About INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION SUMMIT

Background & Rationale

Africa’s traditional industries — including manufacturing, logistics, construction, textiles, agribusiness, and energy — are critical to economic development and employment. However, these sectors remain largely disconnected from innovation ecosystems and under-leveraged in the continent’s broader digital and technological transformation.

The Industrial Innovation Summit is a curated side event of the AfriNovation Festival 2025, designed to spotlight practical, scalable innovations that can drive transformation across Africa’s blue-collar economy. Held at iHub Nairobi, the summit convenes stakeholders from industry, startups, government, vocational training, and development sectors to explore how emerging technologies, sustainability models, and talent strategies can enable competitive, inclusive industrial growth.

Objectives

1. 1.Identify key innovation gaps and opportunities within Africa’s industrial economy.
2. 2.Showcase how startups and innovators are solving problems in traditional industries.
3. 3.Promote the adoption of digital tools including AI, IoT, and automation.
4. 4.Explore strategies for workforce upskilling and vocational integration.
5. 5.Facilitate meaningful partnerships between industrial firms and ecosystem enablers.
6. 6.Generate policy, infrastructure, and investment insights that inform October’s main festival event.
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Target Audience

1. 1.Industrial firms and manufacturing leaders
2. 2.AI, hardware, robotics, and IoT startups
3. 3.Technical and vocational education providers
4. 4.Innovation hubs and accelerators
5. 5.Policymakers and trade officials
6. 6.Development agencies and industry financiers
7. 7.Applied researchers in engineering, energy, and production

Key Themes & Discussion Tracks

1. 1.Innovation in the Blue-Collar Economy – navigating gaps and scaling practical solutions
2. 2.Digital Tools & Industrial Automation – AI, IoT, robotics and smart manufacturing
3. 3.Green & Circular Manufacturing – sustainability and climate-smart production
4. 4.Skills of the Future – technical talent for Industry 4.0
5. 5.Startup x Industry Collaboration – use cases and pilot partnerships