GDI Hub at Inclusive Africa 2025
GDI Hub at Inclusive Africa 2025: Shaping the Future of Assistive Technology and Inclusive Innovation.
The Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) is proud to be participating in the upcoming Inclusive Africa Conference 2025, a leading regional platform advancing digital accessibility, assistive technology (AT), and disability inclusion across the continent. Taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, from June 3rd to 6th, this year’s conference promises dynamic conversations, collaborative learning, and bold innovations aimed at unlocking inclusion through technology.
GDI Hub will lead and contribute to a series of impactful sessions throughout the week, spotlighting the role of inclusive ecosystems, OPD (Organisations of Persons with Disabilities) capacity-building, and locally driven innovation.
June 3rd, 2025
📍 Mobile as AT: Final Research Readout
Exploring how mobile devices, when combined with digital skills, can change lives. Sharing results from GDI Hub, ATscale, AT2030 and Google research on how mobile devices can serve as assistive technology. [June 3rd, 3.40pm]
June 4th 2025
📍 Mobile as AT: Industry Research Readout Roundtable
A closed-door session for the mobile and digital industry with practical insights on how to maximise accessible and inclusive tech - hearing from GDI Hub, Goggle & ATscale [June 4th, 11am]
📍The Africa We Want: Role of OPDs in Supporting the Implementation of Digital Accessibility
As Africa embraces digital transformation, accessible technology is essential for inclusion, participation, and equality. This session will bring together leaders of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to explore how they are advancing digital accessibility across the continent - with examples from GDI Hub's AT2030 programme [June 4th, 11am]
📍 Skills Gap & Employment for Persons with Disabilities
Roundtable exploring barriers and opportunities around inclusive employment, with a focus on closing the digital and skills gap for persons with disabilities. Sharing insights from GDI Hub's OPD capacity building project delivered in partnership with Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa [June 4th, 2:00pm]
📍 Roundtable on Sustaining Disability Innovation
This side event explores affordability, market access, and investment in Assistive Technology in Africa. GDI Hub's Head of Innovation, Ben Hardman, will join the panel of this important session co-hosted by ATscale and AT4D. [June 4th 2025 2-4:30pm]
📍 Innovation Village Pitching session
GDI Hub will be judging in this pitch competition alongside ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology, AT4D, inABLE & Zero Project [June 4th, 9.40am]
📍 Satellite Event: AT2030 OPD Event & Kenyan Launch of OPD Needs Assessment Hosted by Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa, this special evening gathering marks the national launch of a landmark OPD needs assessment, with insights on advocacy and systems strengthening. Explore the full report. [June 4th, evening] - see more details below.
June 5th, 2025
📍 Centre Digital Language Inclusion: A journey to creating non-typical speech to text in African Languages
Exploring the power of AI innovation to change lives across Africa, the Centre for Digital Language Inclusion (CDLI) led by GDI Hub is enabling people with non-typical speech to be able to use voice-first technology. This session will explore how digital technologies, combined with research, capacity building, local knowledge and local languages, are enabling new global solutions designed to adopted [June 5th, 12.15 pm]
June 6th, 2025
📍 Satellite Event: Innovation Ecosystem Event Capacity Building for the Kenyan AT Ecosystem
The final day features a deep dive into venture development and ecosystem building for AT in Kenya. This event is hosted by GDI Hub's innovation team in support of the AT ecosystem in the region [June 6th, all day]