With just one week to go until the launch of the first edition of Dakar Slush'D, a pan-African summit dedicated to innovation and impactful entrepreneurship, a key milestone has been reached. A strategic partnership agreement was signed this Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Dakar Administrative Building between the initiative's founder and Alioune Sall, Senegal's Minister of Communications, Telecommunications, and Digital Affairs.

A strong commitment from the State to innovation

Through this agreement, the State of Senegal, through the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Director of the Digital Economy and Partnerships, reaffirms its commitment to supporting structuring initiatives in favor of digital transformation, entrepreneurship and innovation. "The New Technology Deal is the roadmap of the State of Senegal with regard to digital projects. It was important that we involve the private sector in the New Technology Deal, which addresses digital issues," emphasized the Director of the Digital Economy and Partnerships, Roger Thiam.

The partnership aims to strengthen the national and regional reach of Dakar Slush'D, by facilitating the mobilization of key stakeholders and the establishment of a framework conducive to the emergence of high-impact African solutions.

Dakar Slush'D: A first in West Africa

Scheduled for October 10 and 11, 2025 in Dakar, the initiative is a local, independent, and official edition of Slush, the world's largest gathering of startups and investors, born in Helsinki, Finland. This is the first edition in West Africa, organized around the theme: "Roots and Horizons: Innovate here, transform the world." This summit will bring together African startups, international investors, public decision-makers, incubators, researchers, and other players in the technological and entrepreneurial ecosystem for two days.

The objective: to connect the continent's talents to local and global opportunities and catalyze high-value projects for the continent's development. "The MCT is committed to supporting the Dakar Slush'D event to enable Senegalese startups to better flourish internationally. And it is thanks to this event, and many others, that this objective will naturally be achieved," continued Mr. Thiam. "This convention is more than an agreement: it is a strong signal that Dakar is ready to become a nerve center of African innovation," said Dakar Slush'D founder Sandjiri Sy.

Dakar Slush'D is a local, independent, and official edition of the renowned Slush event. Led by a pan-African team, this initiative aims to position Dakar as a hub for African technology, creating a space for meeting, inspiration, and collaboration between those with innovative ideas and those who can help them grow.