BlueInvest Africa 2025: Lomé turns the tide for Africa’s blue innovators

Between 15 and 16 October 2025 Lomé, Togo became the beating heart of Africa's blue economy at the third edition of BlueInvest Africa. The matchmaking event transformed the city into a hotspot of innovation, where entrepreneurs met investors, stories met strategy, and passion met possibility.

Organised by the European Union with Togo's support, the event combined energetic pitching sessions with networking opportunities, bringing over 300 participants on-site and 100 more online. The goal? To champion innovation that creates jobs, enhances food security, reduces marine pollution, and boosts climate resilience across Africa.

Pitching to success

From Senegal to Zambia, 23 start-ups and SMEspitched their projects to a panel of investors, which tested the pitchers' skills, pushing them to prove themselves and investigating their strengths and weaknesses to select the most deserving of award. Out of an excellent line-up, six pitchers took home the session prizes and the Grand Prize:

• Enabling aquaculture: Kplolali Ahama-Esseh, Aquaponie Togotɔ (Togo) - urban aquaponics bringing resilient food production to Lomé's doorstep
• Feeding from aquatic resources: Seydina Ababacar Sadikhe Thiaw, Aquakoom (Senegal) - dignified livelihoods and better seafood supply chains
• Reinventing waste to protect the ocean: Samuel Kumi-Gyau, Coast Tokota Ltd. (Ghana) - turning plastic and organic waste into value
• Strengthening climate resilience: Henry Lamba, Schrödinger Technologie (Nigeria) - smart, low-carbon engineering for coastal communities
• Regenerating the ocean: Herisandratra Marie Raïssa Rakotonjatovo, Mena Tsook (Madagascar) - restoring ecosystems while creating jobs
• Grand Prize: Mohamed Trimeche, Société Tunisienne d'Élevage de Poissons - STEP (Tunisia) - scaling sustainable aquaculture with regional reach

Fostering African blue economy

BlueInvest Africa went beyond awards. Discussions featured leaders from development banks to venture capital, all focused on boosting Africa's blue economy sustainably: Alexis Grosskopf (OceanHub Africa), Lina Kacyem (Launch Africa Ventures), Madeleine Nyiratuza (UNDP), Laure Kuhn Bruma (Expertise France), Jesús Amoa (European Investment Bank), Tidiane Boye (UNIDO), Anton Dahlberg (MTI Investment), Noah Wilson-Bahun (World Bank) and Foungnigué Traoré Djiré (FAO - FISH4ACP). They all met in Lomé to explore innovative pathways to scale investment and accelerate impact across Africa's coastal and ocean economies.

Spotlight on Togo

In hosting the event, Togo showcased its importance as a maritime hub in West Africa. As stated by Stanislas BABA, Minister Secretary-General of the Government of Togo: "More than 90% of [Togo]'s trade is carried out by sea. This underlines the strategic role of the oceans in African prosperity. Togo will continue to invest to ensure its role as a strategic hub in the sub-region."

Gwilym Ceri Jones, EU Ambassador to Togo, underlined the EU's long-term commitment to a thriving, sustainable blue economy in Africa: "BlueInvest Africa offers a continental platform for the Togo hub to attract investments, encourage entrepreneurship and promote the emergence of innovative solutions in the blue economy", he remarked "the choice of Togo to host this edition of BlueInvest Africa is not casual".

"The measure of success is people's lives."

During her closing speech, Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General of the Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, highlighted that the success of BlueInvest Africa success is "about how it transforms and positively impacts people's lives. Since yesterday, we have witnessed great achievements, listened to success stories, heard about the value of failure, and seen what's possible when people act together with purpose".

Looking ahead

Now it is time to look ahead: BlueInvest Africa has never been a one-off. It's a journey that started in Seychelles in 2022, continued in Kenya in 2024, and Togo just a few days ago. The journey will continue next year-in South Africa!"

Thank you, Togo, for your warm welcome and partnership.

BlueInvest Africa will be back-stronger, broader and even more connected.

More Information

Event website: BlueInvest Africa 2025

Winning pitchers:

• Aquaponie TogotↃ, Togo
• Aquakoom (ex geej gi), Senegal
• Coast Tokota Ltd., Ghana
• Schrödinger Technologie, Nigeria
• Mena Tsook, Madagascar
• Société Tunisienne d'élevage de poissons, Tunisia

Join the BlueInvest Africa LinkedIn community: BlueInvest Africa LinkedIn Group

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