00+00:00
Location: Innovation City Cape Town

Starts: 2026-10-22T15:30:00+00:00

Ends: 2026-10-22T17:00:00+00:00

Format: In person

Location: Innovation City Cape Town, Longkloof, Darter Studios, 7 Darter Rd, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa, Cape Town

Organiser: Innovation City Cape Town

About this event

A Food for Thought event brought to you by Finance Isle of Man Thursday, 22 October 2026 | 17:30–19:00 Capital is back in African tech: $3.2bn raised in 2025, up 40% on the year before. The early-stage window has gone the other way, with seed-band deals down 44% in the first half of 2026. Total funding is rising while the seed pipeline shrinks, and for allocators that gap is where the opportunity and the risk sit. Innovation City co-founders Kieno Kammies and Stephan Ekbergh are putting together an intimate evening with Zachariah George and Janade du Plessis , co-Founders and Co-Managing Partners of Launch Africa Ventures . They will present their report on the state of venture investment in Africa: where capital is flowing, where it is retreating, and what that means for investors building exposure to the continent. Launch Africa, the largest and most active Seed and pre-Series A investor across Pan-Africa, has backed 180+ startups and 300+ founders across 26 African countries. It holds positions in iconic African technology startups like Flutterwave , Moove , Kredete , Andela , Kuda Bank , Omnibiz and several others. Behind the portfolio sits a 400+ LP base across 45+ countries, comprising family offices, entrepreneurs and corporate investors. Many of them co-invest directly alongside the funds. Kieno and Stephan will then lead a frank, practical conversation on the questions allocators actually ask: Where do African venture returns come from, and how do exits really happen? How do secondaries and co-investments change the risk and liquidity picture? What should you ask before committing capital to an African venture fund? Who should apply LPs, family offices, institutional investors, wealth managers, high-net-worth individuals and other capital allocators interested in African private markets and venture investment. This is an exclusive, apply-to-attend event with limited capacity. Applications will be reviewed to ensure a relevant and valuable room for everyone attending.

Tickets

General Admission: Backing the Backers: ZAR 50 · InStock · Book tickets