The Africa Blockchain Festival opened in Nairobi, Kenya, on October 15, 2026, bringing together 50 African startup founders, venture capital investors, regulators and technology leaders to explore investment opportunities and the future of digital finance on the continent. The three-day event at the Sarit Expo Centre runs through October 17, aiming to connect emerging African tech companies with potential investors while encouraging discussions on regulatory frameworks for blockchain adoption.
A key component of the festival is its startup fellowship programme, which selected African founders to participate in investment-focused activities. The programme offers entrepreneurs opportunities to pitch their businesses, meet with investors and form partnerships designed to accelerate growth. Participating founders will be featured in an investment deal book that showcases opportunities to potential financial backers. Organisers plan to track funding commitments and partnerships emerging from the event.
American venture capitalist Tim Draper, founder of Draper Associates, is among the prominent investors attending. Draper highlighted Africa’s growing role in the global Bitcoin economy, noting increasing use of cryptocurrency for transactions and international trade by individuals and businesses.
Festival convener Olubunmi Fabanwo emphasized the need to connect promising entrepreneurs with financial resources, strategic partnerships and supportive regulatory environments. According to Fabanwo, African startups possess the talent and innovation needed to compete globally but require better access to investment networks and policies that encourage technological development.
The festival hosts discussions involving the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Central Bank of Kenya, the Capital Markets Authority and Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission. These conversations address regulatory alignment, stablecoins, cross-border payments, digital assets and blockchain applications in financial services.
A closed-door policy roundtable will examine implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, focusing on how participating countries can develop more consistent regulations for digital transactions. By combining startup fundraising opportunities with regulatory discussions, the festival seeks to tackle two major challenges facing Africa‘s blockchain industry: limited access to growth capital and fragmented regulatory requirements.
Organisers hope the connections established during the festival will continue beyond the event, creating longer-term opportunities for African blockchain companies to attract investment, expand operations and engage more actively in the global digital economy.
