BigFive Summit 2024

ABOUT

"Africa's Leading Small Business Technology Event"

The BigFive Summit is a unique event in Africa. It focuses on bringing together the companies that help transform the small business digital ecosystem. From the developers who build the digital solutions for SMEs to the agencies, banks, telecoms, SaaS platforms, and media organizations who own the small business customer relationship, to the investors who help fuel the innovation. And finally, to the small business owners themselves who vote with their wallets on which tools help them grow their businesses. And which do not.

What draws companies to the BigFive Summit is the opportunity to learn about the state of the art in SME digital transformation. And to form the partnerships that help Africa's SMEs digitally transform, and help their businesses succeed in the process.

The digital transformation of African SMEs takes place across every aspect of the small business enterprise. This includes customer acquisition, engagement, and retention; invoicing and payments; logistics and inventory management; human resource management; location management; cybersecurity and data protection; and much more. 

The BigFive Summit offers a combination of thought-leading and interactive keynotes and headline talks, executive interviews, and panel discussions, plus lively networking events where delegates can engage and build relationships.

Listen to Savant Venture Fund's Thaheer Mullins, a past and future BigFive Summit participant, talk about what makes the Summit special.

BigFive Summit 2024 Supporters

BigFive Summit Agenda

18 March 2024

Opening Networking Event at Innovation City Cape Town

Sponsored by Location Bank

1730-1815  Collect badges, drinks, bites, and networking activities (featuring Kieno Kammies)

1815 -1845 Panel Discussion “The 2024 Outlook for Africa Tech: A Founder and Investor Perspective”

Speakers: Janade Du Plessis, Managing Partner, Launch Africa Ventures; Thaheer Mullins, General Partner, Savant Venture Fund; Meghan McCormick, Co-Founder & CEO, Oze

1845 -1900 Preview of The 2024 BigFive Summit

This event will be free to all registered 2024 BigFive Summit delegates

19 March 2024

The BigFive Summit Day 1 – Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town

0800 - 0900 Check-in, name badge collection, morning coffee + networking

0900 - 0915 Host Welcome 

The BigFive Summit host team will welcome Summit delegates and offer a brief overview of the Summit’s objectives and what they can expect from Day One.

0915 – 0945 Headline Address – Makgosi Mabaso, Managing Executive, Telkom Consumer, "How AI Will Revolutionize the SMME Market"

For the past decade, the market has been pushing the message of SMME digital transformation and although we have some progress in this space, we mustn’t leave SMMEs behind when it comes. to the advances offered by AI. SMMEs have an opportunity to harness AI to tackle key issues like funding, market access, and digital skills. This talk will reveal what SMMEs should consider while embracing AI and the next BIG opportunities for IT service providers. Telkom Consumer's broadband leader Makgosi Mabaso will lead this important conversation.

0945 – 1015 Headline Address – Khomotso Molable, Group CIO, Standard Bank Group

Khomotso Molable returns to the BigFive Summit stage as one of the Summit’s highest-rated speakers. As CIO of Standard Bank Group, Molable is the leading technologist at Africa’s largest bank, which serves more than 15 million clients across 20 Sub-Saharan African

Check out Khomotso's very engaging talk at the 2022 BigFive Summit

1015 – 1035 Featured Talk -- Simon Bestbier, CEO, Realm Digital, "This much I know is true: Six Insights to Cultivating Success, Culture, and Business Resilience"

1035 - 1100 Networking Break

Sponsored by Franktional.Dev

1100 - 1130 Headline Address – Lee Naik, CEO, TransUnion Africa, "Solving Africa's Financial Inclusion Challenge"

Lee Naik is a leading voice on digital transformation in Africa. He is responsible for a portfolio of businesses across eight African countries that strive to help businesses make more informed decisions. Lee is a former Managing Director of Accenture Digital.

1130 - 1200 MSME Pulse Survey -- A Current Look at Africa's Small Businesses

Africa 118 and Geopoll are back with another wave of their MSME Pulse survey, which takes the digital pulse of African small business operators. This data is a great stage setter for conversations taking place throughout the Summit, both on stage and off.

Ricardo Lopes, Regional Director, SSA, Geopoll

1200 - 1230 Feature Talk -- Using AI to Solve the African SME Funding Gap

Nic Rawhani, the co-founder and CEO of the AI fintech startup Vula will address how AI can be applied to make it faster and easier for African SMEs to gain access to funding.

1230 - 1400 Networking Lunch

Sponosred by Vendasta

1400 – 1430 Fireside Chat: Aisha Pandor, Co-founder, SweepSouth and Pandora Biosciences

Aisha Pandor is a celebrated South African entrepreneur. She is co-founder and CEO of SweepSouth, a marketplace platform that consumers and businesses use to find domestic workers for home and office cleaning. She also has a Ph.D. in human genetics and is the co-founder of the biotech firm Pandor Bioscience, which is building an “AI-driven precision medicine platform.” We will engage Aisha in a conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, impact, and Africa’s tech potential.

