Tech conference Latitude59, which hosted a two-day event in Nairobi, Kenya, last December, has opened applications for its flagship pitch competition in Tallinn, Estonia, inviting early-stage African startups to compete for investment opportunities. Kenyan startup Mediakits.io, winner of the Latitude59 Kenya pitch competition, will receive fast-track access to Estonia’s competition pre-finals.
Latitude59 CEO Liisi Org said that the Latitude59 pitch competition is one of the largest and most influential in Northern Europe, and that startups from across Africa are welcome to apply.
“Over the past decade, Latitude59 has grown into one of the most international and influential technology events in Northern Europe, while also extending its reach to Africa and Asia. Our stage is where early-stage startups can truly take off, and our goal is to give ambitious teams the chance to deliver a decisive pitch that sets them up for strong future growth. I’m confident that, together with our dedicated jury, mentors and investors, the next tech superstars will emerge from the Latitude59 stage,” Org said.
In 2025, a total of €675,000 was invested through the Latitude59 pitch competition, backed by EstBAN, LatBAN and LitBAN. Investments of €175,000–€250,000 were secured by green energy solutions developer MarkeDroid, construction startup Adventum Tech and defence tech company Luna Robotics.
Latitude59 also held its satellite event in Nairobi in December 2025, bringing together 2,500 participants, nearly 200 investors and almost 900 startup representatives. In total, participants came from 50 countries.
Latitude59’s pitch competition in Kenya attracted 222 applications from 27 countries. The competition was won by Mediakits.io, which is building a simple and easy-to-use platform that allows influencers to create custom media kits online using real-time data and analytics.
Krista Meinarde, Latitude59’s Head of Startup and Investor Relations, said Mediakits.io will receive a return trip to the Latitude59 event in Tallinn this May, a booth at the conference and fast-track access to Estonia’s pitch competition pre-finals. “Competition will be fierce again this year, as we want the world’s most ambitious founders on the Latitude59 stage, ready to test themselves, impress our jury, and take their impact to the international tech scene,” Meinarde said.
This year, Latitude59 is looking for early-stage startups with a clear mission, a scalable business model, and a functional product with proven traction or strong market feedback. Last year, 407 startups from 48 countries applied.
The application deadline is 15 April 2026. From all applicants, 15 top teams will be selected for the semi-finals, where they will receive professional training and mentoring. The winners will be announced at the final on 22 May on the Latitude59 main stage.
Latitude59 2026 will take place on 20–22 May in Tallinn, Estonia. This year, Latitude59 has chosen The Global Village Experiment as its main theme, testing the hypothesis that the most valuable connections happen when ecosystems collide. In 2026, the ambition is to bring founders and ecosystem builders from around the world to Estonia. Organisers expect participants from more than 70 countries.
Important dates:
April 15, 2025 – application deadline
April 29 – TOP30 startups announced
May 4–8 – pre-finals
May 21–22 – the finals will take place on the main stage of the Latitude59
Applications are open now, and startups can apply via the Latitude59 website: https://latitude59.ee/pitch-competition/
