The global mining industry is entering a transformative era—one where technology, sustainability, and community engagement must evolve together. Against this backdrop, Xeltis has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Champions at Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026, marking a significant milestone for the platform and its founder Sapiens Ndatabaye.
The recognition comes through the Community Voices initiative, a program delivered in partnership with The Impact Facility, designed to highlight leaders who are shaping the future of mining through innovation, community engagement, and sustainable development.
This selection places Xeltis among a new generation of initiatives pushing the mining sector toward responsible resource development, transparency, and technological transformation.
For more than three decades, Investing in African Mining Indaba has been one of the most influential gatherings in the global mining sector. Held annually in Cape Town, the event brings together:
The 2026 edition was particularly significant. Under the theme “Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships,” the event hosted over 12,000 delegates, including mining companies, investors, policymakers, and African ministers. Discussions throughout the conference centered on securing critical mineral supply chains, improving ESG standards, strengthening community partnerships, and advancing digital transformation in mining.
At a moment when Africa’s mineral wealth is becoming central to global supply chains for energy transition technologies, Mining Indaba has emerged as a strategic meeting point for the world’s mining decision-makers.
One of the most important developments at the 2026 event was the expansion of the Community Voices program. Through this initiative, Mining Indaba and the Impact Facility selected ten leaders and innovators whose work demonstrates how communities, technology, and industry can collaborate to shape the future of mining.
Unlike traditional industry awards focused purely on financial success, the Community Voices platform aims to highlight individuals who:
By doubling the number of winners compared with previous years, the organizers sent a clear message: Communities and innovation must sit at the center of mining’s future. As Mining Indaba leadership noted, community engagement is no longer a compliance exercise—it is a strategic investment for the long-term success of the sector.
Among the selected champions was Sapiens Ndatabaye, Founder and Chief Engineering Officer of Xeltis. Xeltis is an Earth Intelligence platform designed to transform how governments, mining companies, and investors understand the planet’s resources and risks.
Through advanced geospatial analytics, AI, and satellite data, Xeltis provides decision-makers with real-time insights across multiple domains:
During the program, Ndatabaye highlighted Africa’s strategic role in the global minerals economy, emphasizing that the continent will be essential to ensuring equitable access to the resources underpinning modern industries. He also stressed that the responsibility of managing these resources must be shared between governments, companies, and communities.
For Xeltis, the recognition at Mining Indaba represents an important step—but also the beginning of a broader journey. As demand for critical minerals continues to grow and digital technologies reshape the industry, platforms like Xeltis will play an increasingly important role in helping stakeholders make informed decisions.
The next phase for the company focuses on expanding partnerships with mining companies seeking advanced exploration intelligence, governments responsible for resource governance, infrastructure planners managing mining corridors, and sustainability teams monitoring environmental impact.
By integrating data from satellites, AI analytics, and operational telemetry, Xeltis aims to create a new standard for transparent and intelligent resource management.
Xeltis is an Earth Intelligence Platform designed to help organizations understand the planet’s resources, risks, and infrastructure in real time. By combining satellite data, AI analytics, and geospatial intelligence, the platform enables governments, companies, and institutions to make faster and more informed decisions about mining, infrastructure, environmental monitoring, and disaster response. Access the Platform →
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