Tanzania startup week 2025 to advance Vision 2050 goals
DAR ES SALAAM: THE second edition of Tanzania Startup Week (TSW 2025) is set to take place from October 13th to 17th, this year, at the PSSF Auditorium, Millennium Towers, in Dar es Salaam.
This landmark event aims to accelerate the country’s innovation economy by mobilising investment, promoting pro-startup policies and positioning startups as key drivers of Tanzania’s Vision 2050 (DIRA 2050).
The announcement was made during a recent launch cocktail event hosted by the event’s organising committee. The gathering brought together 60 ecosystem leaders representing startups, investors, corporates, government agencies, development partners and innovation hubs, laying the foundation for what is expected to be Tanzania’s premier startup and investment platform.
“This year’s edition will focus on execution, turning commitments into tangible outcomes such as capital flows, policy reforms and global partnerships,” the committee said in a statement.
“TSW 2025 is about action: Mobilising early-stage funding, advancing regulatory reforms and unlocking international opportunities.”
Held under the theme “Positioning Startups for Vision 2050: Unleashing Innovation, Inclusion and Economic Transformation in Tanzania,” the week-long event will spotlight the crucial role of startups in shaping the nation’s future.
According to the organising committee, the platform will work to mobilise investment and expand access to capital, advance pro-startup policies and regulatory reforms, foster international partnerships and create global market linkages for Tanzanian startups.
“TSW 2025 is designed to accelerate the growth of the local startup ecosystem by mobilising early-stage capital, driving policy reforms and expanding global market access,” the statement added.
Stakeholders from across the public and private sectors are being urged to play an active role.
“Tanzania Startup Week thrives on collaboration,” the committee said. “We call on investors, corporations, government institutions, development agencies and ecosystem leaders to join us as sponsors, partners, or co-hosts. Together, we can mobilise capital, drive policy changes and open global markets to shape the next chapter of Tanzania’s innovation-driven growth.”
The inaugural Tanzania Startup Week in 2024, held under the theme “Beyond Boundaries,” attracted 2,952 participants (both physical and virtual) from five countries. Among them were 699 startups, 203 investors, 71 senior government officials and 75 development partners.
TSW 2024 was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Doto Biteko, representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
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Key outcomes of the inaugural edition included a 39 million US dollars (about 101bn/-) commitment to establish a National Venture Capital Fund to support earlystage startup financing and a startup-investor deal room featuring 600 million US dollars (about 1.5tri/-) in aggregated capital, linking vetted startups with local and global investors.
Others include government pledges to fast-track the National Startup Policy and introduce Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) frameworks to support flexible business structures.
As TSW 2025 approaches, expectations are high for continued momentum in advancing Tanzania’s startup ecosystem and laying the foundation for long-term economic transformation
