This October, in partnership with Bestseller Foundation, we gathered founders, investors, and corporate leaders for a two-day deep dive into Africa’s circular economy. The Summit’s deal rooms, venture showcases, and conversations revealed one truth: Africa’s circular innovators are ready for scale — they just need the right partnerships and patient capital.

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Key takeaways:

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• Africa’s circular economy is a $54 billion opportunity, but policy, infrastructure, and local financing innovations must catch up to the pace of entrepreneurship.

• Early-stage investors are seeking founders with deep domain expertise and operational discipline — not just good ideas.

• Commercial readiness and clear pathways to revenue are critical for attracting catalytic and follow-on capital.

• Blended and milestone-based financing structures are emerging as viable tools to bridge the sub-$100K funding gap for circular SGBs.

• Cross-sector partnerships — between corporates, governments, and venture studios — are key to accelerating scale and exits.

• AI and data-driven models are unlocking new ways to measure, de-risk, and scale circular ventures.