Liisi Org, CEO of Latitude59, emphasised that the event aims to connect startup communities worldwide, making Kenya a logical choice for their expansion. "A significant number of Estonian startups and technology companies are already active in Africa, and Kenya serves as a great gateway for entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses on the African continent. Kenya's startup ecosystem is among the leading in Africa, and there is strong interest among local entrepreneurs in Estonia's success story and collaboration with us," Org explained.

Latitude59 Kenya Edition 2024 Set for November in Nairobi

The upcoming Latitude59 Kenya Edition 2024 will be held on November 28th in Nairobi, marking the second time the event will take place in Kenya. The first edition, held in December last year, attracted nearly 800 participants from Africa and around the world, reflecting the growing interest in fostering connections between the Baltic and African startup ecosystems.

Dolores Daniel, Project Manager for Latitude59 Kenya Edition, highlighted the enthusiasm of Kenya’s young entrepreneurs in seeking innovative solutions to both local and global challenges. "It’s incredible to see how motivated and eager these young entrepreneurs are, and I am very happy that we can share our knowledge and experiences with them. At the same time, we have a lot to learn from Kenyan entrepreneurs — how to find simple solutions to complex problems, to be open-minded, and to be bold in starting something new, regardless of background or origin," Daniel stated.

A Step Toward the Global Village Vision

Org further noted that the expansion into Kenya aligns with Latitude59's "global village" vision. "Our goal is to amplify Estonia's success story, which led us to the global village vision, centered around our desire to share Estonia's experiences in creating a successful startup ecosystem. We aim to bring together startup communities worldwide, fostering new connections, exchanging ideas, and initiating and leading discussions on globally important topics. Latitude59 is growing into an international platform that connects and encourages local initiatives and helps make them bigger," Org explained.

Connecting the International Tech Community in East Africa

Latitude59 is also focused on building bridges between the international tech community and East Africa. Reflecting on the success of last year’s event, Org remarked, "Last year, Latitude59 Kenya Edition was bigger and more successful than we dared to hope. This year, it will be even larger and more impactful, and in November, we will bring together the world's most exciting startups and investors. I am happy and grateful that we once again have the opportunity to connect the Estonian and Kenyan startup ecosystems and introduce them in Africa and globally."

A Growing Platform for Innovation and Collaboration

Latitude59’s event in Tallinn, Estonia, has steadily grown over its 12-year history, with over 3,500 attendees this year, including more than 900 startup representatives and 20 national delegations. Nearly 600 investors participated, managing portfolios worth at least 30 billion euros. The event also featured 195 speakers, 40% of whom were women, with participants representing more than 60 countries.

As Latitude59 continues to expand its influence, the Nairobi event is set to further strengthen its role as a dynamic international platform, fostering innovation and collaboration across continents.