Regulators and Funders in Focus as Singularity Summit Opens

The Singularity Summit South Africa 2026 convenes at the Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October, and behind the speaker line-up sits an institutional architecture worth noting: the Summit is presented in collaboration with Old Mutual, with event sponsors Google Cloud and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and metaverse partner UBU supporting the gathering.

That corporate and development-finance involvement frames the event as more than a technology showcase. The IDC, a state-owned development financier, and Old Mutual, a major financial services group with a continental footprint, are both positioning themselves within a national and regional conversation about how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies will reshape business, work and society. Celiwe Ross, Group Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer at Old Mutual, addressed that responsibility directly in remarks ahead of the Summit.

“Every conversation about AI eventually becomes a conversation about people and how we prepare people to thrive in a changing world of work,” Ross said. “For an organisation like Old Mutual, with thousands of colleagues across the continent, that responsibility matters. Singularity creates space for an honest conversation about how we lead through this change, equipping our people to thrive as work evolves, building trust as we go, and scaling innovation in ways that create meaningful and sustainable value.”

The programme places artificial intelligence at the centre of the two-day agenda, with sessions examining its impact on business, leadership, investment, skills, entrepreneurship and society. Panels will also take up digital transformation, robotics, biotechnology, the future of cities and other exponential technologies changing how people live and work. More than 40 speakers from 25 cities across 13 countries are scheduled to appear, among them global and African innovators and specialists including David Roberts, Felix Cheung, Maureen Costello, Barak Kaufman, Benjamin Rosman, Amanda Manna, Dario Fanucchi, Tilly Lockey, Valter Adão, Danielle Einstein, Fana Shabane, Kim Hulett, Ran Neuner, Hywel George, Marko Stavrou and Rajesh Pasungili. Acclaimed poet, author and broadcaster Lebo Mashile will return as the Summit’s Poet and MC.

Meanwhile, the organisers have structured the event so that engagement extends beyond the main stage. Mic Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa, said the Summit has always aimed to create an environment where people can engage with the future rather than simply hear about it. “You might listen to a global expert unpack where AI is heading, continue that conversation with another delegate over coffee and then walk into the expo and experience some of the technology for yourself,” Mann said. “The people in the room are as much a part of the Summit experience as the people on stage.”

The innovation expo will bring together a wide range of brands, innovators and technology businesses, with interactive activations allowing delegates to see, test and experience technologies beyond the formal programme. Old Mutual will be among the exhibitors, alongside Isazi.ai, Next Biosciences, Dsrupt.ai, Mann Made, Singularity South Africa, Cadena Growth Partners, Exclusive Books, Verascient, Resolute Robotics and Ace Labs. The wider event partners include Truecaller, Vida, Isazi.ai, Next Biosciences, Dsrupt.ai, Cadena Growth Partners, Exclusive Books, Verascient, Resolute Robotics, Ace Labs, Daytona and Th_rst, with UBU serving as the Summit’s metaverse event partner.

Delegates will also be able to take part in a mini AI course delivered in the metaverse, available on pre-registration day and during the mornings of both Summit days. Shayne Mann, co-CEO of Singularity South Africa, said the scale of what happens outside the main auditorium is an important part of what distinguishes the event. “We want people to meet someone they would never normally have access to, discover a technology they did not know existed, have conversations that challenge the way they think and leave with ideas and connections that continue long after the two days are over,” he said.

Networking remains a central feature of the Summit, which draws a community of executives, entrepreneurs, investors, technology specialists, innovators and other decision-makers from South Africa and abroad. The Singularity Community app will help delegates navigate and track their Summit journey while creating additional engagement opportunities throughout the event. The first evening will feature a cocktail and drinks event with DJ Seth Schwartz, and the second day will conclude with informal drinks, offering a final opportunity to connect with speakers and fellow delegates. Parking at the Sandton Convention Centre will be validated for all Summit delegates.

For readers weighing the governance and accountability dimensions of the technologies on the agenda, the Summit’s mix of corporate sponsors, development finance participation and public-facing programming offers a useful window into how South Africa’s institutional and business leaders are positioning themselves on AI readiness. Further details, regular updates and bookings are available at the event’s official listing, covered by eNCA at https://www.enca.com/business/singularity-summit-south-africa-2026-all-you-need-know-0, or via www.singularitysouthafricaSummit.org.