Johannesburg, 15 May 2025 — Africa’s leading innovation event, the SingularityU South Africa Summit, makes its much-anticipated return to the Sandton Convention Centre on 22 and 23 October 2025. Now in its seventh year, the event continues to establish itself as the African stage for conversations around exponential technologies, social progress, and prosperity through innovation.

In collaboration with headline sponsor Old Mutual, event partner South African Tourism, and metaverse partner UBU, this year’s summit will run under the provocative theme Igniting Africa’s Future. The programme promises to spotlight emerging technologies and examine how Africa can steer these forces to reshape industries, economies, and societies on its own terms.

An Evolving Landscape: AI, Robotics, And The Rise Of The Digital-Physical Hybrid

As artificial intelligence and robotics continue redefining industries, the summit's content will reflect on how these exponential technologies can address Africa’s most pressing challenges. The agenda covers themes ranging from digital biology to blockchain, prosperity, water management, spatial computing, and the future of healthcare — all through a distinctly African lens.

The speaker line-up, which already features eight confirmed names, reads like a who’s-who of global tech futurists and African innovators. Attendees can expect insights from:

• Tiffany Vora on biotech’s future intersections with society.
• David Roberts, celebrated for his work on innovation and leadership.
• Peter Xing, offering a lens into post-AGI ethics and transhumanism.
• Kojo Annan, advocating for visionary investment on the continent.
• Cathy Hackl, defining the new world of spatial computing.
• Babusi Nyoni, breaking ground in AI-powered African healthcare.
• Vukosi Marivate, crafting AI models for African languages and contexts.
• Hongqi Guo, shaping the next chapter in urban futurism.

More Than Just A Summit — A Metaverse Frontier

In a nod to evolving digital experiences, the 2025 summit’s presence in the metaverse will be significantly upgraded. Powered by UBU, it will feature virtual stages, AI-driven hosts, immersive workshops, gamified experiences, and a cutting-edge digital expo. This hybrid model isn’t just trend-chasing — it’s a necessity for African innovators to remain globally relevant.

Innovation Backed By Vision, Not Hype

Old Mutual’s continued investment signals a noteworthy alignment of legacy finance with future-facing innovation. “It’s about backing technology that delivers real impact, not just speculative headlines,” notes Celiwe Ross, Director: Strategy, Sustainability, People & Public Affairs at Old Mutual.

Echoing this, summit co-CEO Shayne Mann emphasises that this year’s gathering is about “transforming exponential momentum into measurable, positive change.” His counterpart Mic Mann adds, “It’s about unlocking African potential and placing the continent at the heart of global conversations.”

Pricing & Access

Early adopters can seize Super Early Bird tickets until 1 June 2025 at R13 700 (in-person) and R3 600 (metaverse) — a strategic move ensuring accessibility for both the corporate elite and digital-first entrepreneurs. Full speaker announcements and programme details will follow via the official site.

Your support makes stories like this possible!

Underground Press relies entirely on your generosity, enabling us to report on the entertainment industry, free of charge and independently. Your contribution ensures millions worldwide can continue to visit our site for amazing content from around the web.
*Currency in South African Rands (ZAR)