The Conference for Visionary Leaders
Counder Conference is the gathering of visionary leaders to explore tomorrow’s most important opportunities together.
The Counder Experience
Where 500 visionary leaders gather in Cape Town's most inspiring settings to transform breakthrough conversations into trusted partnerships, co-investments, and global collaboration through curated excursions and roundtables.


Each represents the calibre that create a trusted space where collaboration can take place that shape tomorrow's most important opportunities.




Visionary Leaders converge to shape the future through collaboration and innovation. With a world in flux, Counder explores emerging trends & regions to answer the question of what's next. Deep-tech breakthroughs. Emerging markets rewriting global scripts. AI-designed proteins and many more. These are tomorrow's most important opportunities, discussed by top leaders who are curious, collaborative & action-orientated.


In expert-guided roundtables and Cape Town's most inspiring settings, relationships form that translate into tangible outcomes: partnerships, co-investments, and collaborations that wouldn't exist otherwise.
Uniting visionary leaders to spark ideas and shape tomorrow's opportunities together.


Counder Conference offers curated excursions across Cape Town, blending connection and discovery in world-class settings. From Robben Island walks to lunches on the ocean, every experience is designed to deepen connections and create the serendipitous moments where breakthrough collaborations emerge.
The Why

Counder's community acknowledges that today's world is in constant flux. With the rise of AI, new mega cities and regions like the Middle East, there is one thing that has never been more important: Trusted connections that enable collaboration across the world for positive developments. It is this trust that Counder and its world-class partner organisations thrive to establish at the flagship Counder Conference and beyond.
Through in-person meetings, truly open and unfiltered exchange, and deeply rooted insights, authentic links for real progress are established.
By deliberately choosing Cape Town as our flagship Conference’s host city, Counder is inviting global decision-makers to a new space of international relevance in the global South.
Counder’s vision is to be the foremost global network for visionary leaders to collaborate on tomorrow’s most important opportunities.
The Who

By invitation/application-only, Counder Conference brings together a carefully selected collective of visionary leaders & world-class organisations. They embody a forward-thinking mindset, a commitment to collaborative exploration, and a drive for measurable impact.
We unite leaders from across industries and disciplines unlike any other conference. This rich diversity of perspectives creates the ideal environment for breakthrough thinking and cross-sector collaboration.
Leaders & Organisations at Counder are characterised by:
- Forward-Looking Mindset
- Significant Capital or Impact
- Proven Excellence and Vision
- Impact-Driven Attitude
- Community-Centric Philosophy
Visionary Leaders at Counder Conference 2026
Visionary Leaders are chosen for their impact, excellence, and forward-thinking mindset. United by purpose, they learn together, start new collaborations, and drive meaningful progress as Members within the Counder collective.

Christo Wiese
Chairman Emeritus, Shoprite

Dr. Jan Deepen
Co-Founder, SumUp

Hardy Pemhiwa
President & CEO, Cassava Technologies

Neville Isdell
Former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company

Jessica Motaung
FIFA Men’s Football Stakeholders Committee Member, FIFA | Vice President, Africa Club Association | Marketing and Commercial Director, Kaizer Chiefs Football Club

Anthony Costa
Head of B20 Secretariat, Business Unity South Africa

Emmanuel Lubanzadio
Africa Lead, OpenAI

Martin Manniche
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Investor, AXON Networks

Dan Mace
Chief Creative Officer, Beast Philanthropy | YouTuber & Filmmaker

Robin Lingg
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ringier Sports Media Group | Investor

Marco Vietor
Co-Founder & Managing Director, audibene GmbH

Julian Teicke
Co-Founder & Chairman, The Delta

Sudeep Ramnani
Founder & Managing Partner, 885 Capital

Dirk Ströer
Member of the Supervisory Board, Ströer SE & Co. KGaA | Chief Executive Officer, Media Ventures GmbH

Henrik Persson Ekdahl
Investor & Advisor

Raphael Strauch
Founder, Token2049 | Founder, Alice Capital

Ryan Rockefeller
CEO & Co-Founder, Rising Tide

Thebe Magugu
South African fashion designer, Thebe Magugu

Marina Davidova
Managing Partner, DVC

Steven Grin
Managing Partner, Lateral Frontiers VC

Herman Steyn
Co-Founder & Chairman, Prescient Group

Cyrille Nkontchou
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Enko Capital

