Yaoundé Tech Summit Aims to Raise CFAF 28 Billion for Start-Ups
Cameroon’s International Tech Summit, CITS26, will run in Yaoundé from October 15 to 17, 2026, with organizers seeking more than CFAF 28 billion for innovative start-ups. The event follows a UNDP- and GIZ-supported bootcamp that selected 150 young entrepreneurs, with 10 finalists due to pitch on the last day. It will also feature a start-up village, an AI experimentation area, a job fair and a policy forum.
CITS26 is the second edition of the Yaoundé gathering, organized by Mountain Hub. It follows a UNDP- and GIZ-backed national programme that reached all ten Cameroonian regions and chose 150 young entrepreneurs for an innovation bootcamp. Ten finalists will pitch on the closing day, with the winner expected to compete at the 2027 Startup World Cup in San Francisco.
The three-day event is built around four themes: youth skills and jobs, start-ups and small enterprises, digital offerings and outsourcing, and green innovation. Organizers anticipate over 10,000 attendees and aim to connect roughly 100 selected enterprises with investors, mentors, and partners.
The summit could give young Cameroonian founders rare access to capital, mentorship, and visibility, potentially helping some move from prototypes to viable businesses. If financing materializes, it may create jobs and strengthen digital and outsourcing services. Universities, tech firms, and development partners may also gain clearer links to local talent. Yet outcomes depend on follow-through, so benefits may be uneven and concentrated among selected participants.