On 15 th April 2026, Tanzania hosted the Global Entrepreneurship Festival’s (GEF) Business Mixer as part of preparations for the 2026 Global Entrepreneurship Festival scheduled to take place from 6th to 8th November, in Cairo.
The event is the first in a series of 14 global business mixers planned in different countries, including Namibia, Ethiopia, the United States, Canada, and Nigeria, ahead of the Cairo summit.
The meeting convened policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and diplomats to discuss economic diplomacy, investment, and business growth across Africa, and served as a networking platform linking entrepreneurs with investors and advisors.
The discussions focused on cross-border entrepreneurship, investment readiness, and the role of technology in scaling businesses.
Participants also addressed constraints, including limited infrastructure, financing gaps, and low technology adoption, and discussed the need for a continental digital public infrastructure to support the African market.
Speaking at the event, the Ambassador of Egypt to Tanzania, Sherif Abdelhamid Ismail, noted, “Our government, through the reforms across the previous decades, has always prioritized support for the activities of the private sector, which is the true engine of economic growth.”
He added that the initiative is intended to facilitate dialogue at the highest level and align development priorities with investment decisions.
On his part, the Director General of Tanzania’s ICT Commission, Dr. Nkundwe Mwasaga, noted: “We want to build an economy of USD 1 trillion in this country, and we want the private sector to be able to do that.”
Mwasaga also added that a continental digital public infrastructure is required to support investment and market integration across Africa.
On his part, the President of GEF, Dr. Summy Smart, said the platform acts as a bridge connecting entrepreneurs with investors and providing access to international markets.
During his address, the Founder and CEO of AfriCapital, Burak Büyüksaraç, pointed out that businesses seeking investment must meet global standards in governance, compliance, and due diligence, and present long-term projections.
During the discussions, the Managing Partner of Raptha Angel Investors Network, Musa Kamata, noted that investors are increasingly allocating capital to alternative assets through angel networks, and noted that a business must operate independently of its founder to be scalable.
The Global Entrepreneurships Festival
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) is an international summit that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and business leaders to promote entrepreneurship and innovation as key drivers of economic growth.
The event is typically held annually in alignment with Global Entrepreneurship Week and spans several days and countries, featuring a wide range of activities including panel discussions, startup pitch sessions, exhibitions, and networking forums designed to connect participants across global markets.
GEF also serves as a platform to facilitate investment opportunities, knowledge exchange, and partnerships, while supporting the growth of startups and small and medium-sized enterprises.
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