NorthStar, Africa’s business and innovation platform, will return this November with a renewed focus on advancing careers and startups through technology and strategic collaboration. The second edition, tagged NorthStar 2.0, will centre on the theme “Innovation for Growth: Advancing Careers and Startups”, and will gather professionals from across the technology, business, and creative sectors.
The event will explore practical models for sustainable growth powered by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, with sessions on digital innovation, product development, and impact enterprise.
“Africa is full of talented builders and problem-solvers. NorthStar 2.0 exists to help them access the networks, knowledge, and opportunities they need to grow sustainably,” said Emmanuel Abang, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of KairosLabs & Kirro.
Abang, who has held leadership roles at Meta, MoneyGram, SoFi, and Eventbrite, will co-convene the conference with Victor Ukachukwu, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at KairosLabs & Kirro, and a former Product Manager at Meta and WeSchool.
The event’s speaker line-up includes business consultant and entrepreneur, Olushola Olaleye; Senior Product Manager at Fincra and former Microsoft professional, Omojo Anwuzia; and Adio Azeez Adeniran, Group Engineering Manager at PiggyTech. They will lead discussions and mentorship sessions designed to connect participants directly with industry insights and practical growth frameworks.
“NorthStar isn’t just another conference. It is a bridge platform for those who are ready to scale boldly,” Ukachukwu said. “When professionals are given access to knowledge, networks, and mentorship at the same time, transformation becomes inevitable.”
This year, NorthStar 2.0 is partnering with Fostr, a global community of African tech professionals working in companies such as Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. The partnership aims to strengthen the ecosystem for African innovators by fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and mentorship.
Beyond its professional focus, NorthStar 2.0 seeks to contribute to Africa’s broader economic transformation. The organisers highlighted that the continent’s digital and creative economies remain underdeveloped, with Nigeria’s digital economy still contributing less than one per cent to GDP.
“Platforms like NorthStar are vital for unlocking Africa’s untapped economic power,” Abang said. “Especially as we shift from consumption-based economies to innovation-driven ones.”
The initiative aligns with global development frameworks, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 8, 9, and 17, by promoting quality education, decent work, innovation, and partnerships.
“NorthStar is proof that talent isn’t the problem, access is,” Ukachukwu added. “Africa doesn’t need more inspiration; it needs infrastructure for opportunity. Our goal is to make mentorship and industry exposure a right, not a privilege.”
NorthStar 2.0 will take place in Lagos on 22 November 2025, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, AI specialists, and development partners from across the continent.
