Fintech Innovation Africa, a new series of events and workshops that will be run in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, kicks off next week.
The roadshow, which is supported and run by the Sw7 accelerator and South African legal firm Webber Wentzel, will act as a feeder event for the SWIFT Innotribe Startup Challenge, which is returning to Africa this year.
Fintech Innovation Africa events will take place in Cape Town on February 27 and Johannesburg on February 28. Both events will start at 4pm, with interested parties able to register here for Cape Town or here for Johannesburg.
The events will focus on what fintech looks like in African markets, the role large banks play, the challenges challenges and opportunities presented, and core challenges in the space. They will feature speakers such as Hazel Nolan from Innotribe and Angus Brown, ex-CEO of e-Bucks.
“There is a unique opportunity for fintech innovators in Africa. The financial markets are currently dominated by a few large corporates. Under-resourced and under-served markets, combined with the access to market which these corporates offer, will mean that the opportunities to be leveraged are likely to be partner driven,” said Odette Jones, co-founder of Sw7.
“As the pace of innovation increases, the larger businesses will be more and more hampered by their ability to create and deploy new market appropriate offerings. Our goal is to bring the fintech innovators together with the existing corporates to speed up the partnering process, lower the friction to engage and shorten deal cycles.”
Aalia Manie, an IP and technology lawyer from Webber Wentzel, said the company was excited about the enormous growth potential of fintech in Africa.
“We enjoy engaging with the compelling technologies of our innovative clients and the complex legal issues that present themselves in this sector,” Manie said.
