Among the selected startups on the Future Champions of Tech in Africa include Ghanaian company, Yemaachi Biotech founded by immunologist, Yaw Bediako, and Tunisia’s Konnect Networks established by Amin Ben Abderrahman.
By Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku
The Africa Report has released the third edition of its 20 Future Champions of Tech in Africa. The annual ranking highlights the most promising early-stage enterprises in the African technology space who are pushing the boundaries of innovation and contributing to the economic and technological transformation of the continent.
This year’s list indicates a growing preference for safe assets as well as the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Ten of the twenty featured businesses operate in the fintech space, while four laureates leverage AI-driven solutions, up from only one for each of the two previous editions. This highlights fintech’s role as a key driver of digital transformation across Africa and the growing role of AI as an innovation driver in Africa.
From a geographical perspective, as reflected in this year’s edition, established tech hubs like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya continue to lead the way. However, Egypt is emerging as a particularly attractive destination for investors, benefiting from its cultural, geographical and economic ties with the Gulf region. Morocco’s growing presence in the African tech scene is another notable development.
Moreover, in response to market uncertainty, venture capital firms are being more cautious in their investments and are increasingly adopting co-investment strategies, a trend evident in many of this year’s nominees who have secured funding from multiple investors concurrently.
Among the selected startups include Ghanaian company, Yemaachi Biotech founded by immunologist, Yaw Bediako, and Tunisia’s Konnect Networks established by Amin Ben Abderrahman.
Yemaachi Biotech is working to build the world’s most diverse biological database on cancer and seeks to develop more effective treatments for diverse populations, particularly tailored to African needs, by advancing research, diagnostics, and precision oncology treatments based on a broader data pool, while Konnect Networks provides simplified and intuitive payment solutions to businesses of all sizes with user-friendly payment solutions.
Commenting on this year’s selection, Julien Wagner, Head of Media Diversification at The Africa Report, notes the surprising trends identified in the 2025 compilation, stating that “This edition has surprised us in many ways: the growing significance of artificial intelligence, Morocco’s breakthrough in the continental ecosystem, Egypt’s increasing attractiveness to investors, and the stagnation of the market in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa. While these trends were perceptible to industry observers, we did not expect them to be so strongly and tangibly reflected in our list. Overall, what stands out most is the gap between the ingenuity and creativity of young African talents and the lack of funding they face. We hope that through this ranking, investors will realize that Africa’s potential remains largely untapped.”
The full list of the 20 Future Tech Champions in Africa is available in The Africa Report’s detailed publication here.