• Dido wa Kalonji, Chief Information Officer, FNB Eswatini
• Faith Burn, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa
• Joost Pielage, Chief Technology Officer, Quro Medical
• Lazola Ndamase, Group Executive Head: Big Data & AI/ML Technology, Vodacom
• Mary Mahuma, Chief Information Officer, Sub-Saharan Africa, Philip Morris South Africa
• Nina Triantis, Head: Global Sponsor Coverage, Client Coverage CIB & Vice Chair/TMT, Standard Bank Group
• Nirvani Dhevcharran, Chief Technology Officer: Platforms and Operations, TFG (The Foschini Group)
• Nollie Maoto, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, FirstRand Compliance Office
• Nomsa Chabeli, Group Chief Executive Officer, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
• Richard Cazalet, Executive: Strategy and Transformation, Telkom SA
• Seaparo Phala, Chief Information Officer, Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
• Senthil Kumar Velayutham, Chief Technology and Digital Officer, African Development Bank
  
  

Commenting on the importance of the event in advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda, David Monaghan, VP, Africa Tech Festival, said, “Africa’s digital economy is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, and Africa Tech Festival 2026 is designed to be at the centre of that momentum. Whether you’re a decision-maker looking to shape strategy, an innovator seeking investment, or an organisation ready to put your brand in front of the continent’s most influential technology leaders, this is the event for you. We look forward to welcoming the industry to Cape Town in November.”

Register to attend Africa Tech Festival 2026

General registration: https://africatechfestival.informafestivals.com/2026/registrations/General#prId=370963

For more information, as well as exhibitor and sponsor applications, visit https://AfricaTechFestival.com/

AI Infrastructure Leaders to Converge on Las Vegas for the Industry’s Largest Event at the Intersection of AI, Energy and Digital Infrastructure — Secure Your Ticket Before Super Early Bird Rates Expire Friday, April 10

NEW YORK (April 7, 2026) – Yotta 2026 today announced its first 100 confirmed speakers and 200 partners, signaling strong early momentum for the industry’s largest event focused on AI infrastructure. As demand for compute accelerates and pressure mounts across power, capital and supply chains, the companies shaping this next phase of growth are already aligning around Yotta. With super early bird rates set to expire Friday, April 10, this is the final opportunity to secure the lowest ticket price before the rate increase.

Taking place September 28–30, 2026 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Yotta 2026 is expected to draw more than 6,000 senior leaders from enterprises, neo-clouds and data centers, along with stakeholders across energy, construction and investment. The event will focus on the practical realities of scaling AI infrastructure in the face of capacity, power and supply chain constraints.

Speaker lineup reflects the full infrastructure stack

The first wave of speakers spans the digital infrastructure ecosystem, from chipmakers and hyperscalers to energy providers, developers and investors. Selected speakers include:

• Raja Swaminathan, Corporate VP, AMD
• Laura Ortman, CEO, Cologix
• Chris Crosby, CEO, Compass Datacenters
• John Hatem, President, CyrusOne
• Raul Martynek, CEO, DataBank
• Yuval Bachar, Founder & CEO, EdgeCloudLink (ECL)
• Rebecca Weekly, VP Infrastructure, GEICO
• John Henderson, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, HDR
• Waldemar Szlezak, Partner, Global Head of Digital Infrastructure, KKR
• Kenneth Patchett, VP Data Center Infrastructure, Lambda Labs
• Ali Fenn, President, Lancium
• Joe Capes, CEO, LiquidStack
• Ignacio Quintana, Head of AI Infrastructure, MGX
• Chris Malone, Head of Data Centers, OpenAI
• Mitesh Agrawal, CEO, Positron AI
• Dylan Patel, Founder, CEO and Chief Analyst, SemiAnalysis

This cross-sector representation reflects how the industry is evolving. Decisions about compute, power, capital and design are increasingly interconnected and time sensitive rather than made in isolation.

“This is where the ecosystem actually connects,” said George Rockett, Founder of Yotta. “AI infrastructure is not being built in silos. It requires coordination across compute, power, capital and deployment, and that is exactly what Yotta enables. The conversations happening here are the ones turning ambition into real-world execution.”

More than 200 partners across the infrastructure value chain

Yotta has also confirmed more than 200 partners already committed to the 2026 event, reflecting strong early demand from across the digital infrastructure ecosystem. Early partners include ABB, AECOM, Bloom Energy, Burns & McDonnell, ByteBridge, Cadence, Celestica, Constellation, CyrusOne, DG Matrix, Eaton, ENGIE, Hitachi Energy, Honeywell, IREN, LiquidStack, Meta Power Solutions, ON.energy, Schneider Electric, Siemens Energy, STULZ, Tate, Trane and VoltaGrid.

These organizations span engineering, construction, energy, equipment, cooling and operations, underscoring the scale and coordination required to support AI’s rapid growth.

With this level of demand, the indoor expo floor is already 95% sold out. Limited opportunities remain through the Yotta Campus Exhibit for large-scale infrastructure, as well as select meeting and branding activations.

Built for collaboration, not silos

Yotta 2026 is designed to bring these groups together in one place. The event will feature an expanded expo, curated conference programming and a range of networking experiences built to drive meaningful connections.

Organizers expect more than 3,000 pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings through the Yotta Connect program, along with several thousand additional meetings arranged on-site through the event app. Executive roundtables, private dinners and community meetups will create multiple pathways to connect, from early-morning sessions to late-night networking.

Yotta continues to work with leading industry organizations and media partners, including DatacenterDynamics, Infrastructure Masons and iMiller Public Relations, to expand its reach and bring more of the ecosystem into the conversation.

Additional speakers and partners will be announced in the coming months as Yotta 2026 positions itself as a key convening point for leaders shaping the next era of digital infrastructure.

Super Early Bird rates ending soon

Super Early Bird rates for Yotta 2026 expire on April 10, with passes currently starting at $795. Register now to secure your spot and join leaders building the future of digital infrastructure!

Awards were presented Wednesday, March 25 during the Via Satellite Awards Luncheon at SATShow Week 2026 where Dr. Minh Nguyen, Deputy Associate Administrator, Commercial Space Transportation, FAA, delivered welcoming remarks.

Washington, DC – April 3, 2026 - Via Satellite, the leader in global connectivity coverage, announced Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES winner of the prestigious 2025 Satellite Executive of the Year Award; Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, Firefly Aerospace, winner of the 2025 Satellite Technology of the Year Award; and Matteo Vismara, CEO and Co-Founder of SatEnlight winner of the 10th Annual Startup Space Competition during the Via Satellite Awards Luncheon at SATShow 2026.

SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh was recognized for moving decisively to acquire Intelsat and to chart a path forward for the combined company. That path is underpinned by SES’s next-generation meoSphere network, the O3b mPOWER rollout, and key partnerships across the space ecosystem.

“Adel Al-Saleh brought a fresh perspective to satellite operator SES, and knew the company had to combine with Intelsat to thrive in the new era. But more than just carrying out a demanding acquisition, Al-Saleh is recognized for Satellite Executive of the Year for his vision for the future for SES and embracing innovative partnerships with companies like K2 Space,” said Rachel Jewett, Senior Managing Editor, Via Satellite. “While the combined company still has much to prove, Al-Saleh is a clear voice of optimism and opportunity in this time of disruption and change in the satellite industry.”

“Our ambition as a company is to transform from a satellite operator —I don’t like saying it, but a legacy satellite operator—to a solutions company, a space solutions company,” said Adel Al-Saleh after accepting the award. “What I’m grateful for is the partnerships and the ecosystem around our industry. That’s what makes transformation doable.”

In March 2025, Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to successfully land on the lunar surface. Blue Ghost Mission 1 demonstrated that private enterprises can lead complex, multi-week missions that were once reserved for civil space agencies.

“Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost historic mission captivated space enthusiasts well beyond the space and satellite industry. The overwhelming enthusiasm for this mission propelled Blue Ghost to the Satellite Technology of the Year win,” Jewett added. “As the first commercial lunar lander to successfully touch down on the Moon, Blue Ghost marked a new era in lunar exploration. The mission was also an incredible example of collaboration in space between NASA, Firefly, and the many partners that provided scientific instruments.”

“I comically run the launch vehicle team, but I will tell you the things that I have watched and witnessed across the board for the Blue Ghost team has been something amazing,” said Adam Oakes, VP of Launch Vehicles for Firefly Aerospace, after accepting the award. “Thank you all for honoring us with this award, we look forward to landing on the moon again.”

Matteo Vismara, CEO and Co-Founder of SatEnlight, a high-speed and secure optical satellite communications technology company based in Milan, Italy, was named as the winner of the 10th annual Startup Space Competition.

Matteo competed against nine other entrepreneurs in a battle of 5-minute pitches that took place on Tuesday, March 24 in the Unveiled Theater on the show floor. He pitched his company in front of a panel of judges comprised of some of the most active investors in the space industry and achieved the highest overall score for the competition. As the grand prize winner, he will receive guaranteed pitch meetings with investors, interviews featured in Via Satellite's On Orbit podcast and on ViaSatellite.com, and a chance to compete at the World Space Business Week pitch-off competition in September.

Matteo co-founded SatEnlight in order to address the challenge that many in our industry face when processing unprecedented volumes of data collected by today’s satellites. To overcome this obstacle, SatEnlight is developing a new optical communication system that multiplies communication capacity using Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM), enabling faster, scalable, resilient, and more secure communication systems.

“We congratulate Matteo for his masterful pitch at Startup Space,” said SATShow Executive Chairman Jeffrey Hill. “Optical tech companies like SatEnlight will be crucial for our industry’s ability to support future space applications. This year’s Startup Space was very competitive, with 10 incredible entrepreneurs pitching their companies. The clarity and urgency in Matteo’s pitch stood out in a very talented field.”

by Angus Blackwood

As a Technical Assessor for the World Teleport Association’s Teleport Certifi cation Program, I’ve spent a decade helping teams transform their satellite and broadcast infrastructure and operations.

I’ve distilled the most critical lessons from these audits into a new article to help teleport leaders, engineers, investors, and customers navigate this competitive sector. I hope you fi nd this helpful!

Introduction
I recently completed my 40th certification after 10 years as a Technical Assessor for the WTA Teleport Certification Programme. Along the way I worked with some amazing teams who have used this excellent program to improve their teleports beyond imagination.

In this article, I share key insights from these audits. I hope these findings will help anyone managing satellite and broadcast infrastructure, as well as customers and investors performing due diligence in this competitive sector.

The Foundation of Excellence
The WTA Teleport Certification Program evaluates facilities across four tiers, from Tier 1 to the elite Tier 4. Each level is defined by objective standards for infrastructure, technology, capability, operational procedures and service management.

As of early 2026, the standard is growing in popularity with over 70 teleports having achieved certification. For customers of teleport services, the rigorous 220-question checklist serves as a valuable due diligence report, providing a transparent measure of quality and performance before they commit to a provider.

A Decade of Driving Standards and Continuous Improvement
What is most remarkable is that the WTA standards have stood the test of time. They have become the industry’s definitive yardstick for best practice, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Furthermore, Tier 4 standards are increasingly becoming the industry benchmark, directly influencing global investment and infrastructure decisions.

A teleport’s performance is rarely static; it is either evolving or regressing. This reality makes continuous improvement the bedrock of any resilient business and is the reason every certification includes a targeted roadmap for enhancement.

To maintain their certification, teleports are recertified every 3 years. Over 10 years, I conducted 16 recertifications, providing a unique opportunity to track progress. During these audits, I evaluated whether previous recommendations were acted upon and what self-selected improvements the teleport implemented since the last visit. The data reveals a compelling trend:

• Tier upgrades: Of the 16 recertified facilities, three successfully upgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 4. These teleports implemented 240% more recommendations than those that remained at Tier 3.
• Proactive growth: Recertified Tier 4 teleports averaged 7.4 self-selected improvements, compared to only 5.0 for Tier 3 facilities.

This suggests that a culture of continuous improvement is most evident in high-tier facilities. Even the most advanced teleports do not rest on their laurels; they continue to drive progress, proving that excellence is a process of constant refinement rather than a final destination.

Return on Investment 
It is a common misconception that all improvements require significant capital. Whilst every enhancement demands an investment of time and energy, some do not necessitate financial expenditure. Across 40 teleport certifications, I’ve made a total of 232 recommendations for improvements: notably, 71% of these focused on process, service management and reporting metrics enhancements.

Because these measures typically leverage existing teams or vendors, they require minimal external spend. This means less than 30% of the recommendations involved capital expenditure for system upgrades. This data challenges the notion that continuous improvement is tied to a large budget, proving that smarter processes, partnering and better service management are often more impactful than spending cash.

Context matters 
Teleports operate in highly competitive markets where investment is strictly customer driven. Building a Tier 4 facility is commercially wasteful if the target market only requires Tier 3 infrastructure and resilience. Many Tier 3 teleports recognise this and are content to maintain their status; this does not imply they are substandard. On the contrary, many are leaders in continuous improvement but choose to align their infrastructure with their customers' specific pricing and investment profiles.

Conversely, some operators strive for Tier 4 status and the prestige it carries. These teleports commit to significant capital expenditure to satisfy a specific customer segment willing to pay a premium for maximum resilience. However, while physical infrastructure requires heavy investment, continuous service improvement does not. Regardless of Tier, there is no reason why every teleport cannot excel at managing its existing assets and optimising its operational processes.

Robust Technical infrastructure 
Over the past decade, teleport infrastructure has matured considerably, shifting towards improved redundancy in power, cooling, and transmission systems, alongside a broader adoption of automated fire suppression and cloud virtualisation. This evolution highlights a move towards eliminating single points of failure in electrical distribution systems, adopting in-row cooling, installing automatic fire suppression systems and offering increased connectivity choices, including geographically diverse fibre suppliers.

Some teleports with significant infrastructure, choose to outsource maintenance responsibility to specialist maintenance contractors. On the one hand this can provide better, specialist care, on the other outsourcing risk by transferring it to third parties who, if not well managed, may put teleport resilience at increased risk.

Monitoring & Logging 
Teleports depend on robust monitoring and control (M&C) systems to manage services and satisfy service level agreements. However, as facilities scale, many fall into a fragmentation trap by accumulating disparate M&C platforms that create unnecessary complexity in the control room. To counter this, advanced teleports are increasingly adopting overarching systems, providing operators with a single, unified view of the entire network. To remain effective, these systems require constant threshold tuning; otherwise, operators suffer alarm fatigue from a deluge of low-priority alerts. Furthermore, industry-leading platforms now offer customers portal access, providing a filtered, real-time view of their specific equipment and service status.

Event logging is equally vital for long-term resilience. Paradoxically, as hardware reliability improves, the decrease in incidents can breed complacency, leaving systems untested and creating a recipe for failure. More advanced teleports mitigate this by using comprehensive logging to capture data across all networks. This enables proactive trend analysis and anomaly detection, allowing teams to investigate irregularities before they escalate into outages. Increasingly, the most advanced operators are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to automate these reviews, transforming logging from a passive record into a proactive management tool.

Cybersecurity

Teleport cybersecurity has advanced significantly over the last decade, as "security through obscurity" is no longer a viable strategy. Facilities are increasingly vulnerable due to highly interconnected networks, a reliance on Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) equipment, and an expanding attack surface. This threat was starkly illustrated by the 2022 Viasat attack, which immobilised 40,000 communications terminals at the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

While more teleports are adopting sophisticated controls and standards like ISO27001, critical operational gaps remain:

• Software rigidity: many facilities remain overly dependent on vendors, often avoiding essential operating system or application upgrades due to fears of system instability.
• Visibility gaps: The absence of SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools often leads to ad-hoc security management, while legacy infrastructure frequently prevents the implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) on operational systems.
• Testing deficits: system penetration testing is still relatively uncommon, with few teleports performing assessments to verify their resilience against threats.

