Participants included past and current graduates of the Stanford Seed Transformation Program, a 10-month business leadership program run by Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) to partner with CEOs and business leaders in Africa, South Asia, and Indonesia, grow and scale their enterprises while also driving economic growth to their local communities.
Over three agenda-packed days, participants engaged in collaborative learning, cross-regional networking, and visited innovative enterprises around Cape Town. Four world-renowned faculty members from Stanford GSB and 15 dynamic Seed entrepreneur speakers shared insights ranging from strategies to sharpen focus and creativity to leadership competencies that transcend borders.
Matt Abrahams, a lecturer in organizational behavior at Stanford GSB, opened the doors to new ways of thinking about how to capture people’s attention. He taught participants that in a world saturated with information, being clear, concise, and compelling is essential for making a real impact.
The StrataCom Professor of Management and Professor of Marketing Christian Wheeler’s “recipe” for creativity encouraged participants to reimagine their potential and to form new bonds through innovative thinking. Leaning into her expertise in organizational behavior, the Morgridge Professor of Organizational Behavior Sarah Soule empowered business leaders to lead with purpose and vision through a deep dive into leadership competencies. And Jesper Sørensen, the Robert A. and Elizabeth R. Jeffe professor, and professor of organizational behavior, offered a strategic leadership primer that reminded entrepreneurs that strategy is not a destination, but an ongoing journey – one that requires constant adaptation, resilience, and foresight.
The atmosphere was one of collaboration and mutual growth. Attendees visited nine companies across the region to gain first-hand insight into the successes and challenges that entrepreneurs in Africa and South Asia face.
Taking Care of Business, a Cape Town based company in the Seed Transformation Network, hosted visitors as part of the Seed Global Summit.
A summit highlight included the first pan-Africa commencement ceremony, with leaders from across the continent gathering to celebrate the completion of the 2024 Seed Transformation Program.
Ismail Badjie speaks at the commencement ceremony, celebrating the 2024 Africa cohort of the Seed Transformation Program.
Ismail Badjie, from Innovarx Global Health in Gambia, delivered a powerful message that resonated widely: “As we leave this program, we carry not just certificates, but a calling. A calling to transform ourselves continuously, to transform our organizations fundamentally, and to transform our continent irreversibly.”
Badjie’s words served as a reminder of the far-reaching impact of the Seed Transformation Network – not just in business but in reshaping communities and creating legacies of change – a collective movement that is steadily transforming the economic landscape of Africa, South Asia, and beyond.
Entrepreneurs networking at 2025 Seed Global Summit.
The Seed Transformation Network’s results speak for themselves: 78% of past participants report increased revenue, 42% report doing business together, and collectively participants have created over 66,000 direct jobs, contributing a remarkable $1.6 billion USD in revenues to local economies and securing $2.8 billion USD in collective capital.
With over 1,500 leaders from more than 30 countries now part of the Seed network, the power of connection and collaboration was evident throughout the summit as old friends, new community members, and sisters and brothers in the Seed family recommitted to fueling the engine of growth for years to come.
As the Seed Transformation Network continues to expand, so too does the impact of its community. The 2025 Global Summit in Cape Town was a powerful reminder of what is possible when the network comes together with purpose and passion, transforming not only businesses but also lives, industries, and entire continents.
