Impact and Innovation Forums

Overview of Impact and Innovation

Our Innovation and Impact Forums are part of a year-round speaker series across Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., New York City, and virtually with thought-provoking conversations around strategic and consistent diaspora engagement in Africa’s future. The African Diaspora Network intentionally collaborates with organizations to bring topics to our network aligned with our strategic direction. The ADN Impact and Innovation Forums enable us to continue harnessing the knowledge and resources of Africans in the diaspora for positive impact through investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and human capital.

Date: Wednesday December 17, 2025 | Virtual

Why diaspora science matters for strengthening Africa’s health and innovation ecosystem

Africa carries nearly a quarter of the global disease burden yet produces only about 2% of health research and attracts just 1% of global R&D investment. As part of Agenda 2063, the African Union has placed science, technology, and innovation at the heart of its development agenda, with the African diaspora increasingly contributing technical expertise, mentorship, and capital.

Date: October 28, 2025 | Virtual

Self-Care, Health Literacy, and Sustainable Financing: Building Health Resilience through Innovation and Community

Healthcare systems around the world are under strain. Rising costs, workforce shortages, and persistent inequities mean that millions of people cannot consistently access formal care. For many communities across Africa, Asia, and beyond, self-care is not a supplement to healthcare – it is the first and sometimes only option available.

Date: September 23, 2025 | Location: New York

Beyond Remittances: Partnership Models for Diaspora-Led Investment and Development

In alignment with the 2025 United Nations General Assembly theme, “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” this convening will explore how diaspora-led cooperative models—philanthropic, impact-oriented, and business-driven—can collectively address Africa’s most pressing development challenges.

Date: September 3, 2025| Location: Washington, D.C.

The African Diaspora and U.S.-Africa Policy: From the Margins to the Center

The African diaspora stands at a critical crossroads: while it contributes billions annually in remittances and mobilizes rapidly during humanitarian crises, its collective voice remains underrepresented in shaping U.S.-Africa policy.

Wednesday, July 23, 2025 8:00 AM PDT | 11:00 PM EDT

From Dialogue to Impact: Next Steps After ADIS25

ADIS25 was a milestone event – marking our 10th anniversary – and many of us left with a renewed sense of purpose, deeper connections, and tangible opportunities to advance our shared vision of transformational impact. To continue the conversation, we now invite you to join us for a special edition of our Impact & Innovation Forums: From Dialogue to Impact: Next Steps After ADIS25.

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025

Skoll World Forum

African Diaspora Network in partnership with Rhodes Trust, Moore Philanthropy, and Atlantic Institute hosted a significant event at Rhodes House in Oxford, UK as part of the Skoll World Forum. This critical conversation discusses both the enduring structural challenges faced by African and African diaspora and/or descendant entrepreneurs, and the opportunities, benefits and solutions available to entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders looking to multiply the impact on the African continent and beyond.

March 20th 2025

Championing Community: Celebrating African Women’s Collective Action Across the Diaspora

In honor of women’s history month, the African Diaspora Network brings together this critical Impact and Innovation Forum on the importance of convening, connecting and collaborating. With a focus on women’s collective action and leadership across regions and sectors, we create an opportunity for meaningful dialogue, cultural exchange, and celebration of African excellence and innovation across the globe.