Connected Africa Summit 2026
Innovation Awards
Uniting Africa's Innovation for an Inclusive Digital Market
The Connected Africa Summit serves as Africa's leading platform for collaboration, policy dialogue, and investment in the digital economy, supporting the continent's progress toward regional integration and a unified digital market. Innovation is positioned as the bridge between policy ambition and real-world impact, enabling scalable solutions that benefit citizens, businesses, and governments across borders
Aligned with the 2026 theme, "Uniting Africa's Innovation for an Inclusive Digital Market,"the Summit's Innovation Component will identify and support high-impact startups advancing interoperability, inclusion, cross-border digital trade, and shared digital infrastructure. Implemented in partnership with the Association of Countrywide Innovation Hubs, the programme will shortlist startups nationwide, support the top 10 through a pre-summit boot camp, and showcase their solutions during the main Summit.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Connected Africa Summit Innovation Awards, applicants must meet the following requirements:
Legally Registered Entity
Applicants must operate through a company, startup, or organisation that is officially registered in an African country.
Operational Product or Service
Applicants must have a fully developed product or service that is already operational and has been in active use for at least six (6) months prior to the application.
African End-Users
The product or service must serve African users, communities, businesses, or institutions, and demonstrate relevance to challenges or opportunities within Africa.
Digital or Technology-Enabled Innovation
The solution must leverage digital technology or ICT-enabled tools such as software platforms, data systems, connectivity solutions, artificial intelligence, or digital infrastructure.
Submission Categories
AgriTech & Food Systems
A special Universities Collaboration Track, recognizing the critical role of academic institutions in research-driven and early-stage innovation that supports Africa's food systems and digital integration agenda.
Digital Public Infrastructure & GovTech
Solutions that strengthen interoperable digital public services, digital identity, data exchange platforms, e-government services, and cross-border public systems.
FinTech & Digital Trade
Innovations enabling cross-border payments, digital financial inclusion, e-commerce, trade facilitation, and platforms that support SMEs to participate in the digital economy.
Healthtech & E-Health
Digital health solutions that support interoperability of health systems, telemedicine, health data management, AI-enabled diagnostics, and cross-border health service delivery.
Greentech & Smart Infrastructure
Innovations supporting sustainable digital infrastructure, renewable energy solutions, smart cities, climate data platforms, and technologies that reduce the carbon footprint of digital growth.
Selection Process
A month before Connected Summit, a call for entries is advertised, inviting African companies that have innovative ICT-led solutions in the market to submit their innovation for evaluation and awarding.
A panel of experts from the continent are invited to review and select winners from the proposals submitted. All proposals are submitted online. The panel meets for 2–3 days and reviews and scores evidence submitted for each proposal that meets the criteria. The panel then deliberates and selects runner-up and winners for the awards.
The winners and runner-ups are presented with trophies and certificates at an award ceremony during the Summit.
Need Assistance?
If you have any questions about the Innovation Awards, please contact us at whitebox@icta.go.ke