On 2 November 2025, a 22-member Building Bridges delegation travelled to Nairobi to engage with leading investors, philanthropists and innovators during the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA) Conference. The mission underscored a shared conclusion: Africa won’t grant its way to prosperity, needs more African capital investing in Africa and is uniquely positioned to demonstrate how private, public, institutional and philanthropic capital can be deployed effectively to shape a sustainable and inclusive future.

Throughout the week, discussions emphasised how innovative finance, catalytic capital and stronger public–private collaboration can unlock investment where financial returns and positive impact align. Kenya’s energy transition provided a clear illustration of this potential. With around 93% renewable electricity and a national ambition for universal access by 2030, the country shows both the scale and the investability of Africa’s transition. In the opening plenary on Day 2, Guillaume Bonnel, SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI) and David Albertani, Catalytic Finance Foundation represented Building Bridges alongside global finance leaders to explore how capital can be redesigned to work for Africa’s future. In another session, Building Bridges’ CEO, Karen Hitschke, brought thoughtful insights to the Catalytic Conversation on private sector engagement in social investment.

We cannot ODA ourselves to glory which means that we need to rethink how to mobilise domestic and private capital. And for that we have to move from grant financing of programmes to mobilising private capital towards impact.

Christian Frutiger

Vice-Director General – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Partners highlighted the expanding pipeline of nature-based solutions and the need for robust financial structures to bring private capital to scale. Site visits and ecosystem engagements further demonstrated how African entrepreneurs and investors are shifting the continent’s growth narrative from extraction to creation.

The visit reaffirmed Building Bridges’ role as a neutral platform convening actors across finance and development to deepen collaboration and channel capital where it delivers financial performance alongside positive environmental and social outcomes. The transition is underway and those who engage early will be best positioned for the opportunities ahead. 

View the full programme here. 

Join the Building Bridges Africa Investment Community here.

Thank you to partners including the African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (AVCA), the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA), and the Swiss Development Corporation.