Nicolas De Santis Illuminates the Africa Creative Economy Summit with Visionary GenAI Keynote
Unlocking Africa’s Creative Potential Through Creative Imagination, AI Innovation, and Global Collaboration.
The Africa Creative Economy Summit was an extraordinary gathering where the most creative minds from across the globe converged to shape the future of Africa’s cultural and creative sectors.
London 20th November 2024
London became the epicentre of innovation and culture as the Africa Creative Economy Summit 2024 brought together the vibrant forces shaping Africa's creative industries. This landmark event, held in the heart of the city, offered a dynamic platform for demystifying investments, exploring business models, and unlocking capital for Africa’s flourishing creative sectors.
The keynote opening speech at the Africa Creative Summit was delivered by Nicolas De Santis Cuadra, founder of Megavisionary Labs, who discussed how Africa’s creative sectors can harness the power of exponential AI technologies to scale globally, driving both cultural and economic growth.
His talk, ‘Adventures in Building Billion-Dollar Unicorns: An Entrepreneur’s Journey,’ reflects on the challenges and triumphs that have defined his 30-year journey as a disruptive entrepreneur. From leading ventures like Beenz.com and Opodo.com to navigating the turbulence of business uncertainty in the travel industry during the aftermath of 9/11, these experiences have shaped his approach to innovation and resilience.
During his speech at the Africa Creative Economy Summit, Nicolas De Santis shared powerful insights on the transformative role of Generative AI in Africa’s creative industries. “Generative AI has the potential to revolutionise the creative landscape by empowering artists and entrepreneurs with tools that expand their capabilities beyond traditional limits,” said Nicolas. “In Africa, where creativity and innovation already thrive, AI can help unlock new opportunities, enhance productivity, and create scalable business models that resonate globally. The power of AI lies in its ability to amplify human creativity, enabling individuals and businesses to explore untapped markets and reach new heights.”
At the Summit, Nicolas showcased two innovative AI-powered companies: blooper.ai, a platform revolutionising video production for creators, and Schools Mobile, a company dedicated to ensuring children’s safety online. Both ventures exemplify the transformative potential of AI to address critical challenges and drive meaningful change across industries.
Nicolas De Santis Cuadra, Founder, Megavisionary Labs
His keynote delved into strategies to innovate business models and unlock market-fitting investment structures, offering a roadmap for Africa’s creative entrepreneurs to compete on the world stage. Highlighting lessons from his work with some of the world’s most iconic brands and his success in disruptive ventures like Beenz.com and Opodo.com, Nicolas inspired a new wave of young entrepreneurs.
The summit’s diverse programme featured thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and high-profile networking sessions. Attendees included ambassadors and attachés from countries such as the British Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, all eager to deepen ties and expand opportunities in Africa’s creative and cultural industries.
The event also drew attention to the strides made by Caribbean nations in developing and exporting their rich cultural heritage, offering valuable lessons for Africa’s creative ecosystem. With governments prioritising creative industries as engines of economic growth, the summit provided an unparalleled opportunity for collaboration, innovation, and shared success across continents.
