AVPA Confrence 2025; PHOTO; Courtesy
The African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA) has announced that the 2026 Africa Venture Philanthropy Conference will be held in Mombasa, Kenya, as the 2025 edition continues at the Trademark Hotel in Nairobi from November 3–5.
The announcement was made before more than 400 delegates from over 30 countries, gathered under the theme “Driving Sustainable Investments and Innovations for Resilient Growth.”
The 2025 conference is exploring how Africa can mobilise catalytic capital, expand blended finance, and strengthen cross-sector partnerships to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development.
Mental Health Fund and Global Partnerships Unveiled
During the opening sessions, AVPA launched a Catalytic Pooled Fund for mental health investment, a milestone initiative developed through the Coalition for Mental Health Investment (CMHI), which includes the Clinton Global Initiative, Wellcome Trust, Kokoro, and the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI).
The Fund aims to unlock private and philanthropic capital for high-impact mental health initiatives across Africa, addressing a long-standing financing gap in one of the continent’s most neglected health areas.
“Mental health is not a peripheral issue; it is foundational to economic productivity and social stability,” said Dr. Frank Aswani, Chief Executive Officer of AVPA.
AVPA also formalised a strengthened Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA) to advance innovation financing and blended capital solutions.
The collaboration will focus on building a continuum of capital for scaling for innovators, sharing knowledge among funders, and co-creating sustainable development solutions that can attract institutional investment.
Focus on Innovation, Capital, and Local Ownership
This year’s conference marks a defining moment for Africa’s impact-investment community.
Across three days of plenary sessions, technical workshops, and investor roundtables, delegates are examining practical ways to channel resources into sectors that drive growth, including climate resilience, health, gender equality, and education.
Key agenda tracks explore future-proofing Africa’s economies, mobilising private capital for development, advancing gender-lens investing, and aligning catalytic finance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The discussions emphasise execution and accountability, ensuring that impact commitments translate into measurable progress on the ground.
Running parallel to the conference is the AVPA Impact Safari 2025, an immersive journey that connects participants with Kenyan enterprises and communities demonstrating how capital can be aligned with purpose.
Through Impact in Action Excursions, delegates step beyond the conference halls to experience first-hand how social enterprises are transforming lives and livelihoods.
Looking Ahead to Mombasa 2026
The decision to hold the next AVPA Conference in Mombasa extends Kenya’s role as a leading hub for Africa’s impact-investment ecosystem.
The coastal city’s expanding network of innovators, investors, and creative enterprises is expected to provide a dynamic backdrop for continuing the momentum built in Nairobi.
As the 2025 sessions continue, AVPA’s message is clear: Africa’s transformation will be driven by collaboration, innovation, and African-led capital.
The journey toward inclusive growth in local ownership and sustainable finance now looks ahead to Mombasa 2026.
About AVPA
The Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA) is a pan-African network that brings together social investors committed to increasing the flow and effectiveness of capital for impact across the continent.
As the only network in Africa that connects investors across the Continuum of Capital from grants and debt to equity and providers of intellectual and human capital, AVPA fosters collaboration among philanthropists, impact investors, corporations, foundations, and development partners.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AVPA works to strengthen Africa’s social investment ecosystem by mobilising local capital, promoting blended finance, and ensuring that resources are deployed strategically to address the continent’s most pressing challenges.
Through its annual Africa Venture Philanthropy Conference, the organisation convenes changemakers, innovators, and investors to share knowledge, co-create solutions, and drive sustainable development aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
