BlueInvest Africa 2026: where Africa’s blue economy meets investment –
Africa has enormous potential in the blue economy. Fisheries and aquaculture, marine technologies, renewable energy, maritime transport, coastal tourism and circular solutions can generate employment and new economic opportunities while responding to environmental challenges.
For many African startups and SMEs, however, one of the biggest obstacles is moving from a promising idea or pilot project to a business capable of attracting investment and operating at scale.
This is precisely where BlueInvest Africa 2026 aims to make a difference.
The fourth edition will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, on 2 and 3 November 2026, bringing together entrepreneurs, international investors, policymakers, development partners and innovators from Africa and Europe.
Initiated by the European Commission in 2022, BlueInvest Africa aims to connect African entrepreneurs looking for finance with international investors interested in opportunities in the sustainable blue economy.
From innovation to investment
At the centre of the 2026 edition will be 25 African startups and SMEs selected to pitch directly to international investors and partners.
They come from Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia, representing a broad geographical cross-section of the continent.
Their activities cover different areas of the blue economy, including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, ocean technologies, marine renewable energy and circular economy solutions.
The selected companies were assessed according to criteria including commercial potential, scalability and measurable environmental and social impact. The event will combine pitching sessions with investor matchmaking, networking and exchanges with key actors in Africa’s sustainable blue economy.
The objective is therefore not simply to showcase innovative projects, but to help promising African businesses develop the partnerships and investment relationships needed to grow.
The European Commission puts BlueInvest Africa in the spotlight
The importance given to BlueInvest Africa by the European institutions is significant.
The initiative was launched by the European Commission in 2022, and the 2026 edition is organised by the European Union in partnership with the Government of South Africa.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is actively promoting the Cape Town edition, presenting it as an opportunity to create partnerships and unlock investment for Africa’s sustainable blue economy.
This support is part of a broader European commitment to sustainable ocean development in Africa.
At the Our Ocean Conference 2026 in Kenya, the European Union announced more than €338 million in commitments for global ocean protection. Within this wider package of actions, the Commission specifically highlighted BlueInvest Africa as an initiative supporting Africa’s sustainable blue economy by connecting entrepreneurs with investors and helping high-impact projects scale.
BlueInvest Africa therefore reflects a broader approach linking ocean protection, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable investment.
A growing network of African blue businesses
Since its launch in 2022, BlueInvest Africa has supported more than 80 innovative startups, selected from over 700 applications, and connected entrepreneurs with more than 40 investors interested in blue economy opportunities in Africa.
Interest continues to grow. For the 2026 edition, applications were received from 38 African countries, with 25 businesses ultimately selected to pitch in Cape Town.
This growing participation highlights an important point: Africa does not lack ideas in fisheries, aquaculture and the wider blue economy. The challenge is often creating the bridge between technically promising solutions and the finance, expertise, partnerships and markets required to scale them.
Fisheries and aquaculture at the investment table
For the Blue Life Hub community, the presence of fisheries and aquaculture within BlueInvest Africa is particularly relevant.
Transforming these sectors requires investment across the entire value chain, from production technologies, hatcheries and feed to cold chains, processing, logistics, digital monitoring, energy efficiency, waste valorisation and climate-resilient solutions.
Previous editions have already demonstrated this potential. In 2025, projects were recognised in aquaculture, blue biotechnology, circular economy and ocean regeneration, with the Grand Prize awarded to STEP Tunisia, a company working on fish farming technologies in North Africa.
The participation of companies from North, West, East and Southern Africa in 2026 also shows that blue economy entrepreneurship is developing across the continent.
Building the bridge between ideas and capital
The real value of BlueInvest Africa will ultimately be measured beyond the two days in Cape Town.
Access to finance is essential, but investment readiness also requires credible business models, technical capacity, measurable environmental and social impact, and connections with partners capable of supporting long-term growth.
This is particularly important in fisheries and aquaculture, where promising local initiatives often emerge close to the communities and ecosystems where solutions are most needed, but may struggle to access capital and international markets.
By bringing entrepreneurs, investors and institutions together, BlueInvest Africa 2026 can help shorten the distance between innovation and implementation.
The goal is not simply to bring good ideas to Cape Town, but to help more of them leave with stronger partnerships, clearer investment pathways and a realistic opportunity to grow.
BlueInvest Africa 2026 will take place on 2 and 3 November 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. Registrations are now open.
BlueInvest Africa 2026: registrations and information from the European Commission
BlueInvest Africa 2026: where Africa’s blue economy meets investment
