Day 0 is the pre-conference day where 9 startups pitched to investors, 8 communities took the floor, and the ecosystem got a dedicated stage at AMLD Africa. The format is evolving for 2027 — and we want your input.
Why Day 0 exists
Across pan-African AI conferences, startups were attending — but they weren't on stage, in structured investor discussions, or treated as a track of their own. They pitched in hallways, not in front of rooms.
For AMLD Africa 2026 at Wits University, we built a dedicated day — not a side track, not a demo corner, but a full program designed around founders, investors, and the communities that hold the ecosystem together.
The inaugural edition worked. It also showed us what needs to grow up: deeper investor access, better founder‑community matching, and a bigger stage for the ecosystem's voices.
That's why we're rebuilding the format for 2027 — with the ecosystem, not for it.
The three pillars of Day 0
Day 0 brings these three groups into the same room. The exact format for 2027 is still being shaped — what's fixed is who it's for and why they belong here.
African AI startups deserve a dedicated space at the continent's AI gathering — visibility, peer exchange, and proximity to the people who can help them grow.
Last edition's program
The full run-of-show from Wits University — the foundation we're evolving for 2027. Tap any session to expand.
Access badges and goodies distribution. Early introductions over coffee on The Lawn.
Opening by the AMLD Africa President — the vision for Day 0 and how it connects to the main conference.
Working to boost digital and entrepreneurship skills in South Africa.
The voice pushing the growth of secondaries for high-flying ventures and beyond.
Investments in energy and digital infrastructure that accelerate innovation and adoption of new technologies.
Insights from an impact fund, angel investor, and incubator. With Bernadette Bule (22 On Sloane), Keshni Morar (Fractional Strategy & Operations), Hubèrt Gutsa (Scalar VC).
Quick refreshment to recharge, reflect on the morning's insights, and continue networking.
The main event: 9 carefully selected AI startups take the stage to present their innovations. Each gets ~10 minutes to pitch and answer questions from investors, potential clients, and industry experts.
Africa's first AI-powered legal research platform — transforming how lawyers access justice across the continent.
AI-powered ancestral and hereditary intelligence — lineage, inherited health risks, and cultural identity.
Africa's first AI-powered triage system — reducing patient triage time from 45 min to 22 min in overwhelmed healthcare facilities.
Multilingual voice-AI solutions for African and global languages — analytics, voicebots, and AI IVR for inclusive customer experience.
Swiss Voice AI company eliminating manual documentation and language barriers via secure, deployable AI agents.
Biophotonics and optical tech paired with AI — including EDGE-AI smart glasses for vision impairments in LMICs.
First comprehensive security platform for healthcare AI — protecting models from adversarial attacks and data poisoning.
Joint session — practical automation for African SMEs (Nuvion AI) and secure, ethical, scalable AI for enterprises (AI Global Networks).
Extended break with live music and curated networking before the community programme.
Partner giveaways and audience engagement before the community presentations begin.
Discover Africa's thriving AI and ML communities making an impact across the continent — 8 communities share their missions and how to get involved.
South Africa's largest vetted POC tech community — 450+ founders, investors, and ecosystem builders united by equity in the startup ecosystem.
Community programming for the next generation of African tech leaders.
AI and climate action — applying ML to Africa's climate resilience challenges.
Africa's largest grassroots NLP community — 1,000+ participants from 30 African countries building NLP for African languages.
West Africa's most powerful AI ecosystem — first francophone AI community in Senegal, partnered with Senegal Numérique SA.
Building the data science practitioner community in Zimbabwe.
Growing the AI community and skills base in Eswatini.
Competition-driven community of African data scientists solving real-world problems.
Interactive networking — community booths, structured speed-dating rounds, and open introductions. Meet potential co-founders, advisors, partners, and investors in fast, focused conversations.
Access badges and goodies distribution. Early introductions over coffee on The Lawn.
2026 lineup
Search, filter, and dig into the full inaugural lineup. Click any card for the full profile.
Open call · 2027 format
We're designing the 2027 format in the open. Founders, investors, community leads, or anyone who sees the gap — send us your sharpest ideas. The best ones shape the actual agenda.
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