NAIROBI, Kenya (Chatnewstv.com) — Estonia’s flagship startup and tech event, Latitude59, is inviting early-stage African startups to compete in its L59 Pitch Competition in Nairobi from Dec. 3–5, with the top team set to win a trip to Tallinn, Estonia, for the 2026 edition.
The competition, now in its third year in Kenya, will select 10 finalists from across the continent. The winning startup will earn a round-trip to Estonia and a fast-track spot in the Latitude59 Pitch Competition semi-finals.
“Latitude59 is the most international, impactful and diverse startup platform, and the L59 Pitch Competition gives founders a chance to step onto the international stage,” Latitude59 CEO Liisi Org said.
“African startups are home to some of the most exciting early-stage founders we have met globally — they’re bold, resilient, and already solving problems with global relevance.”
Triin Ilves, head of startup relations, said the Nairobi edition has continued to expand. “Last year, we almost doubled our number of applications compared to the first year,” Ilves said.
“And winners from both years — Chumz and Vunapay — are examples of early-stage startups with impressive revenue and growth numbers.”
Organizers said startups applying must have proven traction and a core team based in Africa. Applications close Oct. 25. Selected teams will receive professional pitch training and mentoring ahead of the finals.
In addition to the trip to Tallinn, the top teams will receive awards from community partners and access to more than 350 investors attending the Nairobi event.
The Latitude59 Kenya Edition 2025 will take place at A.S.K Dome in Nairobi, bringing together about 3,000 participants from Africa, Europe and beyond. Organizers said they aim to make the series the continent’s most impactful tech event by 2027.
Latitude59, known as Estonia’s flagship tech event, hosted more than 3,500 participants, 900 startups and 700 investors at its main conference in Tallinn earlier this year.
