Don’t Just Exchange Business Cards—Close Deals.
Attending a major trade event like the Afretrade Entrepreneurship Festival is an investment. Whether you have a booth or a standard ticket, your goal is growth. But how do you stand out among 3,000 attendees?
Here are five proven strategies to secure investors and partners during the festival.
- Perfect Your 30-Second Elevator Pitch Investors are busy. When you meet a potential partner at the TAEF B2B Lounge, you need to articulate your value instantly. Focus on the problem you solve and your revenue model, not just your product features.
- Leverage the “Exhibitor Advantage” Having a booth gives you a physical headquarters. Use it wisely. Don’t just sit behind a table stand in front of it. Create an interactive demo that stops traffic. (Interested in exhibiting? [Check our booth packages here])
- Research the Speaker List Review the TAEF 2026 speaker line-up before you arrive. Know who is speaking on your industry topics. The best time to approach a VIP is immediately after their panel session when they are still near the stage.
- Have Your Data Ready If an investor asks for your numbers, having a clean one-pager ready to share via QR code is impressive. It shows you are “investment-ready.”
5. Fortune is in the Follow-Up 70% of deals are lost because entrepreneurs fail to follow up. Send a personalized email within 24 hours of the festival ending while your conversation is still fresh.
Ready to Pitch? Join the smartest entrepreneurs in Africa at TAEF 2026. Click here to get started