A major recurring concern is the imbalance between enterprise IT and operational Technology (OT). Cybersecurity efforts often focus on administrative IT because those tools are more mature, whereas OT networks are constrained by vendor patching policies, protecting legacy equipment and concerns that security measures introduce operational inflexibility. Furthermore, some teleports mistakenly rely on a parent company’s ISO27001 certification while neglecting their own OT environment, hoping for protection via "cybersecurity osmosis".

The cybersecurity requirements of the WTA certification are demanding but attainable; while few teleports achieve a 100% score, these standards are now essential for modern resilience.

Importance of Effective Process Documentation
Documenting processes in a runbook is essential for ensuring consistency, facilitating continuous improvement, and streamlining training. For instance, structured incident management ensures that teams know exactly how to escalate issues and coordinate with customers or vendors. Critically, refining processes is often easier and more cost-effective than upgrading physical infrastructure.

As an assessor, service availability records are one of the first metrics I examine. These logs do more than just measure success; they are a primary indicator of improvement opportunities. Teleports achieving "five-nines" service availability (99.999%) increasingly treat event data as a strategic learning tool. By leveraging AI, these operators can identify subtle network performance fluctuations, often a leading indicator of impending hardware failure. Furthermore, most teleports now utilise Root Cause Analysis (RCA), employing techniques such as the "Five Whys" to surface and resolve the underlying drivers of service issues.

Records are a cornerstone of the audit process, yet a common misconception persists that they are maintained solely for the auditor’s benefit. In reality, their primary value lies in information sharing across the organisation. In an AI-driven environment, structured records allow for trend analysis and provide deep insights into performance and latent risks. Moreover, as recording becomes increasingly automated, the administrative burden on employees is reduced. Ultimately, while these records provide the evidence of conformance required for certification, their true power lies in their ability to validate operational results and drive long-term resilience.

Effective Business Continuity 
Business continuity practices at teleports have improved immensely over the last decade, with operators increasingly adopting "what-if" scenario planning. While the rehearsal of these scenarios has also become more sophisticated, a notable gap remains: many teleports are still reluctant to include vendors or customers in their exercises. Bridging this collaborative divide is a key area for industry growth in the coming years. Effective business continuity is about focused effort, not boiling the ocean. Successful teleports adopt a risk-based strategy, developing broad, flexible frameworks to address high-impact events rather than creating overly detailed, rigid manuals.

In essence, practical tools and templates often outperform complex plans. For example:

• Maintaining pre-defined email templates and distribution lists ensures rapid, professional responses even when resources are limited.
• Outlining resources, roles, and responsibilities to be deployed during a crisis is generally easier when not under pressure during a crisis.
• Regularly practicing system restoration using backup configuration files is essential. Without proactive testing, there is no guarantee these files will perform when they are most needed.

The goal of a robust business continuity management approach is not just to recover, but to absorb shocks and return to normal operations with minimal disruption to service availability.

Internal and External Collaboration 
Most customers would prefer to work with teleports that can respond to new requirements with speed and precision. To achieve this, operators must maintain agile processes that balance rapid deployment whilst protecting existing services.

This responsiveness is typically driven by local teams with access to broader corporate expertise. Being part of a larger organisation offers significant advantages, leveraging resources for IT, cybersecurity, health and safety, network engineering, facilities management as well as increased buying power with vendors. The most successful models occur when the parent company provides this strategic support while allowing the teleport to maintain its operational autonomy.

External collaboration is also becoming a strategic necessity. In the era of Low Earth Orbit constellations and high-frequency services (such as Ka, Q and V band), partner teleports are essential for site diversity to mitigate weather-related outages. While some larger operators maintain multiple proprietary sites, many single-site teleports are now embracing industry partnerships.

Higher-tier teleports, in particular, are increasingly open to these collaborations. They recognise that partnering does not mean compromising intellectual property or independence; rather, it provides a cost-effective way to offer multi-site capability and enhanced resilience and network reach without the capital burden of building and maintaining additional physical infrastructure.

Leadership and Teamwork 
Perhaps the most important aspect of teleport performance is leadership. The most progressive teleports are generally led by dynamic leaders who are striving for the best and bring their team with them. These teleports have a strong learning bias and an appetite for improvement that isn’t strictly tied to budget size. They actively seek best practice from other teleports and adjacent industries such as telcos. They forge new relationships with vendors and partners that help them adopt new best practice strategies. They motivate their team with energy, enthusiasm and knowledge.

Effective leaders attract customers with their infectious enthusiasm and determination to provide excellent service. During the audit process, these leaders are proactive; they don't just passively undergo assessment, they enquire about industry standards and actively seek suggestions for improvement. By the time of their next WTA certification, they have typically addressed most, if not all previous recommendations.

Successful teleports also implement their own improvement plans. This is often in conjunction with adding new customers involving installation of new systems, earth stations and taking on new service obligations.

Such leaders often build up a momentum which attracts new employees and customers creating a virtuous circle of improvement. When these leaders are equally adept at managing senior stakeholders and securing capital, they ensure that their vision for excellence is backed by the necessary funding to thrive in the future.

The Certification Dynamic 
Finally, a word on the certification dynamic. It is only human nature for teleports new to the process to want to present themselves in the best possible light. However, an audit involves intense interaction, and auditors with decades of industry experience are quick to identify best practices and opportunities for improvement. Transparency is always the most effective strategy; attempting to obscure issues is rarely successful and misses the point of the exercise.

The most successful audits often involve senior management engagement. Introducing the auditor to the leadership team is always welcome, as it enables a broader discussion about WTA certification, business context and recognition of great performance. This high-level support also signals that certification is a strategic priority, which invariably smooths the overall process and ensures recommendations are acted upon.

It is also important to recognise that every element of a WTA assessment mirrors questions asked by sophisticated customers. One of the greatest strengths of certification is that it serves as a due diligence roadmap for procurement. Furthermore, for those involved in mergers or acquisitions, a WTA rating provides buyers with independent reassurance that the facility possesses critical infrastructure, robust procedures, and a genuine culture of continuous improvement.

Conclusions 
In conclusion, the WTA certification is a rigorous standard that has stood the test of time and driven a culture of continuous improvement across the industry. The standard recognises excellence, provides guidance and enables a roadmap of improvements to be tailored to teleports’ requirements. All teleports wholeheartedly engage in the process in a positive and proactive manner.

The most successful teleports not only implement auditor recommendations but also carry out self-selected improvements that drive continuous improvement.

I hope the insights presented in this report are helpful and teleports continue to engage in the WTA certification program.

Finally, I’d like to offer my congratulations to all the teleports that have achieved WTA Teleport Certification over the last decade. I look forward to seeing even greater levels of excellence and continuous improvement over the next decade!

Why Anaheim? Steeped in history and renowned for hosting iconic events, Anaheim offers a vibrant mix of business and leisure opportunities. It hosts a specialized space industry ecosystem, featuring manufacturers of high-precision components, advanced materials testing, and satellite electronics to support the major Southern California aerospace primes. A hub for specialized suppliers, being closely linked to nearby aerospace OEMs such as Rocket Lab, Impulse Space, Boeing, Relativity Space and Vast.

The Anaheim Convention Center, the largest venue on the West Coast, provides the perfect launchpad for Space Tech Expo USA to grow in size and scope, enabling attendees to forge deeper connections and explore groundbreaking advancements in space technology.

