WiT Africa Pop-Up, Vol 1: The Conservio Founder Story
Thu Jun 26, 13:00 - Thu Jun 26, 14:30
Innovation City
ABOUT
Founder, Platform, Purpose: The Conservio Story Kicks Off WiT Africa Pop-Up Series
Innovation City Cape Town
13h00 – 14h30
We’re kicking off the first WiT Africa Pop-Up at Innovation City on 26 June with a bold founder story from Lara Dendy Young, co-founder of Conservio, the platform streamlining nature-based travel through smart tech and scalable design.
Conservio isn’t just about getting off the grid; it’s about building a high-performance travel business in one of the most operationally tricky sectors around. From leveraging AI to power lean growth, to unlocking overlooked pockets of the tourism market, Lara will share how she’s growing a tech-forward platform that’s as intentional as it is efficient.
This pop-up marks the first step toward WiT Africa 2026 (coming 11–12 March next year), and offers a front-row seat to how founders are reshaping tourism across Africa: one system, booking, and smart bet at a time!
Come for the founder story. Stay for the future of travel.
Who should attend?
- Founders and investors exploring sustainability, travel, and platform tech
- Hospitality and tourism professionals keen to understand evolving guest behavior
- Digital nomads and travel lovers curious about nature-led innovation
- Anyone interested in the road to Web in Travel Africa, Innovation City’s flagship global travel tech gathering
Why you should come:
- Be inspired by a South African startup making global waves in conscious tourism
- Learn how tech can serve purpose-driven ecosystems
- Connect with like-minded innovators in travel, tech, and sustainability
Spots are limited. Let nature (and innovation) call!
SPEAKERS
Lara Dendy Young is passionate about transforming how people experience and preserve nature through nature-based travel. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Conservio, Lara leads an innovative online booking platform that connects travellers with over 500 nature-focused accommodations, supporting local communities and protecting biodiversity.
With a deep belief that tourism can be a powerful force for good, Lara is dedicated to making travel to natural destinations more accessible and impactful. Under her leadership, Conservio champions ecotourism as a way to celebrate and protect the planet’s most precious spaces, allowing travellers to immerse themselves in nature while contributing to its preservation.
Driven by a mission to redefine travel, Lara combines her expertise in tech and ecotourism with her commitment to creating meaningful change, making nature-focused getaways not just a choice but a movement toward impact.
Lori is a dynamic operational and strategic leader with a rich background in the travel-tech industry. As Chief of Staff and Deputy Group CEO at Travelstart, a key brand within the Travellab Group she drives business excellence across operations and people initiatives. Simultaneously, through her role with Innovation City in Cape Town, Lori catalyzes regional innovation, curating major events like the Digital Divas Summit and the Startup of the Year competition that spotlight and empower emerging tech founders. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to fostering inclusive platforms and elevating women and entrepreneurs in tech—qualities that have earned her a strong presence in awareness campaigns, events, and industry networks .
WIT AFRICA
WiT is a community for anyone passionate about travel technology, distribution and marketing. This basically means if you love travel, and if you are a bit of a technology freak in terms of wanting to understand how technology is changing travel and travellers, you are one of us.
We provide news through our website and social platforms, and run events that are strong in content and different in style and delivery. We launched our first event in 2005 and have been spreading learning through events in Singapore and Asia, including Malaysia, Seoul and Tokyo, and the Middle East and Africa. As part of the Phocuswright family, and Northstar Travel Group, we also have taken our events to Europe and the US.
Our purpose is to take your mind to new places so that together, we can accelerate travel innovation to delight travellers and support local communities.
WiT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Group, the leading B2B information and marketing solutions company serving all segments of the travel industry including leisure/ retail, corporate/ business travel, business and sports, meetings, incentives and travel technology.
EVENT ATTENDANCE
Our team dedicates significant time to creating and curating these events. We encourage a culture of commitment and follow-through.
Should you no longer be able to attend, please update your RSVP status via the link on your emailed ticket.
We look forward to welcoming you to Innovation City and appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
VIDEO
INNOVATION CITY MEMBERS
NOTE: Innovation City members can get free access to all IC weekly events. (You will find the discount code on the IC app.)
DISCLAIMER
*Disclaimer: By purchasing a ticket to this event, you acknowledge and agree that your access to the venue is contingent upon presenting your ticket for entry. By registering for this event, you agree to subscribe to Innovation City's weekly newsletter. You are welcome to cancel the subscription at any time. Innovation City members attend for free.
PARKING
Location: We're just off Kloof Street on Darter Road.
Traffic Alert: Please be cautious of traffic heading into town.
Parking: Paid parking is available at Kloof Lifestyle Center
Recommended: It's always best to use Uber for convenience.