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.

No podemos alcanzar la gloria con la ayuda oficial al desarrollo (AOD), lo que significa que debemos replantearnos cómo movilizar el capital nacional y privado. Para ello, debemos pasar de financiar programas mediante subvenciones a movilizar capital privado para generar impacto.

Cristiano Frutiger

Vicedirector General – Agencia Suiza para el Desarrollo y la Cooperación (COSUDE)

Los socios destacaron la creciente cartera de soluciones basadas en la naturaleza y la necesidad de estructuras financieras sólidas para impulsar el capital privado a gran escala. Las visitas a terreno y la interacción con el ecosistema demostraron, además, cómo los emprendedores e inversores africanos están transformando el modelo de crecimiento del continente, pasando de la extracción a la creación.

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. 

Descubra aquí las principales conclusiones del Informe de Aspectos Destacados de la Delegación .

Consulta el programa completo aquí. 

Join the Building Bridges Africa Investment Community here. 

Agradecemos a nuestros socios, entre los que se incluyen la Asociación Africana de Capital Riesgo y Capital Privado (AVCA), la Alianza Africana para el Capital Natural (ANCA) y la Corporación Suiza de Desarrollo.