Ethiopis Tafara
Vice President for Africa, International Finance Corporation

Konstantin Urban
General Partner, Generations Fund (G-Fund)

Nick Ackerman
Partner, Lionhead Capital Partners

Khangi Khoza
CEO, Swissport South Africa Pty Ltd

Tom Boardman
Investor | Non-Executive Director, African Rainbow Capital & TymeBank

Michael Jordaan
Founder & CEO, Montegray Capital | Venture Capitalist

Jonathan Heinamann
Founder and Executive Director, FAITH (Future African Impact Transaction Holdings) | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Athena Capital (Pty) Limited (South Africa) & SAIA ( Mauritius)

James Bailes
Co-Founder, Castleton Capital

Moritz Elleke
Family Office

Claudia Zeisberger
Professor of Entrepreneurship & Family Enterprise, INSEAD

Nick Davidov
Partner and Cofounder, Davidovs VC

Kenneth Raydon Sharpe
Executive Chairman, West Properties Company

Kuseni Dlamini
Chairman, Aspen Pharma Group

Marie-Li Haub
Director of Business Development, Tengelmann Twenty-One KG

Finn Age Hänsel
Founder, Sanity Group

Hans Otterling
Partner, Norrsken22

Florian Schauenburg
CEO & Owner, Schauenburg International

Tanja Werheit
Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Cape Town

Akin II Omoboriowo
Chairman & CEO, Genesis Energy Holding

Kelley Starke
Founder & CEO, Kensani Capital

Michael Louis
Chairman, WestProp Holdings

Aguil Deng
Corporate Philanthropy Africa, Bloomberg

Andrew da Costa
Co-founder and Partner, The Intrepid.

Dr. Jonathan Doerr
SVP, Disrupt.com

Karin Pickard Louis
Chairman, Kaapstad Sakekamer

Thilo von Selchow
Family Office

Anuradha Das Mathur
Chair, IMA Policy Forum

André Kanya
Founding Partner, w3.fund

Fabian Wittleben
Founding Partner, MVP Founders

Tim Tepass
Co-Founder, MVP Founders

Karl Westvig
CEO, TymeBank | Private Investor

Ido Sum
Private Investor

James Boardman
Founder, Grey Heron Venture Partners

James Stewart
Partner, Level One Fund

Manuel Koser
Co-Founder & Managing Director, Silvertree Brands

Johan Bosini
Partner, Quona Capital

Nicolaas Marais
Chairman & Co-Founder, Carmel Wealth

Jonathan Cordero
Private Investor

Andrew Stewart
Partner, Level One Fund

Angelica Adamski
Private Investor

Gregor Unger
Managing Partner, caesar.

Philipp Ströhemann
Private Investor

Carmen Calisto
Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, Cartrack

Anton Gillis
Chapter President, FEO Cape Town

Avinav Nigam
Founder & CEO, TERN Group

Edward Lepine-Williams
Partner, Lionhead Capital Partners

Etop Ikpe
CEO, Autochek Africa

Justin Swart
Principal, BITKRAFT Ventures

Kamil Saeid
Partner, defy.vc

Kenneth Harlan Simmons III
Youth Football Coach, Kaizer Chiefs

Moky Makura
Executive Director, Africa No Filter |Partner, Dazzle Angels

Nicholas Katsapas
Director, Africrest Properties

Opeyemi Awoyemi
Evangelist, OlaCV | General Partner, Fast Forward Venture Studio

Pontsho Maruping
Managing Director, South African Radio Astronomy Observatory

Sophie Gandet
Founder, Sophie Gandet Consulting | Head of Community, Journeys With Purpose

Thabo Dloti
Chairman of the Board, African Bank

Wandile Mtoba
Co-Founder, Velisa Wine

Barry Johnson
Founder & CEO, 7 Generations Africa

Bastiaan Hochstenbach
Partner, E4E Africa

Bastian Gotter
Founder & Angel Investor

Başar Canıperk
Entrepreneur & Investor

Chijioke Dozie
Co-Founder, Carbon

Christiane Kilian
Executive Board member, STIFT

Christopher Joondeph
Content Creator, authentic_traveling

Claudia Swartzberg
CEO, Top Dog Education & CambriLearn

Claudia Conceicao
Regional Director, Southern Africa, International Finance Corporation

