About AACOSE

A pan-African platform for social entrepreneurship

The Annual Africa Conference on Social Entrepreneurship brings government, the private sector, development partners and innovators together to grow social enterprise across Africa.
Who we are

Started in Nairobi in 2017, now moving across the continent

AACOSE is an initiative of the Institute for Social Transformation at Tangaza University. It started in 2017 to bring the main actors in social entrepreneurship together and build an environment where social enterprises can grow.

The conference is co-organised with partner organisations that support social entrepreneurs. After eight editions hosted in East Africa, AACOSE 9 moves to Addis Ababa with Social Enterprise Ethiopia as host.

Cumulative impact

AACOSE since 2017

Editions held
0
Participants
0 +
African countries
0 +
Institutional partners
0 +
Papers, reports and case studies
0 +
Youth- and women-led ventures featured
0 +
Editions

Nine conferences, one thread

2017 · AACOSE 1

Rethinking Enterprise for Social Transformation

~120 participants, 6 countries
2018 · AACOSE 2

Innovation for Impact

~160 participants, 9 countries
2019 · AACOSE 3

Social Entrepreneurship in Policy and Practice

~220 participants, 13 countries
2020 · AACOSE 4 (virtual)

Resilience and Innovation during Crisis

~400 online participants, 17 countries
2021 · AACOSE 5

Transforming Systems, Shaping Futures

~350 participants, hybrid
2022 · AACOSE 6

Leadership for Impact

~380 participants, 20 countries
2024 · AACOSE 7

Building Networks to Advance Social Entrepreneurship

~450 participants
2025 · AACOSE 8

Social Economy: Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Future for Africa

460 delegates, 15 countries
2027 · AACOSE 9

Harnessing Digital Innovation for Youth Job Creation in the Social Economy

17–18 March, Addis Ababa

Background

Social enterprises across Africa deliver results that other development models have not. They still face slow access to finance, missing legal frameworks, weak collaboration and gaps in skills. National networks exist in several countries but rarely talk to each other.

Why the conference

Africa needs a development model rooted in its own values, including utu and ubuntu. AACOSE connects social enterprises that work in silos so they can build a pan-African movement and a network of networks.

What it produces

New knowledge from panels and case studies, compiled for practitioners and researchers. Links between national networks. Research openings for academia and direction for advocacy.

Organisers

Who runs AACOSE

Institute for Social Transformation, Tangaza University

Founder and convener of AACOSE since 2017.

Social Enterprise Ethiopia

Host of AACOSE 9. A national membership association founded in 2018 that works with more than 680 social enterprises.

Network of African Social Enterprises

Pan-African network of national social enterprise bodies, launched at AACOSE 7.
About NASE

DYNAMIC TEAM OF VISIONARIES

AACOSE Conveners

AACOSE is a Pan-African convening that provides opportunities for actors in social entrepreneurship. 

About AACOSE

  • NASE
  • Previous AACOSE
  • AACOSE Academia
  • Youth Innovation Challenge

Contact Information

  • +254 116 023 210
  • istconferences@tangaza.ac.ke
Facebook X-twitter Youtube Instagram

© 2025 AACOSE | All Rights Reserved: Perseid Technologies

0