What to Expect at Space Tech Expo USA 2026. "We’re looking forward to welcoming over 350 exhibitors, featuring global companies as well as local Anaheim businesses such as Bisco Industries, Cobra Scientific and Serra Laser.” says Gordon McHattie, Event Director at Space Tech Expo. “This will be our largest event yet, showcasing a variety of solutions from electronic components, design services and mechanical components, to security, optics, test & measurement, interconnect and software. So join us to engage with the industry and dive straight into finding your next solution!” - More>>

This year marks CABSAT’s move to the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai. Purpose-built for large-scale international exhibitions, DEC offers modern infrastructure, improved visitor flow, and seamless connectivity to hotels, dining, and fuss-free public transport via the Dubai Metro. Set within Expo City’s innovation-led district, the venue provides a strong backdrop for an industry shaped by technology, collaboration, and rapid change.

A major highlight is the return of virtual production, a specialised exhibition area showcasing the complete ecosystem of real-time production technology. Centred around a fully operational virtual production set, the zone unites leading software and hardware providers delivering end-to-end solutions. Visitors can experience virtual production workflows while engaging directly with the international brands powering the future of broadcast and content creation.

Content remains at the heart of the show through the long-running Content Congress, a cornerstone of CABSAT’s programme. Known for its influential speakers and timely debate, the Congress tackles the industry’s most pressing topics, from digital transformation and immersive content to cloud adoption, AI integration, and interactive sports broadcasting. The agenda attracts senior decision-makers, creatives, and technologists seeking insight that translates into real-world strategy.

New features for 2026 include the Micro Short Drama Clinic, a focused two-day programme developed with Whitebee Media. Designed for Arabic audiences, it explores vertical, bite-sized storytelling through practical sessions led by practitioners behind successful micro-drama projects.

The exhibitor line-up continues to expand, welcoming new international names such as Nordlys from Denmark, Shotoku from the UK, Coblat from the USA, and Workflowlabs from India.

CABSAT will be held from June 2–4 , 2026, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre. The event runs from 10AM to 5PM on Days 1 and 2, and from 10AM to 4PM on Day 3. More information and registration details are available at www.cabsat.com 

 - More>>

The fastest-growing event at the intersection of AI, energy and digital infrastructure returns to Las Vegas with expanded scale, a new venue and industry-led programming.

New York, NY – Jan 14, 2026 – Yotta 2026, taking place September 28-30, 2026 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, is excited to announce that registration is now open. As AI accelerates infrastructure demand at unprecedented speed, Yotta returns with an expanded platform designed to convene the full ecosystem shaping the future of compute, power and digital infrastructure.

Yotta 2026 will bring together operators, hyperscalers, enterprise leaders, energy executives, investors, builders, policymakers and technology partners to confront the realities of AI scale, power constraints, capital deployment and infrastructure resilience. With an anticipated 6,000+ AI and digital infrastructure leaders coming, and a significantly expanded indoor and outdoor expo arena, the move to Caesars Forum reflects Yotta’s rapid growth alongside the industry it serves.

“AI is rapidly reshaping every element of digital infrastructure—from chips to racks, to networks, cooling, power, investment and community relations,” said Rebecca Sausner, CEO of Yotta. “Yotta 2026 is designed to meet this moment, bringing the entire ecosystem into one room to move beyond theory and into real-world solutions around power, compute, capital and scale.”

Advisory Board–Led Program Development
The Yotta 2026 content program is being shaped in collaboration with the newly announced Yotta Advisory Board, which includes senior leaders from across AI, cloud, energy, finance and infrastructure organizations such as OpenAI, Oracle, Schneider Electric, KKR, Xcel Energy, GEICO and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
Guided by this cross-sector expertise, the 2026 program is being built to reflect how the industry actually operates, not in silos but as an interconnected system where decisions around power, compute, capital, design and policy are deeply intertwined.

Key Themes for Yotta 2026
The Yotta 2026 agenda will focus on the most urgent challenges and opportunities shaping the AI infrastructure era, including:

• AI infrastructure and compute density
• Power generation, transmission and grid interconnection
• Capital formation, finance and investment risk
• Design, construction and operational resilience
• Policy, permitting and public-private alignment

Together, these themes provide a clear, market-driven view of how digital infrastructure must be designed, financed and operated to support AI at scale.

A Bigger Platform for a Bigger Moment
Hosted at Caesars Forum, Yotta 2026 will feature a massive indoor and outdoor expo hall, curated conference programming, immersive networking experiences and dedicated space for collaboration across the entire infrastructure value chain. From hyperscale compute and energy innovation to finance, policy and supply chain readiness, Yotta 2026 is built to support both strategic vision and practical execution.

With early registration now open, attendees are encouraged to secure their place at the industry’s most comprehensive AI infrastructure gathering. Passes start at $795, with the best rates available for early registrants.
Register now to be part of the conversations shaping the future of digital infrastructure.

The Northeast Asia Video Summit 2025, hosted by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), brought together leading media executives, content creators, and technology innovators to explore the future of video in Japan and Korea. Held in Tokyo, the summit showcased transformative strategies in global content production, streaming monetization, and cross-border collaboration.

A central theme of the summit was the global ascent of Japanese and Korean content. In a compelling keynote, Katsuaki Setoguchi, Executive Officer at TBS Holdings and President and CEO of THE SEVEN Inc., emphasized that Japan’s ambition to go global is rooted not in profit, but in cultural promotion. “Storytelling is our foundation,” Setoguchi said, highlighting the success of Alice in Borderland and upcoming co-productions with U-Next. He outlined a formula for global success: strategic IP selection, elevated production budgets, and partnerships with platforms like Netflix and Amazon to reach a global audience. Setoguchi also stressed the importance of long-term regional collaboration, particularly in Southeast Asia, citing their strategic alliance with Vietnam TV.

Partnerships have also played a central role in JCOM’s strategy to reshape media consumption in Japan. By integrating over 42 linear TV channels, the J:COM STREAM on-demand platform with ingested content, and third-party OTT billing for services such as Netflix, Disney+, and DAZN, a seamless bundled experience has been created. According to Yoichi Iwaki, President and Representative Director of JCOM Co., Ltd., this approach has helped slow the decline of traditional pay TV while addressing the shifting preferences of digital-first households.

Yu Sasamoto, CEO of DAZN Japan and APAC Business Development, shared insights into Japan’s evolving sports streaming landscape. With partnerships like Docomo and Meta, DAZN is redefining how fans engage with live sports. Sasamoto revealed that DAZN is set to triple its subscriber base in Japan and is leveraging social media to convert engagement into subscriptions. Sasamoto also shared his ambitions to expand Japanese sports globally by building an ecosystem that blends content, technology, and partnerships to scale across Asia.

Streaming monetization was another hot topic. Joshua Sunghyun Cho, CBO of TVING, detailed the platform’s innovative ad strategies, including impression-guaranteed products and interactive formats like “Watch Together.” Partnering with Moloco, TVING doubled its ad revenue from KBO baseball broadcasts and is now targeting contextual and shopping ads. “Streaming is no longer just premium branding—it’s performance-driven,” Cho said. Nick Chuah, Managing Director APAC at INVIDI, added that addressable advertising is poised to reshape Japan’s TV ad market, with data-driven campaigns delivering measurable ROI and unlocking new value for brands.

Executives from Dentsu, FAST Corporation, and Integral Ad Science also echoed the need for collaboration, standardization, and advocacy to accelerate CTV adoption in Japan. With new smart TVs and platforms like TVer and ABEMA entering the programmatic space, the market is poised for rapid growth.

The summit also addressed the future of anime as a global cultural force. Yuichiro Saito, CEO of Studio CHIZU, and Hideki Henry Goto, President of OKUTAGON LLC, discussed anime’s expanding international footprint. With over half of revenue now coming from global markets, speakers called for new business models, international co-productions, and talent development to sustain growth, with Saito advocating for creative integrity and global collaboration.

