Ethiopia to Host ASEB 2025, Spotlighting Africa’s Startup Builders

Ethiopia is set to host the 4th African Startup Ecosystem Builders Summit and Awards (ASEB 2025) this November, marking a major moment for the country’s growing tech scene. The event, which has recognized innovators from 44 countries since its inception, is organized by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Elfadize Multimedia and Communications (EMC), the Ethiopian Association of Startup Ecosystem (EASE), the Ethiopian Entrepreneurs Association, and Velocity Marketing.

At a press briefing on Tuesday at Creative Hub in Addis Ababa, organizers outlined plans to host up to 2,000 attendees with awards spanning 35 categories. The three-day summit will run November 15–17, coinciding with the launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). The first two days will take place at Addis Ababa University’s Arat Kilo campus.

Addissu Deresse, founder of EMC and producer of the RiseAddis podcast, said Ethiopia was chosen by ASEB’s creators to host this year’s edition. He hopes the summit will spotlight Ethiopia’s potential and attract international interest to the country’s budding startup sector.

Since launching in Johannesburg in 2022 by McKevin Ayaba, ASEB has steadily scaled across Africa. Its first edition brought together 150 participants from 36 countries, honoring 88 ecosystem builders across 22 award categories. Nairobi followed in 2023 with more than 200 participants selected from 2,100 nominations, while Accra in 2024 hosted 35 countries and recognized 45 winners from 2,089 nominations.

This year, seven Ethiopian ecosystem builders are among the nominees. For local founders, the timing is significant. Ethiopia’s startup ecosystem has long faced hurdles, limited funding, a lack of legal recognition, and classification barriers. The recent ratification of the long-awaited startup proclamation, however, has signaled a policy shift.

“The summit will bear dividends by establishing networks,” said Nebiyu Yirga, president of EASE, framing the event against the backdrop of Ethiopia’s evolving regulatory landscape. He pointed to the government’s adoption of technology as a potential pillar for the growth of tech-based startups.

ASEB 2025 aims to drive collaboration, unlock funding opportunities, and share practical growth tools for ecosystem actors. For Ethiopia, hosting the summit might be less about ceremony and more about proving it belongs on Africa’s startup map. Registration and nomination for the event is currently open.