Please check out our recent podcast interview with Aisha.

1430 – 1500 Headline Address – Denvor Daniels, Senior Manager, Mobile Advertising, MTN South Africa

Denvor Daniels, who leads MTN South Africa’s mobile advertising efforts, will share the state of the art for SME mobile advertising in Africa. There is no one better to deliver this address. 

1500 - 1530 Featured Talk -- Sandy Lohr, COO, Vendasta, "AI Unleashed: A World Beyond Martech & Adtech"

Vendasta's Sandy Lohr will talk about how organizations can revolutionize their digital product lines by expanding into AI-enabled tools for SMEs. Sandy will contend that enhancing offerings, empowering clients, and positioning brands as trailblazers in the ever-evolving digital landscape is easier than you think.

1530 - 1600 Headline Address: Fiona Tabraham, Chief Executive,  CapaCiTi (a division of UVU Africa), "Unlocking Africa’s Digital Skills Opportunity"

Fiona Tabraham leads CapaCITI, an organization that is focused on digital skills development to improve employment opportunities for young Africans. She will walk us through the massive challenge (and opportunity) Africa faces in digitally upskilling its large and promising youth population.

Please check out our recent podcast interview with Fiona.

1600 - 1630 Headline Address: Recia Latief, Channel Sales Manager, Azure ISV, Microsoft

Microsoft's Recia Latief will offer a perspective on how emerging technologies, including AI, can provide much-needed leverage for African startups.

1630 - 1700 Headline Address: Kimberley Taylor, CEO, Loop

Kimberley Taylor will share her insights on life as a young tech startup founder. Her company, Loop, helps organizations optimize delivery routes.

Please check out our recent podcast interview with Kimberley.

END OF BIGFIVE SUMMIT DAY 1

1830 - 2100 Invitation Only Dinner

This dinner is by invitation only and will take place at the Alphen Boutique Hotel in Constantia.

20 March 2024

The BigFive Summit Day 2 – Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town

0800 - 0900 Check-in, badge collection, coffee + networking

0900 - 0915 Host Welcome & Day One Recap

0915 – 0945 Headline Address:  Lindelani Ramukumba, CIO, Relationship Banking, Absa Group 

0945 – 1015 Headline Talk: Meghan McCormick, CEO, Oze (Ghana), "Using Human-Centered Design to Build for African SMEs"

Meghan McCormick is the co-founder and CEO of Oze, an innovative SaaS tool designed to help SMEs run better businesses. Please listen to our 2021 podcast interview with Meghan.

1015 - 1030 Fireside Chat with Simon Ellis, Co-founder & CEO, Jem

Simon Ellis is the co-founder and CEO of Jem, a South African HR tech platform that "simplifies HR for frontline employees." We will talk about trends in HR tech with Simon.

1030 - 1100 Networking Break

Sponsored by RealmDigital

1100 - 1130 Headline Talk: Ashmita Singh, SwapVend Afrika, and Miranda Perumal, Scale, "Inclusion in Africa’s Informal Sector"

Ashmita Singh and Miranda Perumal will share their deep understanding of the challenges facing SMEs in Africa's informal sector.

1130 - 1200  Headline Talk: Tanja De Korte, Managing Director, Rainmaker Media, "The Rapid Evolution of Retail Media in Africa"

Tanja De Korte runs Rainmaker Media, which is Shoprite's retail media network. She will help our audience understand the growing retail media phenomenon and what it means for Africa.

1200 - 1300 Networking Lunch

Sponsored by Telkom Business

1300 - 1330 Panel Discussion: From Fractional CMOs to Fractional Developers

Moderated by John Kitenge, Founder, Fraktional.dev

Speakers

Thulani Masebenza, Co-Founder, Moya Money; Gareth Dube, Paid Media Lead, Flume Digital Marketing

1330 – 1400 The Future of Payments in Africa: with Andrew Katzwinkel, CEO, LayUp Technologies

The African payments ecosystem is complex and ever-shifting. This conversation with a payments founder will help unpack what's in store for Africa's payments landscape.

Check out our 2022 podcast interview with Andrew

1400 – 1445 BigFive Forum: Is the Fourth Industrial Revolution a Unique Opportunity for Africa?

Moderated by Thaheer Mullins, GP, Savant Venture Fund

What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and why do so many smart investors and founders believe it represents a uniquely promising opportunity for Africa?

Speakers

Johan Dirker, Director, Visiosoft; Thandwefika Radebe, Co-founder, Qwili; Zane Stenning, Co-founder, Mia Health Technology

Please check out our recent podcast interview on 4IR with Thaheer

1445- 1500 Conference Wrapup & Farewell Remarks

END BIGFIVE SUMMIT 2024

BigFive Summit Venue

The BigFive Summit will take place at the 5-star Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel on Cape Town's famed V&A Waterfront.

DIRECTIONS