In the closing keynote, executives from Warner Bros. Discovery, SKY Perfect JSAT, and A+E Global Media debated the future of pay TV and streaming economics in Japan. While acknowledging the slow decline of linear TV, they emphasized the enduring value of local partnerships and bundling strategies. Japan’s rich history and vibrant culture continue to produce compelling stories, presenting vast opportunities for international partnerships to bring this content to global audiences. The speakers agreed that creative distribution models and co-productions will be key to unlocking Japan’s full potential on the global stage.

The Northeast Asia Video Summit is proudly sponsored by Gold Sponsors Moloco and Publica by IAS, and Silver Sponsors Encompass, INVIDI and TV5MONDE. - More>>

Tokyo, Japan – October 30, 2025 — The Northeast Asia Video Summit 2025, hosted by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), brought together leading media executives, content creators, and technology innovators to explore the future of video in Japan and Korea. Held in Tokyo, the summit showcased transformative strategies in global content production, streaming monetization, and cross-border collaboration.

A central theme of the summit was the global ascent of Japanese and Korean content. In a compelling keynote, Katsuaki Setoguchi, Executive Officer at TBS Holdings and President and CEO of THE SEVEN Inc., emphasized that Japan’s ambition to go global is rooted not in profit, but in cultural promotion. “Storytelling is our foundation,” Setoguchi said, highlighting the success of Alice in Borderland and upcoming co-productions with U-Next. He outlined a formula for global success: strategic IP selection, elevated production budgets, and partnerships with platforms like Netflix and Amazon to reach a global audience. Setoguchi also stressed the importance of long-term regional collaboration, particularly in Southeast Asia, citing their strategic alliance with Vietnam TV.

Yu Sasamoto, CEO of DAZN Japan and APAC Business Development, shared insights into Japan’s evolving sports streaming landscape. With partnerships like Docomo and Meta, DAZN is redefining how fans engage with live sports. Sasamoto revealed that DAZN is set to triple its subscriber base in Japan and is leveraging social media to convert engagement into subscriptions. Sasamoto also shared his ambitions to expand Japanese sports globally by building an ecosystem that blends content, technology, and partnerships to scale across Asia.

Streaming monetization was another hot topic. Joshua Sunghyun Cho, CBO of TVING, detailed the platform’s innovative ad strategies, including impression-guaranteed products and interactive formats like “Watch Together.” Partnering with Moloco, TVING doubled its ad revenue from KBO baseball broadcasts and is now targeting contextual and shopping ads. “Streaming is no longer just premium branding—it’s performance-driven,” Cho said. Nick Chuah, Managing Director APAC at INVIDI, added that addressable advertising is poised to reshape Japan’s TV ad market, with data-driven campaigns delivering measurable ROI and unlocking new value for brands.

Executives from Dentsu, FAST Corporation, and Integral Ad Science also echoed the need for collaboration, standardization, and advocacy to accelerate CTV adoption in Japan. With new smart TVs and platforms like TVer and ABEMA entering the programmatic space, the market is poised for rapid growth.

The summit also addressed the future of anime as a global cultural force. Yuichiro Saito, CEO of Studio CHIZU, and Hideki Henry Goto, President of OKUTAGON LLC, discussed anime’s expanding international footprint. With over half of revenue now coming from global markets, speakers called for new business models, international co-productions, and talent development to sustain growth, with Saito advocating for creative integrity and global collaboration.

In the closing keynote, executives from Warner Bros. Discovery, SKY Perfect JSAT, and A+E Global Media debated the future of pay TV and streaming economics in Japan. While acknowledging the slow decline of linear TV, they emphasized the enduring value of local partnerships and bundling strategies. Japan’s rich history and vibrant culture continue to produce compelling stories, presenting vast opportunities for international partnerships to bring this content to global audiences. The speakers agreed that creative distribution models and co-productions will be key to unlocking Japan’s full potential on the global stage.

The Northeast Asia Video Summit is proudly sponsored by Gold Sponsors Moloco and Publica by IAS, and Silver Sponsors Encompass, INVIDI and TV5MONDE.

Africa Tech Festival is recognised as a unique platform where cybersecurity experts, including Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), can learn from diverse case studies across industries and regions

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 24, 2025/ -- Africa Tech Festival (ATF) (https://AfricaTechFestival.com), the continent’s leading platform for digital innovation, will kick off next month in Cape Town with a strong focus on cybersecurity and cloud resilience - two critical areas for governments and enterprises navigating Africa’s expanding digital economy.

This year’s programme will also explore responsible innovation, inclusive investment, connectivity for development, and policy harmonisation. These themes reflect ATF’s role as a cohesive platform that supports Africa’s digital transformation ecosystem and guides tech experts, analysts, and policymakers in shaping informed insights and decisions.

Africa is experiencing a surge in cybercrime, driven by the rapid expansion of digital technology and the widespread reliance on mobile internet. Recent reports indicate that 90% of African countries require significant improvements in law enforcement capabilities to effectively respond to cyber threats. Although cybercrime is on the rise, most African countries still lack the core IT infrastructure needed to respond effectively. Only 30% have an incident reporting system, 29% maintain a digital evidence repository, and just 19% operate a cyberthreat intelligence database (https://apo-opa.co/4oEJm82).

An underdeveloped cybersecurity ecosystem, a significant skills gap, and increasing risks to critical infrastructure compound this challenge. Common threats include phishing, online scams, business email compromise (BEC), and ransomware.

“Cybersecurity is no longer an individual concern for organisations; it’s a shared responsibility across all sectors,” said Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for Africa Tech Festival. “ATF is where Africa’s digital leaders come together to tackle these challenges head-on and shape a secure, inclusive future.”

Among the standout sessions at Africa Tech Festival 2025 is the keynote fireside chat titled “State of Cybersecurity in Africa: Threats, Gaps & Opportunities”, scheduled for Tuesday, 11 November. This discussion will delve into the continent’s most pressing cyber threats, evaluate regional preparedness, and explore how governments and enterprises can work together to strengthen response capabilities and regulatory frameworks.

Also featured is the panel session “The Quantum Threat Is Now: Rethinking Encryption Before It’s Too Late”, which will examine the emerging risks posed by quantum computing to current encryption standards. As the industry begins to grapple with the implications of post-quantum security, this session will offer timely insights into how organisations can prepare for a rapidly evolving threat landscape.

On Wednesday, 12 November, the festival will host “Empowering Women in Cybersecurity: Breaking Barriers and Building Leadership”. With women representing less than a quarter of the global cybersecurity workforce, and even fewer in Africa, this session will spotlight emerging female leaders across technical, operational, and policy roles. It will also examine how mentorship, sponsorship, and structural reforms can build greater inclusion and leadership opportunities in cyber and cloud careers.

Africa Tech Festival is recognised as a unique platform where cybersecurity experts, including Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), can learn from diverse case studies across industries and regions. Feedback from past attendees highlights ATF’s value in fostering cross-regional dialogue, enabling professionals to share experiences and strategies for tackling cyber threats in different contexts.

Africa Tech Festival 2025 will feature a complete programme of panels, fireside chats, and policy discussions aimed at addressing almost every aspect of Africa’s digital journey, from infrastructure and investment to regulation and workforce development.

To explore the complete cybersecurity programme, visit the Africa Tech Festival 2025 Agenda

About Africa Tech Festival:
Now in its 28th edition, Africa Tech Festival 2025 will take place from 11 to 13 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), bringing together more than 15,000 technology leaders, policymakers, investors, startups, and visionaries. The Festival encompasses four anchor events:

• AfricaCom – The continent’s largest telecoms and connectivity event
• AfricaTech – The hub for technology, innovation, and enterprise growth
• AfricaIgnite – Driving growth and impact in Africa’s startup ecosystem
• The AI Summit Cape Town – Where commercial AI comes to life
  

With over 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and extensive networking opportunities, Africa Tech Festival remains the continent’s most influential gathering for those shaping Africa’s connected future.