Dagmar van Ravenswaay Claasen
Senior Partner, LUMO Labs

David Torr
Co-Founder & CEO, FARO

Deetje Scannell
Private Investor

Dele Olojede
Founder & Host, Africa in the World

Duncan Irvine
CEO and Founder, Forge

Elias Gallego
VP, Business Development, Marketing & Media, Sporty Group

Elias Schulze
General Manager, PFL Africa

Felix Leonhardt
Managing Partner, Oyster Bay Venture Capital

Frank Mccosker
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Africa Bridge Fund

George Straschnov
Managing Director, Bisk Ventures

Gidon Novick
Entrepreneur & Investor, Circle Senior Living

Jasper Masemann
General Partner, Discovery Ventures

Josh Whale
Founder and CEO, Ampersand USA Inc

Dr. Julian Hueck
Managing Director, O.E. Hueck GmbH

Karsten Wulf
Founder and CEO, zwei.7 Holding GmbH

Keet van Zyl
High-Growth Venture Investor | Co-Founder, Knife Capital

Kevin Dillon
Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Atlantic Bridge Capital LLP

Kola Aina
Founding Partner, Ventures Platform

Mariama Boumanjal
Ukraine Startup Fund Manager, Google for Startups UK and Africa Lead, Founders Fund Manager - Europe & Africa, Google for Startups

Marina Markezic
Co-Founder & Executive Director, European Crypto Initiative

Mathias Ockenfels
Partner, b2venture

Maurizio Caio
Founder & Managing Partner, TLcom Capital LLP

Maximilian von Waldenfels
Co-Founder, Caspar Health

Melvyn Lubega
Partner, Breega

Michael Power
Director & Geo-Economic Strategist, Kaskazi Consulting

Mike Joubert
Founder, Billybo Group | Chairman, Viya Health

Mulumba Lwatula
Head of Investments, Industrial Development Corporation

Natalie Jabangwe
Board Member | Group Chief Digital Officer| Former CEO, EcoCash Zw

Neil Markovitz
Chief Executive Officer, Newmark Hotels

Nina Verder
Principal Operator-Investor, Secha Capital

Odunayo Eweniyi
Co-founder & Chief Operations Officer, PiggyVest

Omar Khashaba
General Partner, Algebra Ventures

Patrick Kirchhoff
Director & Engineering, Cisco

Pieter van Groos
Founding Partner, Strand House Investments

Raghu Raman
Founder & Speaker, Capt. Raman

Roberta Gumede
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gijima

Sachen Chandaria
Chief Executive Officer, Orbit Products Africa Limited

Simone van Straaten
Chief Executive Officer, Verimark

Thomas Otter
General Partner, Acadian Ventures

Wrenelle Stander
Chief Executive Officer, Wesgro Tourism

Marco Neuhaus
Venture Partner, Motive Ventures

Reyburn Hendricks
Director, H1 Holdings

Sherine Kabesh
CEO, Flash

Mamo Mihretu
Former Governor, National Bank of Ethiopia | Former CEO, Ethiopian Investment Holdings

Kolawole Owodunni
Executive Director & Chief Investment Officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority

Eliot Dupuis
Harvard Student, Harvard University

Kerry West Fynn
CEO, AlphaWealth

Mika Hajjar
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, P1 Ventures

Mark Miller
Founder and Managing Partner, Carlsquare

Caroline Greyling
Museum Director, Norval Foundation

Adele Hollmann
Senior Scientific Affairs Manager, Sanity Group

Erwin Rademaker
Senior programmamanager, Port of Rotterdam

Jesse Hemson-Struthers
Co-Founder & CEO, BVNK

Herman Spruit
CEO, 361 at Finca, FINCA International

Matthias Vollherbst
Business Owner & Board Member, Vollherbst

Rony Vogel
Chief Executive Officer, Vogel Family Office ltd.

