Every January, more than 30,000 people descend on a sleepy ski town in Switzerland named Davos Platz. Some come to tackle the world’s largest problems. Most come to make deals and be seen making them. Everything is sold out. Price gouging is in full effect. Traffic is atrocious. And yet, the mix of power, proximity and possibilities keeps people coming back. Despite these challenges, I went in with two clear goals: strengthen my connection to the sub-Saharan start-up community and take the global temperature on quantum computing.
THE LOGISTICS
The strangest thing about Davos is the infrastructure, or lack thereof, for a conference of this size that takes place in the Swiss Alps in January. Without an official WEF badge, I stayed on “The Promenade,” the main street in Davos Platz, which transforms into an outdoor business mall.
Major players were everywhere. Companies of all sizes had a presence, including Deloitte, IBM, Anthropic, Uber, DP World, and LinkedIn.
I was shocked by the number of custom builds and takeovers. Running into an old friend who walked me through DP world’s custom “rooftop” said everything. Countries also hosted their own “houses”, which as a marketer, is always fascinating. Countries branding themselves with decor, food, and programming is in some ways the easiest and hardest branding job, but the Jollof rice in the Nigeria House was one of the most memorable moments of my week.
Shout out to the women at the Female Quotient who were one of the only spaces to provide us with Maslow’s basic needs - food and shelter. Leave it to women to get the basics right.
QUANTUM - NOPE, STILL AI
AI still reigned supreme in conversations among investors and founders. While concerns about OpenAI's financials floated around, the broader consensus was clear. AI’s impact on nearly every aspect of society is still being developed but it’s definitely here to stay. One standout moment was hearing Amal Clooney speak about how she’s using AI through her foundation to expand legal protections for the most vulnerable at the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
Surprisingly, I only saw a handful of quantum computing events. My bet is that 2027 Davos will be all about quantum computing. The industry is poised to make significant strides this year - especially with all the doom and gloom AI headlines.
BLACK IN DAVOS
The most meaningful part of Davos for me was connecting with the larger African Diaspora. From panels on energy and entertainment at the Nigeria House, to mixers at the Africa Innovation Hub, to the impromptu conversations on the streets and the train, the energy was undeniable.
Despite the headwinds, there is considerable excitement and entrepreneurship across sub-Saharan Africa. By 2030, 42% of the planet's youth will live in this region. That demographic reality alone sets the stage for sustained growth and investment opportunities. We’re already seeing people like Nike, the founder of Itura Capital, creating new models for investment in Africa.
My biggest disappointment was missing the Inkwell event run by the formidable Adrienne Smith thanks to a delayed flight. Maybe I’ll join her in Cannes!
Highlights included seeing old friends like Wyclef Jean and Katherine Petit, spotting T-Mac at the Amal Clooney event, hearing firsthand from Alex Rodriquez for a @Teneo talk (thanks to Leigh Gallagher), and following Aloe Blacc in the first-ever Davos Soul Train Line at the Global Citizen Party (thank you, Laura Brounstein and Randall Lane).
Just as meaningful was reconnecting with familiar faces and deepening existing relationships, including spending time with the incredible Kristina Libby, without whom this Davos trip would not have happened, and meeting new people along the way, including my new LA bestie Ryan Smith!
Listen to the Spotify playlist inspired by this blog post!
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