Africa’s largest smart tech event AI Expo Africa hailed a massive success

The 6th Edition of Africa’s largest smart tech event, AI Expo Africa 2023, hailed a massive success

Introduction

The AI Media Group run AI Expo Africa.  With a following of 50K+ practitioners, it’s the largest B2B trade focused Artificial Intelligence (AI), Intelligent Automation (AI) & 4IR Smart Tech community in Africa.  AI Expo Africa is the largest gathering of its kind, uniting 100s of companies & 100s of buyers, decision makers, investors, suppliers, innovators, SMBs and global brands focusing on real world 4IR business applications you can deploy TODAY.

AI Expo Africa 2023

The show is targeted at enterprise and Government buyers, technology vendors, investors, startups, researchers, NGOs and trade delegations, interested or involved in, real-world AI and smart technology business applications and solutions. AI Expo Africa aims to provide business and trade opportunities, as well as a learning and transformation forum about the technologies and people that will define the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Africa.  The event was again run in Johannesburg for the 6th Anniversary Edition due to the fact that the Gauteng / Tshwane Region has the highest concentration of AI / Deep Tech companies on the African continent, nationally attracts 50%+ of all jobs in this category and South Africa is No.1 at attracting funding for AI / Deep Tech start-ups.

Key stats for AI Expo Africa 2023

• Registered 2463 (up from 2120 in 2022) from 30 countries (36% Female Vs 64% Male)
• Attended 1546 (up from 1000 in 2022) from 18 countries  (34% Female Vs 66% Male) 

Countries attending – Botswana, Germany, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe

We had a very solid 50%+ increase in business delegates attending as well an increase in delegate quality via our ticketing and access policy 

AI Expo Africa 2023

Breakdown of attendee by job role & seniority

The show maintained similar 65% for buyer seniority as in 2022 with a buyer and trade centric audience most being decision maker and CxO director / manager or VP.  

SMME benefaction increased by 33% in 2023 Vs 2022

• • Total of 20 SMMEs & start-ups exhibited in our Start Up Zone
  • Total of 9 SMMEs & start-ups exhibited in the CoJ Pavilion
  • Total of 10 SMMEs & start-ups exhibited in the GTA Pavilion
  • Total of 9 SMMEs & start-ups exhibited in the Women in AI pavilion

Total number of SMMEs & start-ups benefited = 48 and all reporting high degrees of satisfaction with the show, traffic and lead generation

• • A total of 406 delegates with the designation SMME & start-up attended up from 221 in 2022 (an increase of 83%)
  • A total of 13 investors also attended focused on investing in SMMEs & start-ups

Breakdown of size of company for audience interested in the event

51% of the audience interested in the show come from companies with less than 100 staff, meaning this event has a significant appeal to SMMEs and hence the benefit realised to them by attending either as delegates or exhibitors is significant.

AI Expo Africa 2023

Selected Public Feedback about AI Expo Africa 2023 

• What a fantastic week at AI Expo Africa 2023! Data Robot, Europe
• Just wrapped up an electrifying time at the AI Expo Africa – Unforgettable insights, incredible innovations. Real Wear Inc, Canada
• The AI Expo Africa 2023 was an eye-opening and inspiring event. Deloitte, South Africa
• AI Expo Africa 2023 was a blast. I had such great fun workshopping how organisations and governments across Africa can leverage AI safely, lawfully and profitably. Michalsons, South Africa
• Great event ! AI Expo Africa 2023 the networking is key !  Supermicro USA
• The engagement and enthusiasm at our booth exploring OpenText’s Aviator, our latest AI-fuelled information management platform, were truly remarkable. Open Text, South Africa
• Attending the AI Expo Africa was nothing short of enlightening! AlexForbes, South Africa
• From the conversations at the AI Expo Africa it is clear that to operate and compete in tomorrow’s market, organisations will need to consider how they capitalise on AI. KPMG, Africa.
• It was amazing to be part of the AI Expo Africa 2023, the 2 days event had insightful keynotes and panel talks. ANZA Capital, Africa
• I had the incredible privilege of attending the AI Expo Africa 2023, and I must say, it was truly an outstanding experience.  Momentum Health
• Reflecting on an incredible time at the AI Expo Africa 2023! Engaging conversations, enlightening keynotes, and invaluable connections made plus fantastic discussions we had with many prospective customers. SmartTech NXT, Netherlands.
• I am thrilled to have attended the AI Expo Africa 2023 – This event has been a fantastic showcase of the incredible strides that Africa is making in the world of AI, Inq Africa
• Excellent initiative! Congratulations and thank you for organizing this Indaba.  Core42, UAE
• A thrilling and eventful, with a lot of great speakers and great things happening in the AI industry.  Mecer Inter-Ed, South Africa
• Thanks to the AI Expo Africa 2023 team for hosting this incredible event! African Technopreneurs, South Africa
• We would like to express our sincere thanks to the organizers, attendees, and fellow exhibitors for making this event a resounding success. The synergy and knowledge-sharing that took place were nothing short of inspiring. Neural AI Labs, South Africa.
• We saw AI’s newest trends and met experts and peers. We are grateful to all who made this event possible and look forward to the next one. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey! VITO South, South Africa
• We had the privilege to engage with pioneering companies shaping the AI landscape and connect with numerous passionate individuals eager to expand their AI expertise. I am thankful to AI Expo Africa 2023 team for orchestrating such a fantastic event. The Skills Mine, South Africa
• We showcased nine women-led Small Micro Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in AI are supported by the GIZ Digital Skills for Jobs and Income (DS4JI) project – GIZ South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini
• I was thrilled to attend this year’s AI Expo Africa 2023 to learn, engage and network.  GirlCode, South Africa
• An amazing 2 days expanding our connections and learning about how different businesses utilise Artificial Intelligence to fulfil their mission. BabesGotBytes NFP, South Africa
• I witnessed mind-blowing AI showcases, met passionate individuals dedicated to transforming the world with AI, and connected with amazing tech innovators. Founder BotBot Agency
• It was a fantastic experience to see live demos of 4IR technology impacting business and society. CSG South Africa
• Had such a great time at AI Expo Africa this year! It was amazing to see all the innovations and technological offerings showcased. HearX Group. South Africa
• Super fun engaging and showing people how AI can help them! Eden AI, South Africa
• This experience has not only enriched my knowledge but also ignited a fervent passion for the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence. I am eager to carry the insights gained here forward on my journey in AI. Student – Durban University of Technology
• A heartfelt thank you to AI Expo Africa 2023 2023 for hosting an incredible event! Hippocampus, South Africa
• It was an amazing experience –  So many connections were made and I learned so much – I’m looking forward to attending the next one next year! Delegate
• Had the privilege of attending the AI Expo Africa 2023 the past week, and I can’t express how transformative it was. This event provided a platform to highlight the latest breakthroughs in the field of artificial intelligence.  Delegate
• Excellent opportunity to network with the AI community and especially the large and start-up software companies that are actively involved in this space.  Interesting to see where technology is going within the next 12 months. Delegate
• Had such a blast at AI Expo Africa 2023! Delegate

AI Expo Africa 2023

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