The inaugural DEMO Africa event took place last October 24-26, 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. It provided a platform for 40 of the most innovative
technology products from companies across the African continent with the opportunity to launch before a global audience of investors,
media, strategic buyers, C-level executives and other entrepreneurs. This was the first time ever that a DEMO event was hosted on the African soil.
DEMO Africa is the flagship initiative of the Liberating Innovation in Opportunity Nations or LIONS@FRICA partnership, an innovative new
partnership aimed at enhancing and deepening startup and innovation ecosystems of fast-growing African economies. LIONS@FRICA brings
together the U.S. State Department, Microsoft, Nokia, InfoDEV, the African Development Bank, the U.S. Agency for International
Development, DEMO, Startup Weekend, Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST), Venture Capital for Africa, Appfrica, Business Action for Africa, Business Fights Poverty, and the Global Entrepreneurship Week to support and amplify Africa’s budding startup
and innovation ecosystem.
“For far too long Africa has been plagued with a reputation for being the continent of poverty, corruption, and insecurity. While the
continent has surely experienced growing pains, it’s also a place of opportunity and growth.” – Thomas Debass, Acting Special
Representative for Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State.
This film goes behind the scenes and rhetoric to interview young entrepreneurs and startup founders from all over Africa about their
work. How do they feel about doing business in Africa? What are their struggles and observations? What is the future of the changing African
continent?
