The event comes when Kenya is rapidly cementing its position as Africa’s innovation powerhouse. Delegates at a past GITEX conference /HANDOUT Kenya’s growing status as Africa’s leading technology investment hub will take centre stage this week as some of the continent’s most ambitious startups gather in Nairobi for East Africa’s largest artificial intelligence and technology event.
The startups, showcasing innovations ranging from AI systems running on a $5 server to real-time sign language translation, will headline the inaugural AI Everything Kenya X GITEX Kenya event set for May 19–21 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and Sarit Expo Centre.
The event comes at a time when Kenya is rapidly cementing its position as Africa’s innovation powerhouse. The country attracted $1.04 billion (Sh134.5 billion) in tech investment in 2025, marking a 72 per cent rise from the previous year and placing Nairobi at the centre of the continent’s venture capital ecosystem.
More than 100 investors from over 20 countries, collectively managing assets worth more than US$50 billion, are expected to attend the event alongside founders competing in the Supernova Challenge, Africa’s leading equity-free startup pitch competition. Among the standout innovators is Nairobi-based Aphorion Labs, which will unveil HeatherDB, described as the world’s first “natively intelligent database.” The company says the technology can run production-grade AI workloads using a Raspberry Pi and a $5 server, challenging the belief that advanced AI requires expensive computing infrastructure.
Founder Edwin Nguthiru said Africa must move from consuming foreign-built AI systems to producing its own globally relevant technologies. Another startup drawing attention is Signvrse, an AI-powered platform using 3D avatars for real-time sign language translation.
Founded by Elly Savatia, the technology is designed to improve accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities in healthcare, education, government services, and digital platforms.