World Congress of Angel Investors
WBAF 2023

As governments around the world have responded to the health, social, and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, digitalization has been recognized as being of paramount importance and relevance in ensuring continuity of access to financial services. The G20 Global Partnerships for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) members issued a statement on its COVID-19 response, reaffirming the G20 commitment under the G20 Action Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to which the World Business Angels Investment Forum is one of the signatories.

World Congress of Angel Investors WBAF 2023 is a great platform from which to campaign for solutions to such critical issues and other worldwide concerns at the United Nations, the European Union and in G20 countries.

With the digitization that ushered in Industry 4.0, and with disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, new ventures and enterprises are obliged to rethink their business models and strategies. 

With this in mind,  Board of Directors at the World Business Angels Investment Forum, have agreed on the theme for the World Congress of Angel Investors WBAF 2023, which will take place 20 – 23 November 2023: Mobilising Science and Technology Parks for Financial Inclusion.

WBAF 2023 will feature roundtables that will provide a platform for entrepreneurs and angel investors to explore the processes startups will go through in post-pandemic times. The Congress will also include discussions the ongoing challenges entrepreneurial ventures face in integrating the basic knowledge of strategic planning and will consider creative ways to overcome the challenges.

The ultimate goal of all of the Congress’ keynotes, discussions, presentations, and workshops is to agree on a common roadmap for angel investors, entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs that will enable them to emerge from this pandemic period even stronger than they were before.

WHERE

International Convention Centre
Durban ICC

WHEN

Monday – Wednesday
November 20 - 23, 2023

WORLD CONGRESS OF ANGEL INVESTORS WBAF 2023

  • Global Startups Summit 2023
    (for start-ups and scale-ups)
  • Science, Technology & Innovation Summit 2023
    (for science parks, innovation agencies)
  • WBAF Business School
    (Masterclasses, Workshops)
  • Global Women Leaders Summit 2023
    (for woman leaders and founders)
  • Global Fundraising Stage GFRS 2023
    (for startups, scaleups, high-growth businesses)
  • World Excellence Awards 2023
    (saluting the year’s successes)

AFRICA CONGRESS WBAF 2023

 



Shaping the 2023 agenda of the world equity markets

An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) will focus on angel investors partnering with private equity funds at the World Congress of Angel Investors in 2023. The discussions will explore how private equity funds can foster open innovation and deliver more business value through partnerships with angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses and SMEs.

The agenda will focus on connecting angel investors with corporate ventures, while the Forum sessions will deal with issues of financial inclusion and ways to democratise access to finance from start-up to scale-up to exit. LPs, start-ups, scale-ups and angel investors will be able to connect at the Global Fundraising Stage GFRS 2023 and the World Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.


Grand Opening Ceremony

An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) will focus on angel investors partnering with private equity funds at the World Congress of Angel Investors in 2023. The discussions will explore how private equity funds can foster open innovation and deliver more business value through partnerships with angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses and SMEs.

The agenda will focus on connecting angel investors with corporate ventures, while the Forum sessions will deal with issues of financial inclusion and ways to democratise access to finance from start-up to scale-up to exit. LPs, start-ups, scale-ups and angel investors will be able to connect at the Global Fundraising Stage GFRS 2023 and the World Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.


WBAF Financial Inclusion Congress - Africa Edition

Africa is one of the most promising destinations for foreign direct investment. The continent offers the world’s highest return on FDI and it has abundant in natural resources. Although figures plunged in some instances, it swiftly surges back, evidencing the region's economic resilience. 

An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum includes the WBAF Africa Congress for Financial Inclusion in the WBAF 2023 Agenda, to unleash the real potential of the continent’s entrepreneurs, to tailor innovative financial instruments for Africa, and to lay out a roadmap for governments to convert their economies to ‘smart’ economies. The Congress will host a Dialogue Roundtable chaired by the Nelson Mandela Foundation.


Global Fundraising Stage for 100 selected entrepreneurs

At WBAF 2023, we are allocating a special area where selected 100 startups, scaleups, and high-growth businesses will each have an area to showcase their business and to pitch their businesses on the Global Fundraising Stage (GFRS) on 22 November. The 2023 GFRS is supported by the WBAF Angel Investment Fund, whose mission is to invest in startups and scaleups who pitch on the GFRS. The aim is to showcase the world’s top startups and scaleups, which, typically, are funded companies in the process of raising €50K – €3M, with the ultimate goal of globalizing. GFRS participants will have a free Investment Readiness Workshop from the WBAF Business School. They will also have a free one-on-one mentoring session with a qualified mentor of the World Business Angels Investment Forum.


WBAF Angel Investment Fund to announce startups for due-diligence

An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) is aiming to ease access to finance globally. The WBAF’s Angel Investment Fund is designed to capitalise on the worldwide growth in entrepreneurial activity and venture financing for startups and scaleups and to benefit from WBAF’s extensive network of global investors, including angel investors, private equity funds, co-investment platforms, wealth management institutions, family offices, VCs and acceleration centres. The Fund Investment Committee will announce the selected startups of the Global Fundraising Stage 2023, for due-diligence stage, on 22 November in the Closing Ceremony of the WBAF 2023.


