Thursday, 16 and Friday, 17 October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya
The SAM Investor Fair will be held as part of SAM on 16 and 17 October in a dedicated area of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. The fair brings representatives of banks, venture capital firms, Development Finance Institutions (DFI), pension funds, family offices, cooperatives, mutual funds, rating agencies, MicroFinance Institutions (MFI), fintechs, SMEs and startups together to discuss investments and opportunities for partnerships that create a tangible impact.
The Investor Fair offers:
1-on-1 meetings
The Investor Fair enables participants to arrange meetings with potential partners in advance via a dedicated matchmaking app. The previous edition of the Investor Fair in 2023 in Lomé, Togo, facilitated over 780 meetings between 22 investors and over 130 organisations seeking funding.
Tailored matchmaking support
A dedicated team supports the matchmaking process to ensure strategic and relevant encounters that go beyond the algorithm.
Cross-sector collaboration
The Investor Fair is closely linked to the Innovators’ Village and other key events fostering dynamic collaboration between finance, innovation and development.
Extensive networking
From informal conversations to structured sessions, the Fair will host a community of changemakers reshaping inclusive finance in Africa.
Who should attend?
Investors, such as:
- Commercial banks advancing financial inclusion (e.g., KCB Group, Equity Bank, Family Bank)
- Impact VCs and PE funds (e.g., 4Impact, AfricInvest, VC4Africa)
- Development finance institutions (e.g., EIB, Proparco, AfDB)
- Investors in microfinance and cooperative funds (e.g., Symbiotics, Bamboo Capital)
- Pension funds and family offices (e.g., Man Capital)
- Global foundations and venture philanthropy funds (e.g., DRK Foundation, Mastercard Foundation)
The Investor Fair offers investors an opportunity to fill their pipeline by meeting dozens of vetted, high-potential institutions and entrepreneurs from across Africa. The Fair has been extended to two days to give participants more time to build strategic relationships.
Organisations seeking funding, such as:
- Microfinance institutions (Tiers 1, 2 and 3)
- Banks targeting underserved or rural populations
- SMEs and social enterprises with scalable, inclusive business models
- Startups and scaleups in fintech, agritech, healthtech, insurtech, regtech etc.
MFIs, SMEs and startups benefit from targeted exposure to investors at Africa’s largest inclusive finance gathering. The Innovators’ Village, which will be held in parallel, offers an opportunity to pitch their story and funding needs to a room full of aligned investors.
Rating agencies seeking promising institutions are also invited to participate and make use of this opportunity to meet MFIs.
How to participate:
While organisations seeking funding and rating agencies can participate in the Investor Fair with their regular SAM ticket, special rates apply for investors.
Procedure to purchase an investor package at the Investor Fair:
- The investor representative (called the ‘point of contact’) is responsible for selecting the package and completing the payment through the online ticketing page.
- Two payment options:
- Credit card: A payment confirmation email is sent immediately to the point of contact.
- Bank transfer: Once proof of payment is received, a confirmation email is sent to the point of contact.
The point of contact can then individually register their colleagues via the link provided in the payment confirmation e-mail which leads to the SAM Portal. The Portal is a personalised space which serves as a communication channel between the participants of the Fair and the organisers. The number of colleagues corresponds to the number of seats included in the purchased package.
Investor ticketing:
Pro tip: Complete your matchmaking profile to the fullest to maximise your meetings and visibility via the Swapcard application (available soon).
All organisations seeking financing, such as MFIs and start-ups can access the Investor Fair through regular SAM participant tickets purchased via the official SAM ticketing.
Attendance and sponsorship opportunities
Looking to boost visibility and influence?
Interested in exploring available packages, assessing specific needs, or learning more about sponsoring options?
Contact:
m.loison@ada-microfinance.lu ou sam-investors@ada-microfinance.lu