The Archipelago Video Summit, held on 9 October in Jakarta, brought together over 150 senior executives from across Asia to explore the future of video in some of the world’s most dynamic markets of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In the opening keynote, Hermawan Sutanto, Managing Director of Vidio, shared how the platform is building a local streaming powerhouse around sports rights and original content to leverage a dual advertising and subscription revenue strategy. Sutanto emphasized that in Indonesia, “execution is everything” while also highlighting Vidio’s aggressive stance against piracy. He also outlined the use of AI in three key areas—hypertargeting user recommendations to drive subscriptions, process automation including customer service, and business innovation such as dynamic ad placement in live sports and local language translation for regional dialects. Looking ahead, he projected that the penetration of OTT streaming in Indonesia could double to 15% within the next five years.

In Reinventing for a Dynamic Future, Jane Jimenez-Basas, President & CEO of MediaQuest Holdings and Cignal TV, highlighted the Philippines’ unique media ecosystem and her vision to build a content-focused platform integrated with telco services. While linear TV continues to hold its ground, the real momentum is coming from streaming. However, with lower ARPU, strategic partnerships—such as device distribution and app launches—are essential to scaling reach and driving sustainable growth. “I’m trying to build a content focused ecosystem not a channel business,” said Jimenez-Basas. And with the success Cignal has had with micro-dramas particularly with younger audiences, Jimenez-Basas also revealed their ambition to produce AI-generated micro-dramas in the future.

Piracy remained a central theme throughout the summit. Gina Golda Pangaila, SVP, Legal, Anti-Piracy & Government Relation, Vidio, emphasized the need for a multi-layered, industry-wide approach, combining defensive measures like DRM and content protection with offensive strategies that enhance the consumer experience and investing in anti-piracy technologies. She also highlighted the critical role of AVIA and AVISI in lobbying governments to support these efforts. Darmawan Zaini, Chief Technology Officer, Vision+, also called for stronger consumer education—especially among younger audiences—and even suggested exploring penalties for those who consume pirated content. Ian Franklyn, Chief Revenue Officer, MainStreaming, echoed the urgency, and stressed the importance of real-time detection and rapid response especially for live content where pirates profit most and content owners face the greatest losses. “Piracy is no longer a nuisance—it’s organized crime. . .The goal is to give back power to the content owner,” said Franklyn.

On the future of satellite video, technology leaders from AsiaSat, MEASAT, and INTEGRASYS reaffirmed satellite’s relevance and cost effectiveness in reaching rural and underserved markets and playing a critical role in bridging the digital divide across Southeast Asia’s archipelagic geographies.

In the sessions focused on monetization strategies, speakers acknowledged that while Connected TV (CTV) adoption in Southeast Asia faces infrastructural and content acquisition challenges, its growth trajectory is accelerating rapidly. Tushar Tyagi¸ Head of Channel Partnerships, Samsung Ads, noted that the region is poised to leapfrog traditional development stages and move directly toward smart, data-driven outcomes, making education, standardization, and AI-powered addressability essential to unlocking CTV’s full monetization potential. The sessions also explored co-viewing trends and the power of contextual advertising, emphasizing the growing importance of data-driven personalization, with innovations in ad formats and audience segmentation helping to drive engagement across both linear and OTT platforms. Sachidananda Panda, President, Client, WPP Media, summed up the future of streaming with the “three I’s”—Intelligence, Integration, and Impact—underscoring the role of AI, cross-platform strategies, and effectiveness in shaping the next wave of video advertising.

The CEO Dialogue wrapped up the day with Mike Kerr, Managing Director, Asia, beIN Media Group, emphasizing the importance of disciplined content acquisition and strategic partnerships, particularly in sports, while cautioning against overreliance on traditional advertising models. Alexandre Muller, Managing Director APAC, TV5MONDE noted that Asia’s rapid adoption of new technologies continues to inspire innovation, but success requires deep local understanding and collaboration. The dialogue closed with a shared optimism for the region’s future, grounded in adaptability, innovation, and a commitment to building scalable, consumer-centric media ecosystems.

Archipelago Video Summit is proudly sponsored by Gold Sponsors Publica by IAS, Vidio and Vision+ and Silver Sponsors AsiaSat, INTEGRASYS, INVIDI, Magnite, MainStreaming and TV5MONDE. - More>>

On September 18, RF-Design proudly opened the doors of its new facility with a special “Tech & Opening Day” event. The day brought together valued partners, customers, and friends, whose participation made the occasion truly memorable.

The program featured technology showcases, lively discussions, and the opportunity to strengthen cooperation across the satellite communications community. A highlight of the day was the evening gathering, where guests and the RF-Design team enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere and many personal conversations to close out the event.

“We were deeply touched by the warm support we received,” said Ralf Mayr, Managing Director of RF-Design. “The strong connections we share with our partners made this day very special, and we look forward to many more opportunities to collaborate in the future.”

Randall Barney, Executive Director of the World Teleport Association (WTA), who attended the event, added: “RF-Design has long been a trusted technology partner to the teleport industry, and the opening of their new facility underscores their commitment to innovation and excellence. It was an honor to celebrate this milestone with them and see first-hand the passion they bring to serving our community.”

With its new facility now officially opened, RF-Design is excited to continue advancing innovative solutions and building lasting partnerships across the industry. - Visit RF-Design>>

The conference will feature a structured programme built around four core tracks: AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and The AI Summit Cape Town

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 22, 2025/ -- Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com), the longest running and most influential tech event on the continent, has announced the first wave of 25 headline speakers for its 2025 edition, bringing together influential voices from global tech, government, and business who are driving the growth and transformation of Africa’s digital economy.

The 2025 speaker line-up features some of the most influential voices in global technology and African business leadership. Among them is Bernardo Mariano Junior, Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer at the United Nations, who brings a global governance perspective to digital development. Mark Elliott, President for Africa at Mastercard, will offer insights into advancing inclusive finance across the continent. Representing the frontier of artificial intelligence, Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Senior Director and Head of Africa at OpenAI, will contribute to conversations around AI adoption and policy readiness in African markets.

Also speaking is Odunayo Eweniyi, a prominent tech entrepreneur and investor, serving as Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of PiggyVest and General Partner at First Capital, who will share perspectives on fintech growth and funding in Africa. From the telecoms and enterprise space, Tumi Chamayou, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN South Africa, and Ravi Bhat, Chief Technology and Solutions Officer at Microsoft Africa, will explore enterprise innovation and the role of strategic partnerships in enabling digital infrastructure.

They will be joined by senior decision-makers from across the public and private sectors, including technology and strategy executives from African Bank, Transnet, Cell C, Telkom, the Department of Public Service and Administration of South Africa, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Together, these leaders represent a broad spectrum of industries and expertise, united by a common goal: to drive forward Africa’s digital transformation.

Africa Tech Festival 2025 will be held in Cape Town from 11 to 13 November. The conference will feature a structured programme built around four core tracks: AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and The AI Summit Cape Town. Each track is designed to address key areas of technological advancement and policy development across the continent. This year’s agenda is also framed by four central themes: Responsible Innovation, Inclusive Investment, Connectivity for Development, and Policy Harmonisation. These themes reflect the Festival’s commitment to providing a platform for examining the challenges and opportunities shaping Africa’s digital economy.

“We’re excited to share a speaker roster that truly represents the diversity of experience shaping Africa’s tech future,” said Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for Africa Tech Festival. “These are individuals who are actively working to improve systems, close gaps, and build digital infrastructure that works for everyone.”

“This year, you’ll also notice a bold new look and feel as we unveil our refreshed branding. It marks the start of a new era for the Africa Tech Festival—one that reflects the scale, ambition, and innovation of the continent’s thriving tech ecosystem.”

