Ricardo Lima is the Head of Startups & Investors at Web Summit, where he has been with the company for over 7 years. His role involves leading the startups and investor teams, overseeing the participation of startups from all over the world in major events like Web Summit, Collision, and RISE. Prior to this, Ricardo held various roles in marketing and sales at companies like GuestU and Clarice Travel. He also has experience in leadership positions with AIESEC Portugal, focusing on operations and project management.

Yanique Campbell is a Diplomat at the U.S. Department of State, where she has served for over 6 years, currently based in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Folarin Oreoluwa Aiyegbusi is the Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, leading the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa and Black Founders Fund Africa. With a background in information systems, business development, and entrepreneurship, Folarin previously managed business data and technology platforms at the Tony Elumelu Foundation. He holds a Distinction in MSc Information Systems & Business Analysis and a First-Class Joint Honours in Information Systems & Accounting. A recipient of multiple awards, Folarin is passionate about supporting startups and driving innovation across Africa.

Antony Muthungu is the CEO of TOTOSCI Holdings, a company based in Kenya that tackles the issue of electronic waste caused by USB cables in Africa. Under his leadership, TOTOSCI stands as the only manufacturer of its kind on the continent, offering high-quality, sustainable electronic products that reduce the need for frequent replacements. The company’s mission is to empower Africa through innovation, environmental responsibility, and skill development, all while working towards a greener future with sustainable connectivity solutions.

Morris Mbetsa is the Director of Spearhead Inc. and the CEO of Numeral IOT, a company he founded to create affordable electronics for the African market. He also founded Mbetsa Innovations, where he developed innovative products such as mobile tracking systems, speed limiters, and revenue collection systems. His work has led to collaborations with major organisations like IBM and Microsoft, and he is dedicated to leveraging engineering and entrepreneurship to provide practical solutions while promoting young talent in society.

Latiff Cherono is a seasoned expert in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Process Improvement, and Manpower Management, with over a decade of supervisory experience in manufacturing operations. He has a strong background in mechanical engineering and has successfully implemented Lean Manufacturing principles such as Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Events, and Work Flow Balancing. Latiff has led three successful Kaizen events and is passionate about mentoring large teams, developing individual careers, and sharing his expertise in Lean transformation across companies in the East Africa region.

Felix Omwansa is the CTO of Geviton, a company focused on accelerating hardware innovation by providing rapid time-to-market and high ROI through expertise in electronic product design and mass manufacturing. He plays a pivotal role in technical leadership, solution architecture, and business expansion. Felix also has extensive experience in IoT, cloud solutions, and enterprise architecture, having worked in various roles at companies like Disrupt-X, Incentro Africa, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies. His skills span technical research, team leadership, design thinking, and product development.

Nzisa Kiilu is a global innovation leader with 20+ years of experience transforming hyper-growth tech environments across industries like healthcare, finance, and supply chain logistics. As the Founder of Clutch Foundry, she supports and scales deeptech startups in Africa, focusing on gender equity and socioeconomic mobility. At Google Cloud, she leads global optimization and automation strategies, driving $200M+ in cost reductions annually. Passionate about using technology for socioeconomic impact, Nzisa blends design thinking with data-driven leadership to foster sustainable, scalable innovation across Africa and beyond.

Abeed is an experienced C-Level Leader, Board Member, and Advisor with a strong track record of working with startups and scale-up businesses to accelerate growth. Specializing in business process optimization, commercial strategy, investment strategy, and M&A, he has helped raise over £50m in funding over the past 7 years. Abeed has successfully launched seven US scale-up businesses into Europe and established multiple brands, including RadiumOne and ESPN Digital, driving significant revenue growth. He is a frequent keynote speaker, Non-Executive Director, mentor to leading startup accelerators, and co-founder of Advertising Week Accelerate.

Gatwiri is the CEO and Co-Founder of VunaPay, a fintech company accelerating payments to smallholder farmers across Africa. Under her leadership since January 2023, VunaPay has aimed to transform the agricultural sector, which accounts for 30% of Africa’s GDP, by empowering smallholder farmers who produce 80% of the continent’s agricultural output.

In addition to her role at VunaPay, Gatwiri serves as a Co-Founder of SIDAI Concrete Limited, applying technology to revolutionize ready-mix concrete production. She is also an entrepreneur within Antler’s Startup Accelerator Program, where she began her techpreneurship journey in early 2023.

Previously, Gatwiri held various leadership positions at Oracle, including Director of Business Development for CX Africa and Director of Industry Strategy & Transformation for the public sector, education, and healthcare across Africa, where she excelled in sales and business development, consistently surpassing targets.

Her work is focused on driving impact across agriculture, technology, and business development to foster sustainable economic growth across Africa.

Ben Roberts is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in technology and innovation. He is currently the Chairperson of the Board at Young Scientists Kenya, where he supports young innovators in showcasing their talents through national competitions. As Chair of the ICT Sector Board at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Ben influences public policy to create a favorable business environment. He also spent 22 years at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, where he held various leadership roles, including Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, driving Africa’s digital future. His career also includes roles in telecommunications, product development, and leadership in large-scale technology projects across Africa and beyond.