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Business Insider
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Lagos Startup Week turns 10: Africa's biggest startup gathering returns this July 2025
Get ready for a historic celebration as Lagos Startup Week (LSW), Africa's most influential gathering for innovators and entrepreneurs, announces its 10th-anniversary edition! This landmark event, themed "DND – Disrupting the Next Decade," Happening July 7–12, 2025, Lagos Startup Week will feature city-wide activities and experiences designed to engage the entire innovation ecosystem from community meetups and pitch competitions to masterclasses and exhibitions. The main conference will take place on July 10th and 11th at the iconic Civic Centre, bringing together founders, investors, creatives, and policymakers for two days of high-impact content and networking. Lagos Startup Week turns 10: Africa's biggest startup gathering returns this July 2025 Ten years ago, under the visionary guidance of Olumide Olayinka, Partner Prime Startups, Lagos Startup Week was born to ignite a movement and shape the future of innovation across Africa. What began as a nascent idea in 2015 has blossomed into a powerful reality. Fast forward to 2025, and Lagos is not merely participating in the global startup narrative; it's actively shaping it. Consistently ranked among Africa's most active startup cities by and Partech, Lagos has seen Nigerian startups attract over $3.5 billion in venture capital, launch globally relevant companies, and foster a new wave of digital pioneers. The city now proudly boasts five unicorns—Interswitch, Flutterwave, Jumia, OPay, and Moniepoint and has seen its ecosystem valuation grow 11.6x since 2017, proving its standing ahead of global cities like Istanbul and Pune. "This is more than an event. This is where Africa's future gets prototyped," shares Olumide Olayinka, Partner at Prime Startups and the driving force behind Lagos Startup Week. He passionately adds, "Lagos Startup Week was never just an event; it is a bold commitment to investing in the future of African innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth. it was always a declaration. This city needed a platform where founders could breathe, build, and belong. Ten years later, we are still doing that, but now on a massive scale, and with the entire world watching." This 10th edition is going to be unforgettable! Imagine over 5,000 attendees hosted at the iconic Civic Centre for two days of pure inspiration. We're talking four stages buzzing with ideas, and electrifying Demo Days showcasing the tech that will literally shape our tomorrow. Whether you're looking to launch your big idea, scaling your existing business, or doing from the insights that will be shared by our guests and speakers, you'll connect with top tech experts, industry titans, forward-thinking regulators, and investors ready to back the next big thing. Our "DND – Disrupting the Next Decade" theme isn't just a catchy phrase. It's a deep dive into what it truly takes to build and thrive in complex markets, how Africa's most daring innovations grow, from humble garages to city rooftops, and how we, together, will define the next 10 years of entrepreneurial impact. This year, we're putting a spotlight on the founders who aren't just creating products but rewriting the entire narratives through their resilience and disruptive thinking. Get ready to be inspired by a lineup of visionary leaders and innovators who are shaping Africa's tech landscape. This year, Lagos Startup Week will feature dynamic voices whose dedication to disruption and entrepreneurial growth extends far beyond their impressive titles. We are excited to announce an initial roster of speakers, including: Jason Njoku, Founder & CEO, IROKO; Ngozi Dozie, Co-Founder, Carbon; Tosin Faniro-Dada, Partner, Breega; Ireayo Oladunjoye, MD & CEO, Endeavour Nigeria; Satoshi Shinada, Partner/Co-Founder Verod Kepple Africa Ventures, Wole Ayodele, CEO, Fincra; Tito Cookey-Gam, Principal, Partech; Aniedi Udo-Obong, Developer Ecosystem Program Partnerships, Google; Kayode Adeyinka, CEO, Gigmile; Oladunni Fanibe, Accelerator Portfolio Manager Africa, Google; and Akinbola Asalu, CEO, Aktivate just to mention a few. The Lagos Startup Week's team is going ahead to curate for more speaker announcements, so keep an eye out for updates! Our past editions have welcomed giants like Steve Case (AOL / Revolution VC), Michael Seibel (Y Combinator), and local legends like Shola Akinlade (Co-founder, Paystack). And we've showcased early-stage gems that are now household names, including Flutterwave, Moniepoint, and Paystack (acquired by Stripe for over $200 million). Lagos Startup Week is powered by Prime Startups, more than just an organizer, they're an ecosystem builder. They champion African founders all year long, offering support, forging cross-border partnerships, and engaging with policy to lay the groundwork for Africa's next wave of high-growth ventures. In a world that's constantly shifting and digitizing, Lagos Startup Week isn't just a date on the calendar. It's a barometer for how emerging markets will define the future of commerce, connectivity, and capital. It's the place where Africa builds, and the world can't help but watch. Join us in Lagos this July. The future isn't coming. It's being built right here, right now! Eko for Show!