Following the success of 2024, Africa Tech Festival will continue to provide in-depth discussions on national digital strategies, economic growth, infrastructure, and public-private collaboration. Although a formal partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) is still under consideration, last year’s engagement with senior government officials led to meaningful policy dialogue. Now in its third decade, the Festival remains a key platform for shaping Africa’s digital transformation through informed debate, investment, and strategic partnerships.

Further programme details and additional speakers will be announced in the weeks ahead.

About Africa Tech Festival:
Now in its 28th edition, Africa Tech Festival 2025 will take place from 11 to 13 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), bringing together over 15,000 technology leaders, policymakers, investors, startups, and visionaries. The festival encompasses four anchor events:

• AfricaCom – The continent’s largest telecoms and connectivity event
• AfricaTech – The hub for technology, innovation, and enterprise growth
• AfricaIgnite – Driving growth and impact in Africa’s startup ecosystem
• The AI Summit Cape Town – Where commercial AI comes to life

With over 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and multiple networking opportunities, Africa Tech Festival remains the largest and most influential tech event on the continent.

A New Financial Framework for Space’s Ground Game

In the ground segment of the space industry – where antennas, data hubs, and communication gateways form the vital link between orbit and Earth – the stakes are high and the infrastructure is capital-intensive. Whether building a global network of ground stations or upgrading to new software-defined capabilities, the financial demands of terrestrial space assets can shape a company’s entire strategy.

For decades, infrastructure investment in this domain meant full ownership: long procurement cycles, high upfront costs, and inflexible asset lifecycles. But as the space economy accelerates, ground segment players are increasingly turning to an approach long proven in aviation and maritime sectors – leasing. This model is helping companies reallocate capital, manage technological change, and scale intelligently.

Capital Efficiency Without Compromise

Deploying ground assets has never been a trivial expense. The construction of a station in a remote location, or the acquisition of advanced antenna systems, often demands seven- or eight-figure investments. So, rather than purchasing ground infrastructure outright, companies can now secure access to the capabilities they need through tailored agreements that shift capital expenditure to predictable operating expenditure. This rebalancing improves liquidity, lowers financial exposure, and enables faster responsiveness to market demand.

Equally important, leasing can provide organizations with financial liquidity that is not possible if capital is tied up in asset ownership. When companies finance assets via an operating lease, they can avoid heavy upfront investment, which in turn frees up capital to fuel operational growth elsewhere in their business. As the space industry undergoes rapid evolution of its business models and processes, considerable organizational and financial agility is essential. A different approach to securing usage of assets aids this agility.

Case Study: Strategic Flexibility at Scale

At SLI, we’ve seen firsthand how leasing can unlock potential for companies expanding their terrestrial infrastructure. Our collaboration with RBC Signals, a global provider of Ground-Station-as-a-Service, is one example. As RBC sought to scale its global footprint, traditional financing options did not provide the capital that matched its ambitions. Instead, through a structured leasing arrangement, we acquired key infrastructure assets and leased them back to RBC – allowing them to maintain service continuity while redirecting capital toward strategic expansion.

This model accelerated RBC’s deployment across high-demand locations, from the Alaskan Arctic to Chile and South Africa. It also allowed their ground station network to evolve alongside customer needs, without being burdened by long-term ownership costs or sunk capital.

This kind of capital-efficient flexibility is increasingly essential as companies aim to deliver on ambitious service-level agreements, expand into underserved geographies, and keep pace with growing data throughput demands. Leasing offers a scalable solution for all these priorities.

SLI-RBC Signal’s Deadhorse Ground Station in Alaska

A Partner-Oriented Model for Manufacturers

The benefits of leasing extend upstream as well. For ground infrastructure manufacturers, leasing provides a vehicle for closing more sales faster. By working with leasing providers like SLI, OEMs can offer their products through embedded financing or as-a-service options, making procurement easier for customers.

This approach reduces sales friction, especially for newer companies or those facing annual capital budgeting constraints. It also encourages innovation, as manufacturers can build modular, upgradeable systems designed to evolve over time rather than remain static in a customer’s ownership. In effect, leasing becomes a business model enabler for the entire ground segment ecosystem – not just a financing alternative.

Deploying Infrastructure Where and When It’s Needed

Space services increasingly require ground segment infrastructure to be globally distributed and locally resilient. Whether it’s a polar station to support low Earth orbit (LEO) communications or a mid-latitude facility optimized for inclined orbit missions, the ability to quickly establish, scale, or reposition assets is essential.
Leasing supports this dynamic need. It facilitates the deployment of clusters of stations across strategic geographies, even in challenging environments. Because the capital burden is shared or deferred, companies can execute multi-site rollouts without jeopardizing liquidity or growth.

Moreover, when business conditions change – such as a customer shifting their downlink preference or a new regulatory requirement emerging – leasing allows operators to adapt without absorbing sunk costs. It becomes a tool not just for building infrastructure, but for managing risk.

Building an Inclusive, Scalable Ecosystem

The evolution of space-based services increasingly depends on the strength of the ground network beneath them. From telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) to high-throughput data relay and Earth observation, ground infrastructure is critical – and it must grow in both scale and sophistication to keep pace.

Leasing supports that evolution. It opens the door for smaller players, emerging markets, and specialist operators to access best-in-class infrastructure. It helps manufacturers move faster and with greater confidence. And it provides a foundation for service providers to pursue ambitious commercial and government contracts without being hamstrung by capital constraints.

This is the next chapter for the ground segment: one defined not just by technical capability, but by financial agility. At SLI, we see leasing not as a substitute for ownership, but as a vital complement as it has been in the maritime and aviation industries for decades – a model that gives companies in the space economy the freedom to operate, grow, and innovate on their terms.

The 2025 edition of the Africa Tech Festival will also align with key global dialogues on technology and innovation, as it coincides with the prestigious G20 Leadership Summit

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 10, 2025/ -- Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com), the leading platform for stakeholders in the continent’s technology industry, returns to the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa, from 11 to 13 November 2025. This year, the event's strategic focus areas are grouped under forward-looking themes that reflect the rapidly evolving nature of Africa’s technology and digital landscape.

The themes of the 28th edition of Africa Tech Festival – Responsible Innovation, Inclusive Investment, Connectivity for Development, and Policy Harmonisation – will be incorporated across all four of the festival’s anchor events, namely AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and the AI Summit Cape Town.

These events will each explore their respective specialised focus areas through the lens of the overarching 2025 themes, positioning Africa Tech Festival as a unified platform with strategic intent, rather than a collection of disconnected discussions.

The 2025 edition of the Africa Tech Festival will also align with key global dialogues on technology and innovation, as it coincides with the prestigious G20 Leadership Summit. Additionally, the event will host the second, expanded edition of The Ministerial Summit, reaffirming its role as a catalyst for policy-driven discussions and high-impact collaborations.

“The themes mirror the recent trends emerging at Africa Tech Festival, as well as the continent’s shifting focus towards advanced technologies that incorporate aspects of sustainable and inclusive digital progress. Artificial Intelligence, in particular, is emerging as a transformative force – from intelligent automation in industry to AI-powered solutions for financial inclusion and public health. They are reflected in our event agenda and will be instrumental in achieving our aim of driving positive change and fostering collaboration within the African tech ecosystem,” said James Williams, Event Director of Africa Tech Festival.

“As technology advances, so does the need for scalable, collaborative solutions that drive Africa’s economic growth, digital readiness, and equitable access. By weaving these themes – from AI, cloud and cybersecurity to connectivity and digital inclusion – into the sessions, networking opportunities, and our international exhibitions, we highlight the interconnectedness of Africa’s technology landscape and the collective role of its stakeholders in driving innovation and growth.”