Michael Schmidt
Chief Investment Officer, 885 Capital

Dr. Onike Nicol-Houra
Lead Investment Relations Specialist, Africa Investment Forum

Brian Waswani Odhiambo
Partner, Novastar Ventures

Karen Pieterse
Head of Sales Stratosat Africa, Stratosat Datacom SA (Pty) Ltd

Moritz Boullenger
Co-Founder, Fluidkey

Thomas Bachem
Founder & Managing Director of CODE Trust, CODE University of Applied Sciences

Fredrik Jung Abbou
Co-Founder, Norrsken Launcher

Lutz Stenvers
CEO, mtex antenna technology

Michael Mol
Medical Doctor, Media Personality & Health-Tech Entrepreneur

Ravi Naidoo
Commissioner National Planning Commission, Presidency, Republic of South Africa

Fabian Wittleben
Founding Partner, MVP Founders

Thomas de Buhr
CEO, TDB - OFF THE PITCH

Kelly Chibale
Professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa

Andreas Papadaniil
Founder & CEO, suresecure GmbH

Daniel Bronk
Managing Partner, B+V Union GmbH

James Nathan
Chief Executive Officer, Nucleus Investment Management

Adam Fine
CEO & Founder, Fives Futbol | Co-Founder Virgin Active Padel Club ZA

Jacob Wiese
Alternative Non-Executive Director at Shoprite Holdings Ltd.

Eric Spett
Founder & CEO, Coach, Scalebound

Hakan Filipson
Investor, HFCT Investments

Gregory Parsons
Vice President of Global Business Development Media and Marketing at Sporty Group

Anton Gaylard
Director, Troygold

Mark Burke
Member of Parliament, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa

Rob Sussman
CEO at Integr8 Group

Tilo Bonow
Founder & CEO, PIABO Communications

Niels Kalshoven
U-space Liasion - Port of Rotterdam, DronePort Rotterdam

Frederik de Ridder
Chief Executive Officer, Mura Space

James Barrington-Brown
Chief Revenue Officer, NewCraft Aerospace

Styli Charalambous
Co-founder and CEO at Daily Maverick

Stephan Thor Stubner
AG Chair, HHL Leipzig | Professor, Stellenbosch University | Investor

Linda Mabhena-Olagunju
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, DLO Energy Resources Group (Pty) Ltd

Axel Konjack
Head Global Marketplaces / Member Group Executive Board, Ringier AG

Fasie Malherbe
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Smart Operator AI

Amandine Lobelle
Chief Operating Officer, Paystack

Branko Brkic
Leader, Project Kontinuum

Philipp Graf Schack von Wittenau
Chairman of the Shareholders’ Committee, DREHTAINER GmbH

Lee-Anne Singer
Marketing & Sales Director, Singer Group | Partner, Southern Africa, HVS Middle East & Africa

Jens Kunath
CEO, Orangemedia.de GmbH & Co.KG

Vymala Thuron
Group Head, Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB)

Cairo Howarth
President, EFC

Willem Venter
Chief Executive Officer, Prescient Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Mission Partners Supporting Counder
Mission Partners are Visionary Leaders that support and partner with Counder on our mission to connect visionary leaders, bridge new and established perspectives, and spark meaningful collaborations that explore tomorrow's most important opportunities.

Karl Westvig
CEO, TymeBank | Private Investor

Akin II Omoboriowo
Chairman & CEO, Genesis Energy Holding

Claudia Zeisberger
Professor of Entrepreneurship & Family Enterprise, INSEAD

Jonathan Cordero
Private Investor

Odunayo Eweniyi
Co-founder & Chief Operations Officer, PiggyVest

Bastian Gotter
Founder & Angel Investor

Duncan Irvine
CEO and Founder, Forge

George Straschnov
Managing Director, Bisk Ventures

Keet van Zyl
High-Growth Venture Investor | Co-Founder, Knife Capital

Maurizio Caio
Founder & Managing Partner, TLcom Capital LLP

Mike Joubert
Founder, Billybo Group | Chairman, Viya Health

Natalie Jabangwe
Board Member | Group Chief Digital Officer| Former CEO, EcoCash Zw