Business Insider
16-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Lagos Startup Week turns 10: Celebrating a decade of Africa-led innovation
Fast forward to 2025: Lagos is not just participating in the global startup narrative, it's shaping it. From Dealroom to Partech, Lagos is consistently ranked among Africa's most active startup cities, attracting founders, VCs, and global tech operators. Born in 2015 under the vision of Prime Startups, Lagos Startup Week was launched to spark a movement: one that would not just showcase startups, but shape the very future of innovation across Africa. That vision has now become a reality. In 2025, as LSW celebrates its 10th edition, Lagos has earned its place on the global tech map. According to and Partech reports, Lagos is now one of the most active startup ecosystems on the continent, with Nigerian startups attracting over $3.5 billion in venture capital funding, launching globally relevant startups , and fostering a new wave of digital pioneers redefining what's possible ahead of Istanbul, Turkey and Pune, India. having created five unicorns and grown its ecosystem valuation 11.6x since 2017 despite having a smaller economy,' the report stated. According to the report, Lagos is home to five unicorns, comprising Interswitch, Flutterwave, Jumia, OPay, and Moniepoint, which makes the state stand out and the major acquisition of Paystack by Stripe for over $200 million. The event organisers have curated a range of activities for over 5,000 attendees. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from tech experts and business leaders, gain valuable advice on scaling or starting a business, and network with high-profile entrepreneurs,regulators and investors. Lagos Startup Week is undeniably the destination for anyone seeking to forge connections within the global tech industry. 'This is more than an event. This is where Africa's future gets prototyped,' says Olumide Olayinka, Partner, Prime Startups and Convener of Lagos Startup Week. What began as a grassroots gathering has evolved into one of the continent's most consequential platforms for innovation, venture, and ecosystem development. The 10th edition of Lagos Startup Week marks more than a milestone; it signals a new era. Under the bold theme 'DND – Disrupting the Next Decade,' LSW 2025 will examine what it takes to build in complex markets, elevate African-led innovation on the global stage, and define the next 10 years of entrepreneurial impact. From resilience to radical thinking, this year's event will spotlight founders who are not just building products but rewriting narratives. LSW is proudly powered by Prime Startups, an ecosystem builder supporting African founders beyond the event stage. Through year-round founder support, cross-border ecosystem partnerships, and policy engagement, Prime Startups is helping to lay the foundation for Africa's next wave of high-growth ventures. According to Olumide Olayinka, Co-organiser and Partner at Prime Startups. ' Lagos Startup Week was never just an event; it was always a declaration. Olumide said that 'the city needed a platform where founders could breathe, build, and belong. Ten years later, we are still doing that at scale, and with global attention.' THE LSW EXPERIENCE– 2025 AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS 📅 Dates: July 7–12, 2025 📍 Venue: Civic Centre, Lagos, Nigeria 🌍 Theme: DND – Disrupting the Next Decade To accommodate the expanding scope of this landmark edition, the event will span seven floors of the iconic Civic Centre for three unforgettable days. This year's edition promises to be even more spectacular, featuring 4 stages and Demo Days, all designed to showcase the visionary technology that will shape our collective future. Expect: Previous editions have welcomed visionaries such as: WHY THIS MATTERS In an era of global realignment and digital acceleration, Lagos Startup Week is more than a timestamp. It's a bellwether for how emerging markets will define the future of commerce, connectivity, and capital. It's where Africa builds and the world watches. Join us in Lagos this July. The future isn't coming. It's being built here. Watch 2024 recap: Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned industry leader, or an enthusiast looking to stay ahead of the curve, Lagos Startup Week is the ultimate destination to witness the cutting edge of innovation. See you there!
