More than 220 startups applied to the Latitude59 Pitch Competition in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya – Latitude59 Kenya’s Pitch Competition received a total of 222 applications from 27 countries. The TOP30 startups have now been selected and will move forward in the competition to receive additional pitch training, and out of which TOP10 will be selected to pitch on stage at the finals taking place in Nairobi from December 3–5.

This marks the third year that Latitude59 brings its international pitching platform to Kenya, strengthening ties between African founders and global investment networks. This year’s competition received applications from 14 African countries, as well as from 8 in Europe, 2 in the Middle East, 2 in Asia, and 1 in North America.

The most represented industries include agri- and foodtech, AI-based solutions, and healthcare reflecting Africa’s dynamic and rapidly diversifying innovation scene.

Latitude59’s CEO Liisi Org said the continued growth in participation reflects the continent’s increasing global presence in tech and entrepreneurship. “The quality of this year’s applicants was incredible — it’s clear that African founders are building for scale, not just survival. They’re solving meaningful problems with a bold, global mindset. We can not wait to see them light up the stage in Nairobi,” said Org.

According to the Head of Startup Relations Triin Ilves, Kenyan startups were well represented in the overall number of more than 200 applications. “We’re seeing many Kenyan teams in the TOP30 this year as well as some interesting startups registered in Estonia or the United States but with African founders. Surprisingly, many teams develop a solution with hardware components, so I hope to see some of them on stage in the finals, too,” she noted.

The TOP30 startups are listed here.

The TOP 10 startups that will compete in the finals, will be announced next week.

One winning team will earn a round-trip to Latitude59 Estonia 2026 together with a booth and invitation to the pre-finals of Estonian Pitch Competition next year. In addition, 10 finalists will compete for community awards, including free access to coworking spaces, mentoring, and more. All startups will have the opportunity to connect and matchmake with over 350 investors attending the event, opening doors to valuable partnerships and funding opportunities.

Latitude59 Kenya Edition 2025 will be held at the A.S.K Dome in Nairobi on December 3–5. This will be the third Latitude59 satellite event in Africa, as the organization continues its journey to becoming the most impactful startup and tech event on the continent by 2027. The three-day event will bring together 3,000 innovators, founders, and investors from Africa, Europe, and beyond. Tickets for the Latitude59 Kenya Edition 2025 – including access to the L59 Pitch Competition finals – are available here: https://latitude59.ee/tickets/

Latitude59 is the flagship startup and tech event of the world’s first digital nation, Estonia. The 13th edition, held in Tallinn in May, brought together more than 3,500 participants, including 900+ startup representatives, nearly 700 investors, and 170 speakers, with attendees from more than 70 countries globally.