Reyburn Hendricks
Director, H1 Holdings

Aguil Deng
Corporate Philanthropy Africa, Bloomberg

Roberta Gumede
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gijima

Nicolaas Marais
Chairman & Co-Founder, Carmel Wealth

Sachen Chandaria
Chief Executive Officer, Orbit Products Africa Limited
Breakout Topics 2026
Breakout
Sports & New Leagues: The Business of Play
Discovering scalable sports formats redefining entertainment, fandom, and PE investment potential.
Breakout
Cybersecurity: A Global Imperative
Exploring digital resilience, emerging threats, and trusted security architectures shaping global stability.
Breakout
VC in Africa: Capturing the Tech & AI Upside
Join TLcom Capital and John McDermott from The Economist in unpacking key trends, growth dynamics and red herrings in Africa’s VC ecosystem.
Breakout
Ports & Supply Chains: The Future
Smart, resilient ports reshaping global trade through automation, data, decarbonization.
Breakout
Cannabis: From Medical Use to Investments
Learning about clinical evidence, therapeutic access, regulatory evolution, and scalable investment growth.
Breakout
Growth Capital in Africa: Building Unicorns
Christo Wiese (Pep/Shoprite), Salvador Anglada (Optasia), and Cheslyn Jacobs (Tyme Bank) share behind-the-scenes stories on decisions, setbacks, and breakthroughs that built the continent’s most iconic billion-dollar businesses.
Breakout
Space & Defense: An Ecosystem Catalyst
Mapping the African space ecosystem future, highlighting the frontier opportunities reshaping global markets, including dual-use opportunities.
Breakout
Deep dive Nigeria: Building from Frontier Markets
What Nigeria’s venture outcomes reveal about building, scaling, and investing in Africa's frontier markets.
Breakout
Digital Marketplaces: What’s Next?
Understanding how two-sided marketplaces make an impact across emerging markets.
Breakout
Crypto: From Speculation to Stablecoins
The transition from speculative narratives to regulated, institutional-grade crypto markets.
Breakout
Philantrophy 2.0: Partnerships from Academia to the Arts
Unpacking how cross-sector partnerships unlock scalable innovation and resilience.
Breakout
Key Macro Investment Trends: Global Wealth in Flux
Geopolitics, deglobalization, demographics, energy and technology reshaping global capital allocation.
Breakout
Digital Infrastructure: The Global Backbone
Where connectivity meets AI compute in the world's fastest-growing markets.
Breakout
Emerging Creative Ecosystems: From KPOP to Nollywood
How cultural industries are becoming scalable, investable engines of global growth.
Breakout
Urbanisation & Resilience: Cities of Tomorrow
Designing resilient, tech-enabled urban systems to solve tomorrow’s social and climate challenges.
Breakout
Fintech: From Startup to Institution
How successful companies move from building fast-growing startups to enduring institutions.
Breakout
AI: The Future of the Biggest Global Trend
From efficiency gains to paradigm shifts, AI rewrites the rules of economic value creation.
Breakout
Youth Education: The Real Future of Emerging Markets
Youth education is the decisive investment shaping opportunity, resilience, and long-term prosperity in emerging markets - fascinating the youth of Astronomy, Big Data & Tech.
Selected Partners 2026
Media Partners
Be Part of Counder Conference
At Counder, we know true progress thrives at the intersection of trusted connections, groundbreaking insights, and immersive experiences. We unite visionary leaders from around the world to explore tomorrow's most important opportunities together.
Our Collective fosters exclusive collaborations, strategic co-investments, and impactful outcomes. Whether you're a visionary investor seeking new frontiers or a leading pioneer in your field, you're invited to be a part of Counder. Together, let's shape the future and build a legacy that resonates across generations.
Be Part of Counder
Beyond Words: The Atmosphere in Pictures












