About BLACKWEEK Africa



BLACKWEEK Africa is charting new territory as it seeks to unite the African diaspora for five days of convening, conversing and collaborating. The leading voices in finance, tech and the arts all converging in Johannesburg to discuss the future of African innovation in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Culture is the market.


300%
GROWTH YOY
80%
SENIOR-LEVEL
50+
BRAND PARTNERS
3,000+
ATTENDEES

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

The institutions behind BLACKWEEK Africa.

FOUNDING PARTNER

Nelson Mandela Foundation

Legacy institution founded in 1999, mobilizing Mandela's living legacy to advance equity and build inclusive platforms for justice.

INAUGURAL PARTNER

The Imperative Fund

A global fund dedicated to the wealth, health and connection of Black people across the African diaspora.

SUPPORTING PARTNER

Chanzo Capital

Venture and growth capital firm investing across the KINGS countries, bringing smart high METICS to BLACKWEEK.

SUPPORTING PARTNER

Joburg Film Festival

Entering its 6th edition, championing African and global cinema under the theme "Post the frame."

Why Africa. Why Now.

Culture moves across borders.
Capital moves in silos.

Africa's cultural economy is dramatically undervalued because there's no institutional infrastructure that mirrors how culture actually moves. BLACKWEEK Africa is where the architecture gets built.

1.4B+
Population

Expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050.

19
Median Age

60% under 25. The youngest continent.

$60B
Creative Economy

Estimated to grow to $200B by 2030.

350M
Global Diaspora

200M+ of African descent live outside the continent.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The room is being built. These are the people in it.

Diaspora Professionals

Business leaders and executives across the global African diaspora, reconnecting with the continent through commerce and culture.

African Entrepreneurs

Founders, builders, and innovators across the continent seeking capital access, partnerships, and global market entry.

Cultural Connectors

Creatives, artists, media leaders, and cultural architects shaping how Africa's story is told and valued globally.

Sponsors & Brands

Global brands and investors positioned at the intersection of Africa's cultural economy and the $4.5T regional GDP.

THE FORUM

5 Days. 6 Tracks.

Culture, Commerce & Wealth Creation

Quantifying the cultural economy.

Innovation, Technology & Future of Growth

African-led innovation, global impact.

Health, Wellness & Human Sustainability

Healthy people build stronger economies.

Gender, Family, Education & Workforce

Authorship and agency in the architecture.

Climate, Sustainability & Stewardship

Growth that compounds responsibly.

Diaspora, Identity & Global Power

Connecting to capital across borders.

PARTNER WITH BLACKWEEK AFRICA

Position your brand at the intersection of Africa's cultural economy and global capital.

7 partnership tiers available — from grassroots alignment to title-level co-creation. First-mover advantage in a category the world is just beginning to quantify.

Interested in sponsoring or speaking?

Pre-Register

Be first to know when registration opens.

Join the waitlist and we'll notify you the moment
registration goes live. Select your pass, lock in
early pricing, and secure your spot.


ADVISORY BOARD

The leaders shaping BLACKWEEK Africa.

Matthew Scheckner

Global CEO, Advertising Week

Mbongiseni Buthelezi

CEO, Nelson Mandela Foundation

Caralene Robinson

Chief Growth & Marketing Officer, Global Citizen

Preetesh Sewraj

CEO, The Loeries

Barkue Tubman-Zawolo

Chief Community Officer, Essence

Sheryl Daija

Founder & CEO, BRIDGE