International smart cities in Africa summit to be held in Morocco

A summit that seeks to explore technologies and applications for enterprises, startups, and governmental agencies across Africa and the world is set to take place in Morocco from April 12-14,2017.

The third edition of the International Summit for Smart Cities in North Africa (ISSC-NA) will be under the Patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and will focus on building smart cities and intelligent societies through innovation between the Global North and Africa.

The goal of the summit is to empower participants with tools and experience to help them execute ideas and inspire collaboration for positive, sustainable impact of enterprises, startups, governments, entrepreneurs and citizens.

The summit is expected to take an interactive approach, gathering global community, business leaders and citizens for actionable results through a series of workshops, master classes, labs, immersive spaces, Startup Pitch Garage, and a 48-hour Startup Accelerator Bootcamp. 

High-level speakers from a broad spectrum of sectors, countries and specialities will share their knowledge and experience with participants. Speakers include the Honorary Jerry M. Hultin, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Co-Founder of Global Futures Group; Kari Aina Eik, Co-Chair of U4SSC’s Enhancing Innovation and Participation; and Pape Sambe, Co-Founder of the Global Youth Innovators Network, among many others.

In support of United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC), a United Nations-led initiative, and in partnership with L’Agence du Sud, North x South will take an immersive and interactive approach gathering global experts to build tangible lessons and partnerships leading to actionable results.

SCI-NA President Kenza Kbabra emphasizes, “The third edition of the International Summit for Smart Cities in North-Africa aims to highlight the new dynamics that His Majesty the King Mohammed VI envisions for the Southern Provinces and as a driving force for Sub-Saharan countries, and position the Kingdom as a world-class leader connecting the Global North and Africa.”

Ilias Benjelloun, North x South Innovation Summit Creative Director explains, “The Startup Pitch Garage and DARAJA Accelerator Bootcamp aim to showcase startup innovations from the North and the South, foster relationships between startups and enterprises, and catalyze relationships between global accelerators and incubators to build collaborative bridges.”

Topics during the three-day summit will include in part:

Leadership for Smart Societies

Governing for Innovation

Business Development

Funding the Innovation Ecosystem

Building Innovation Networks 

For more information on SCI-NA’s program, visit our website:  http://africainnov.org/en/