2026 Agenda
Explore an overview of the Conference Agenda.
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27–29 January 2026
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3-Day Programme
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Explore an overview of the Conference Agenda.
-
27–29 January 2026
-
3-Day Programme
Opening Reception
27 January 2026
On 27 January, Counder Conference opens at one of Cape Town's most distinguished venues in Bishopscourt. This evening sets the tone for three transformative days, featuring welcome addresses from global thought leaders and creating the foundation for the Conference experience.
At Counder, we know that tomorrow's most important opportunities require trusted human connections. The Gala Reception creates the environment where those connections begin — organically, meaningfully, and memorably.
Context Day
28 January 2026
Counder Conference, Context Day is dedicated to exploring tomorrow's most important opportunities through Knowledge Partners lead contextual deep-dives into future-facing trends, regions & topics. These breakout sessions are designed for deep thinking and collaborative innovation, moving beyond presentations to productive working sessions that generate real insights.
Guided by Knowledge Partners including OpenAI, Ringier, Norrsken22, TLcom Capital, and Yellow Card, breakout sessions explore the trends shaping tomorrow. Examples of select topics covered at the Conference are:
- Venture Capital in Africa
- Sports & New Leagues
- The Future of AI
- Cannabis Trends
These are a few of the many themes that will be discussed on the Context Day.
The day culminates with an evening of culture and connection: live music, local artistry, and shared moments in Norval Foundation’s sculpture garden.
Connect Day
29 January 2026
Counder Conference, Connect Day moves beyond the Conference venue into Cape Town itself. A beautiful gathering space serves as your base for meetings and organic exchange — fully catered and designed for deepening the connections forged over the previous two days.
For those who would like to explore Cape Town, choose your own adventure through exclusive excursions. Each excursion is carefully curated for small groups, ensuring meaningful conversations in memorable settings.
The Connect Day culminates with our closing gala dinner, where we celebrate the connections formed.
Partners Only
Partner Reception
26 January 2026
The Partner Reception serves as an intimate precursor to the main event, bringing together our world-class partner organisations and mission partners. It is a dedicated space for those who support the Counder mission to align, network, and prepare for the collaborative journey ahead.
FAQs
What is Counder Conference?
Counder Conference is our annual highlight—the full gathering of visionary leaders to explore tomorrow's most important opportunities together. Supported by world-class organisations, global leaders gain shared experiences and insights in a stunning, natural environment—creating a uniquely trusted, connected and collaborative exchange. It's where big ideas are born, trusted connections are made, and collaborative action on tomorrow's most important opportunities begins.
It is located in Cape Town as our chosen host city for the 2027 edition of our flagship Conference.
What is the Counder Conference Codex 2027?
Counder brings together a global community of visionary leaders shaping tomorrow’s most important opportunities.
In a world in flux and with strongly varying perspectives, Counder aims to be the all-year-round collective and yearly gathering place for those embracing open & frank dialogue and new, trusted connections to understand what is next.
This Codex built on core Counder values sets the tone for how visionary leaders from around the world gather, connect, and collaborate at our flagship Counder Conference 2027:
1. Trust
Built through integrity, openness and respect.
We speak honestly, listen generously, and create an environment where candid dialogue is not only welcomed but expected.
2. Shared Experiences
We believe that the most meaningful relationships are formed through moments lived together.
The conference blends dialogue, discovery and curated experiences that move conversations into lasting connections.
3. Curiosity
We approach the world with a learning mindset.
We explore emerging trends and regions with humility, perspective and a commitment to understanding what’s next.
4. Innovation
We embrace new formats, ideas and approaches—in content, in design, and in how we convene.
Nothing is formulaic; everything is intentional.
5. Long-Term Relationships
Counder is not a two-day event—it is a year-round, multi-year community.
We prioritise relationships that grow, deepen and compound over time.
6. Generosity of Contribution
Every participant is both a giver and a receiver.
We contribute insights, introductions and support in ways that elevate the entire community.
7. Cross-Border Perspective
We look beyond geography and sector.
Counder thrives on diverse voices, global vantage points and the meeting of regions shaping the future—from Africa and the Middle East to Europe, Asia and the Americas.
8. Action Over Rhetoric
Conversations matter only when they lead somewhere.
We aim for clarity, momentum and partnership, enabling participants to act on ideas emerging from the gathering.
The Spirit of Counder
A trusted circle.
A shared experience.