The WBAF Business School will offer, free of charge, international workshops and masterclasses

It is the position of the WBAF Business School that when investors have had the advantage of training in the best practices of negotiating deals for early-stage investment, they are in a better position to ensure a good return on their investments. The WBAF Business School takes advantage of the Congress to deliver free workshops and masterclasses to support participants’ professional development.


World Excellence Awards and VIP Gala Dinner

Through the World Excellence Awards, the World Business Angels Investment Forum celebrates high growth and success in the equity and capital market – recognising the fastest growing brands and acknowledging the founders, angel investors, crowd-funders and early-stage venture capital investors behind them.

Open to both companies, investors, NGOs, policy makers and public institutes, these awards recognise the year’s most disruptive new market entrants and provide a definitive list of the most exciting individuals and organisations to watch in the investment, equity and capital space. The Gala Dinner will be at the Durban ICC Convention Center on 21 November 2023, Tuesday, Duban, South Africa


VIP Lunch with Ministers

WBAF is committed to collaborating globally to empower world economic development by creating innovative financial instruments for innovators, start-ups, and SMEs. The Forum interacts with leaders in all areas of society, first and foremost in business and political spheres, to help assess needs and establish goals, bearing in mind that the public interest is of paramount importance. WBAF engages a wide range of institutions, both public and private, local and international, commercial and academic to help shape the global agenda.

WBAF 2023 will host a VIP lunch for 200 selected investors from around the world on 21 November 2023, Tuesday. Presidents, prime ministers, ministers and mayors who attend the VIP lunch will deliver short speeches. This lunch opens the way for networking with high-level guests of the World Business Angels Investment Forum.


 

Act now!

Last year’s tickets sold very fast,so don’t miss your chance.WBAF 2023 will start in

 

WBAF 2023 Tickets

We invite you to join us in our global effort to ease access to smart finance, which will help create more jobs and more social justice worldwide
  • WBAF 2023 Pass

    ACCESS TO 2 DAYS OF WBAF 2023 - Excluding VIP Lunches & World Excellence Awards Gala Dinner
  • Access to the Grand Opening Ceremony
  • Access to Africa Congress 2023
  • Access to Global Women Leaders Summit 2023
  • Access to Startup Summit 2023
  • Access to Science, Technology & Innovation 2023
  • Access to Global Fundraising Stage 2023
  • Access to WBAF Business School Workshops
  • Access to WBAF Business School Masterclasses
  • Tickets are €600 after 1 August 2023
  • Tickets are €700 after 1 September 2023
  • Tickets are €800 after 1 October 2023
  • €500
  • Book Now
  • Startup

    EXHIBITION SHOWCASE & PITCHING TO INVESTORS ON THE GFRS 2023
  • Two days Exhibition Booth with table and 2 chairs at the exhibition space
  • 2 Free WBAF 2023 Passes
  • Pitching on the GFRS 2023 - Global Fund Raising Stage (subject to confirmation)
  • Access to WBAF Business School Workshops
  • Startup A - €750
  • Startup B - €725
  • Startup C - €700
  • Each after the second co-founder: €500
  • €750
  • Book Now
  • VIP Gala Dinner & VIP Lunches

    Durban ICC International Convention Centre
  • World Excellence Awards VIP Gala Dinner on 21 November 2023: €200 until 30 September 2023 / €250 after 1 October 2023
  • VIP Lunch on 21 November 2023: €150 until 30 September 2023 / €200 after 1 October 2023
  • VIP RECEPTION BEFORE THE GALA DINNER
  • WITH A RED CARPET WALKING BEFORE THE GALA DINNER
  • Book Now
  • Sponsorship Packages

    Durban ICC International Convention Centre
  • The time is ripe for Africa to tap into the energy of its startups and achieve more inclusive growth.

    Now is the time to show your support for the global entrepreneurship ecosystem and position your company at the core of the world’s best brands engaging with equity and capital markets.
  • Book Now
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  • Turkish Airlines
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  • Flight Booking

    TURKISH AIRLINES
  • Turkish Airlines is the official airline of WBAF 2023.
  • Please check special discounts on Turkish Airlines for WBAF 2023 Delegates
  • Please send us an email for your special code to benefit from Turkish Airlines special prices
  • REQUEST YOUR DISCOUNT CODE
  • Durban

WBAF 2022 : Speakers from over 65 countries

By working together across borders, with a common vision, and with these smart dynamics in mind, we are well placed to create positive change in the global economy!
SPEAKERS

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Venue

WORLD CONGRESS - WBAF 2023
World Business Angels Investment Forum

Durban ICC International Convention Centre

Christina McGimpsey
Secretary General, World Business Angels Investment Forum
Christina.McGimpsey@wbaforum.org

T: +90(542) 117 1822

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