From November 3–5, 2025, the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA) Conference will convene investors, policymakers, philanthropists, and social innovators at the Trademark Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

Under the theme “Driving Sustainable Investments and Innovations for Resilient Growth,” the three-day event will explore how Africa can leverage catalytic capital and scale high-impact social enterprises to foster lasting, sustainable development.

For decades, Africa’s growth story has been closely tied to aid and traditional philanthropy.

While these flows remain vital, they are increasingly seen as insufficient to meet the continent’s ambitions.

Economic shifts, climate risks, and a young, dynamic population are creating both challenges and opportunities.

Against this backdrop, the AVPA Conference offers a platform where African-led solutions, innovative financing, and cross-sector collaboration converge to shape a more resilient development trajectory.

Catalytic Capital: Bridging the Financing Gap

Central to the conference agenda is catalytic capital — investment that is patient, flexible, and risk-tolerant enough to support ventures that traditional funding often overlooks.

Many African social enterprises operate in a funding gap: too complex or risky for banks, yet not yet commercially profitable enough for private investors.

Catalytic capital helps bridge this divide.

Whether through recoverable grants, program-related investments, or equity structures, the goal is consistent: to give promising enterprises the runway to innovate, survive early risks, and scale into financially sustainable operations.

Attendees will explore case studies highlighting how catalytic finance has driven growth in sectors such as agriculture, health, education, and clean energy.

Private Sector as a Key Partner

While governments and philanthropy provide essential frameworks and resources, the private sector brings scale, innovation, and sustainability.

The conference will examine how businesses can integrate social and environmental impact into their core strategies, turning sustainability from an afterthought into a strategic imperative.

Discussions will include blended finance models, which use donor or public funds to de-risk private investment, and approaches to embed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics into business operations.

By aligning profitability with impact, the private sector can play a transformative role in Africa’s development agenda.

Program Highlights and Subthemes

The conference program is designed to inspire and inform, combining keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions. Core subthemes include:

• Future Proofing Africa: Building Resilience from Within – examining macroeconomic and sectoral trends to foster sovereignty and inclusive growth.
• Visionary Leadership & Economic Transformation – exploring how governments and private actors can chart new pathways for resilience.
• Lessons and Strategies for Sustainable Growth – shifting from aid-dependency to locally anchored development models.
• Strengthening Domestic Capital Markets – identifying instruments, institutions, and reforms needed to unlock domestic resources for impact.
• Policy Innovation to Attract Private Capital – designing investment-friendly environments that catalyze long-term private sector engagement.
• Catalytic Capital: Unlocking Investment for Development – leveraging patient and risk-tolerant finance to support enterprises overlooked by conventional funding.
• Private Sector Engagement in Impact: From Intention to Action – aligning corporate strategy with social and environmental objectives.
• Cross-Cutting SDG-Focused Sessions – addressing agriculture, climate finance, education, and health to link discussions with global development priorities.

Who Should Attend

The AVPA Conference is designed for a wide range of stakeholders shaping Africa’s social investment landscape, including:

• Investors & Funders: Impact investors, development finance institutions, philanthropists, and corporate leaders.
• Policymakers & Regulators: Government officials shaping Africa’s investment and economic environment.
• Social Entrepreneurs & Innovators: Leaders scaling ventures with measurable social and environmental impact.
• Academics & Thought Leaders: Experts providing insights into trends and strategies in impact investing.

By bringing these voices together, the conference fosters collaboration that extends beyond the three days in Nairobi.

A Turning Point for African Development

The AVPA Conference 2025 arrives at a pivotal moment.

Africa faces unprecedented challenges, from climate change to economic volatility, yet it holds immense potential in its youth, innovation capacity, and expanding markets.

By emphasizing catalytic capital, private sector engagement, and policy innovation, the event highlights a clear path toward African-led, sustainable development.

For philanthropists, investors, and changemakers, the Nairobi gathering is more than a networking opportunity.

It is a space to reimagine the continent’s financing ecosystem, to exchange ideas that can turn into real-world impact, and to commit to development models that are resilient, inclusive, and African-owned.

The conference signals a collective commitment: Africa can build its growth from within, harnessing capital and collaboration to create a future that is sustainable, equitable, and prosperous.

To register for the event, visit https://avpaconference.africa/