A community united by curiosity and possibility.
A place where visionary leaders build the relationships that shape the future.
What does it cost to attend Counder Conference?
Counder Conference is FREE to attend, but participation is strictly by invitation, referral, or initiative registration subject to review. Every attendee is carefully curated to ensure alignment with our mission and to uphold the integrity of our community. While there is no fee to attend, we invite those who wish to further support Counder to become Mission Partners (helping grow our network) or Equity Partners (investing in our long-term impact). This model removes financial barriers and reinforces our commitment to building a high-trust, collaboration-driven network focused on shaping the future together.
Where and when does the Conference take place?
The 2027 edition of our flagship Conference will be held from 26-28 January in Cape Town, South Africa. For more information about what to expect at the Conference, please visit www.counder.com/conference.
Why is the Conference held in Cape Town?
Cape Town's unique position as an emerging city of the future driven by its blend of innovation, natural beauty, and cultural richness makes it the perfect host city for our flagship Conference — inspiring creativity and connection.
What can attendees expect at the Conference?
Participants immerse themselves in dynamic discussions, forge high-level connections, and experience curated networking activities that spark collaboration.
Where can attendees stay during the Conference?
The conference venues are in different locations and easily reachable from various great Cape Town hotels.
Recommended Hotels
| One & Only Cape Town | Waterfront | 5 stars |
| Ellerman House | Bantry Bay | 5 stars |
| Mount Nelson | Gardens (CBD) | 5 stars |
| The Silo Hotel | Waterfront | 5 stars |
| Alphen Boutique Hotel & Spa | Constantia | 5 stars |
| Cape Grace Hotel | Waterfront | 5 stars |
| Dorp Hotel | Bo-Kaap | 5 stars |
| Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel | CBD | 5 stars |
| POD Camps Bay | Camps Bay | 5 stars |
| Steenberg Hotel & SPA | Tokai | 5 stars |
| Camps Bay Retreat | Camps Bay | 4 stars |
| O'Two Boutique Hotel | Mouille Point | 4 stars |
| Protea Fire & Ice | CBD | 4 stars |
| Radisson RED Cape Town V&A Waterfront | Waterfront | 4 stars |
| The Winchester Mansions | Sea Point | 4 stars |
| Vineyard Hotel | Constantia | 4 stars |
| Canopy by Hilton | Gardens (CBD) | 4 stars |
FAQs - Travel & Local Guides
When should I plan to arrive in Cape Town?
To fully engage with the experience:
- Partners & Speakers
Arrive on Monday 26 January. Early programming and private briefings begin that afternoon. - All Guests
Arrive on Tuesday 27 January to participate in the Opening Reception. - Departure
Book outbound flights for Friday 30 January. The closing ceremony is Thursday evening.
January is high summer in Cape Town — please book flights and accommodation early for best availability and views.
What are the options for local transport?
- Airport to City
Uber: Safe, reliable, and recommended.
Private Transfers: Offered by most boutique hotels and luxury accommodations. - Getting Around
Uber is the norm. Cape Town is walkable in key areas: V&A Waterfront, Sea Point, Gardens. Avoid solo walking after dark.
Where should I go for great local cuisine?
World-class cuisine, coastal views, and design-forward spaces make dining a core part of the Cape Town experience.
- Fine Dining
- FYN (City Centre) – Afro-Japanese fusion with skyline views.
- La Colombe (Constantia) – Multi-course excellence in a treehouse-like setting.
- The Test Kitchen Carbon (Woodstock) – Immersive tasting menus in a bold industrial space.
- Lunch / Dinner with Atmosphere
- Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia – Vineyard views, small plates, clean modern design.
- Kloof Street House – Lush garden terrace, velvet-lined interiors, eclectic classics.
- Mantra Café (Camps Bay) – Beach-facing casual elegance, great for sunset dining.
- Saigon (Gardens) – Upscale Vietnamese cuisine with panoramic city views.
- Bouchon Bistro (CBD) – Intimate, refined, excellent local wine pairings.
- Coffee & Light Bites
- Jarryds (Sea Point & CBD) – Artisanal café dining, famed for brunch and fresh juices.
- Jason Bakery (Green Point & CBD) – Famous for pastries and breakfast buns.
- Truth Coffee Roasting (CBD) – Globally acclaimed for its design and deep-roasted blends.
- Harvest Café (Bo-Kaap) – Rooftop views, plant-forward menus, easygoing atmosphere.
What activities are recommended in Cape Town?
- Close Access (in or near city centre)
- Table Mountain Cableway – Arrive early to beat queues.
- Zeitz MOCAA – Architecturally iconic, Africa’s leading contemporary art museum.
- V&A Waterfront – Excellent for light shopping, quick bites, and sunset catamaran cruises.
- Optional Escapes
- Lion’s Head sunrise hike – Panoramic ascent, ~45 min each way.
- Camps Bay & Clifton Beaches – Cocktail bars, restaurants & lively atmosphere.
- Constantia Valley – South Africa’s oldest wine route.
- Extended Day Trips
- Cape Point Nature Reserve – Drive along Chapman’s Peak to a cliffside lookout.
- Boulders Beach – Penguin colony in a protected cove.
- Franschhoek – Historic wine village with art galleries and tram routes.
- Kalk Bay & Muizenberg – Charming seaside towns, surfing, antiques, cafes.
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