New Cities Summit 2025

The moment

The New Cities Summit brought together global leaders, innovators and urban change makers to talk about the future of cities across Africa and beyond: high-level dialogue, project showcases and strategic networking to attract investment and advance sustainable, inclusive urban development.

We partnered with the Charter Cities Institute to deliver a summit that felt globally relevant while staying rooted in Nairobi.

Bringing Nairobi into the room

The visual identity drew on Nairobi’s name as the green city in the sun. The stage recreated the city skyline at sunset, with warm hues, layered silhouettes and natural textures across the ballroom, and skyline cut-outs framed the entrance.

A curated Maasai market inside the venue let delegates meet local artisans between sessions. Giveaways were sourced locally, from shukas to Ankara-trimmed tote bags and Maasai beaded lanyards. Breakout rooms were named after emerging African cities, such as Tatu City and Moamba Eco City, and the opening networking cocktail was held at Emara’s rooftop Sky Lounge, overlooking Nairobi National Park.

Designing a city within a city

Alongside plenary discussions and panels, Cities Catapult sessions connected urban projects with investors, partners and technical experts, and became one of the most attended parts of the programme. An on-site podcast studio captured speaker and partner conversations as they happened, and a Deal Room gave investors space to talk business. A gala dinner closed the summit with global networking and local entertainment.

In participant feedback, the cultural village and the entertainment stood out, and engagement stayed strong from the first session to the last.

Two days, one city’s story

Waridi handled the venue search and site visits, accommodation and transfers for travelling delegates, production design, vendor oversight and the flow of the whole event. Over two days, 250 participants debated the future of cities, with Nairobi an active part of the summit’s story rather than just its address.