South Africa: The Counder Conference 2026 is driving resilient, future-focused growth. Wesgro joined over 500 visionary leaders and Knowledge Partners from across the globe at the Conference. It is an influential platform for high-level dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning on growth, resilience, and innovation.
At the conference, CEO of Wesgro – Wrenelle Stander, co-hosted a breakout session on Urbanisation and Resilience alongside Senior Partner at LUMO Labs – Dagmar Van Ravenswaay Claasen. It is one of Europe’s leading venture capital firms that focus on sustainable cities and climate innovation.
CEO Stander highlighted Cape Town and the Western Cape as strong tourism and services economy. With robust demand, improved global connectivity, and arrivals exceeding pre-pandemic levels, the province continues to play an important role in driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
She further emphasised the role of Wesgro in unlocking the next phase of growth by operating at the intersection of government and the private sector by reducing friction, crowding in investment, and aligning partners around shared priorities. Initiatives such as the Cape Town Air Access project, which supported over 11 million two-way passengers in 2025, underscored the impact of coordinated, multi-stakeholder action.
Considering this, the session explored how urban resilience, mobility, and economic diversification can enable growth that is sustainable, balanced, and future-focused, positioning Cape Town and the Western Cape to unlock new markets and shaping cities that thrive amid growth and change.
The officials thanked Counder for organising such a world-class conference that sparked meaningful conversations and strengthened global collaboration. It invited likeminded people, stakeholders and investors who aims towards shared goals of developing and growing.
Counder’s community acknowledges that today’s world is in constant flux. With the rise of AI, new mega cities and regions like the Middle East, there is one thing that has never been more important: Trusted connections that enable collaboration across the world for positive developments. It is this trust that Counder and its world-class partner organisations thrive to establish at the flagship Counder Conference and beyond.