Africa Tech Festival is Africa’s biggest showcase of enterprise tech innovation across key sectors like telecoms, connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud and data centres, green ICT, and media and entertainment. With an anticipated attendance of 17,000 delegates from across the continent and the world, along with more than 300 exhibitors, and 450 speakers, the 2025 event will be the largest edition yet.

Building on the success of 2024, Africa Tech Festival will continue to deliver top-quality content and expert-led discussions on crucial topics, including national digital strategies, economic growth, infrastructure development, and sustainable partnerships between the public and private sectors. While a formal partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has not yet been finalised, the 2024 edition saw valuable engagement with senior government officials, leading to insightful discussions and policy-focused sessions.For nearly three decades, the Africa Tech Festival has served as a forum for conversations and connections that elevate African tech onto the global stage. As the continent’s digital transformation journey advances, the themes for 2025 will help guide these conversations, shape policy, attract investment, and foster partnerships that grow and advance Africa’s technology ecosystem.

For more information or to register, visit https://www.AfricaTechFestival.com/.

About Africa Tech Festival:
Now in its 28th edition, Africa Tech Festival 2025 will take place from 11 to 13 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), bringing together over 15,000 technology leaders, policymakers, investors, startups, and visionaries. The festival encompasses four anchor events:

• AfricaCom – The continent’s largest telecoms and connectivity event
• AfricaTech – The hub for technology, innovation, and enterprise growth
• AfricaIgnite – Driving growth and impact in Africa’s startup ecosystem
• The AI Summit Cape Town – Where commercial AI comes to life

With over 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and multiple networking opportunities, Africa Tech Festival remains the largest and most influential tech event on the continent.

Yotta 2025 Early Bird Rates Expire May 31
Final days to save on tickets to digital infrastructure’s must-attend event featuring the boldest agenda yet, with 200+ speakers tackling AI, power, compute, and beyond.

New York, NY – May 27, 2025 – Time is running out to lock in Early Bird pricing for Yotta 2025, the most important gathering for digital infrastructure leaders! Passes are available starting at just $695 before prices increase May 31.

Taking place September 8-10, 2025 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Yotta 2025 will bring together more than 3,000 professionals from across the digital infrastructure ecosystem. From hyperscalers and energy innovators to investors, engineers, and policy leaders, attendees will explore the critical challenges shaping our future.

Yotta also recently revealed the 2025 preliminary agenda, which showcases more than 100 sessions across six silo-busting tracks from over 200 speakers at industry-defining companies like OpenAI, NVIDIA, Digital Realty, Schneider Electric, and more.

“This agenda doesn’t shy away from complexity, it brings it front and center,” said George Rockett, founder of Yotta and DatacenterDynamics. “We’re spotlighting the leaders asking the hard questions, rethinking the economics of compute, and building real solutions for a grid-constrained, AI-fueled future.”

The six content tracks—Compute Recalibration, Densification, Finance & Investment, 100X Efficiency, Energy Transformation, and Risk & Resilience—explore how compute, energy, and infrastructure collide. Attendees can expect conversations on:

• Grid-interactive data centers
• The 1 megawatt rack revolution
• AI supply chain chokepoints
• The sustainability paradox of scale

Featured speakers include Keith Heyde (OpenAI), Marc Spieler (NVIDIA), Chris Sharp (Digital Realty), Liz Muller (Deep Fission), KR Sridhar (Bloom Energy), Aparna Prabhakar (Schneider Electric), and many more.
The event also includes the Innovate Arena pitch competition, four new innovation stages, and high-value networking through curated one-on-one meetings, roundtables, mixers, and the now-iconic Epic Closing Pool Party.
Early Bird rates are only available through May 31—secure your spot to be part of the unfiltered, industry-shaping conversation happening only at Yotta 2025!

About Yotta Events Inc.

Yotta 2025 (https://yotta-event.com/) will bring together senior executives from critical infrastructure providers, IT hardware and software OEMs, network and telco providers, data centers, hyperscalers, satellite communications, subsea cable operators and enterprise IT executives. Founded by George Rockett, co-founder of DatacenterDynamics, Yotta continues to unite the digital infrastructure ecosystem to tackle the industry’s biggest challenges.

Taking place from May 13 to May 15, the 31 st edition of CABSAT will host over 700 brands from the media, technology and entertainment industry, with dedicated international pavilions, including China, France, and Germany, which will spotlight the latest advancements in broadcast and communications.

CABSAT 2025 will feature:

• Content Congress: High-stakes debates on AI’s ethical impact, AR/VR storytelling, and the $100B+ creator economy.
• Co-Production Salon: Exclusive pitch forum for MENA content producers to be connected with regional giant production houses, OTT platforms, TV networks, and content investors.
• Studio City Tour: Behind-the-scenes access to futuristic production tech, including the Middle East’s only deep-water filming tank.
• CABSAT TV & Podcast: Live coverage and expert interviews from the floor.

The three-day event is expected to attract more than 18,000 visitors and will serve as a pivotal destination to foster collaborations and explore the latest industry trends.

Reinforcing this vision, Panasonic—a cornerstone exhibitor—highlights its role in driving the event’s collaborative spirit and technological ambitions.

Carl Pocknell, Division Head & General Manager- System Solutions & Communications Division, said "Panasonic is proud to return to CABSAT, reinforcing our commitment to innovation in entertainment and technology. As a leading exhibitor, we continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower content creators and industry professionals to push creative boundaries. CABSAT serves as a strategic platform to
showcase our latest advancements in Broadcast and Projector technology, fostering meaningful collaborations and shaping the future of the industry.”

Co-located with CABSAT, Integrate Middle East returns to highlight Pro AV’s role in
reshaping retail, entertainment, and enterprise engagement, with 700+ brands combining the
latest digital signage, interactive displays, control systems, spatial audio, and live event
technologies, and connecting 10,000 visiting Pro AV innovators and buyers with the
MEASA’s booming markets.

Alison Pei, Commercial Manager at NEEWER, said: "Integrate Middle East has rapidly become a key platform for showcasing innovation in the AV and media space. At NEEWER, we are proud to contribute to this transformation by presenting our latest advancements in photography, live streaming and video technology. This exhibition offers the perfect opportunity to highlight how we have built a fully integrated ecosystem that seamlessly Integrates social, commercial and creative solutions for content creation."

SATExpo 2025 debut edition:

• 15 international SATCOM market top players – including E’shailsat, Intersputnik, and Eutelsat - and over 8000 industry professionals.
• SATExpo Summit 2025 bring together industry leaders, technology experts, and policy makers.
• Highlights include keynote by Prof. Dr. Klaus Schilling, exploring pioneering satellite missions and ethical imperatives for interplanetary tech, plus a Fireside Chat with Prof. Sherif Sedky on the new African Space Agency.

Amidst this global convergence of knowledge and innovation, ABS—a key player in advancing regional connectivity—emphasises its mission to bridge gaps through cutting-edge solution.

Rasha Shokr, Public Relations Director at Nilesat, said: "It is an honour for Nilesat to participate in SATExpo 2025, reaffirming our deep-rooted commitment to the values, ethics and rich cultural legacy of our Egyptian, Arab and African heritage. As a proud Egyptian satellite enterprise, we are dedicated to advancing the future of media broadcasting and communications throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. As one of the region’s leading satellite operators, Nilesat delivers a wide range of services, including direct-to-home
(DTH) broadcasting, satellite broadband, and advanced communication solutions across Egypt and the wider MENA landscape."

Shokr further noted: "Our satellite operations team is at the heart of this mission, ensuring excellence through world-class teleport services, gateway operations and expert consultancy. With a relentless focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, we continue to empower broadcasters and service providers with seamless, reliable and powerful satellite solutions."

As media industries converge and digital consumption accelerates, the trifecta of events - CABSAT 2025, Integrate Middle East and SATExpo Middle East – are set to forge partnerships, challenge conventions, and unlock the innovation, from May 13 – 15 at DWTC.