Teachers of ELEVATE: 5 Minutes with Matthew Addai

In our continuing Teachers of ELEVATE series, we speak with Matthew Addai, Co-Founder & CEO of Cashblack and Afrofiliate, who will be sharing his expertise at ELEVATE 2025 in London on 15 July.

Matthew will participate in the panel Performance Marketing in 2025: Where We Are and Where We Should Be Heading, offering insights on how the affiliate landscape has transformed and how businesses can adapt to thrive in this evolving ecosystem. From changes in regulations to the integration of new technologies, this session sets the stage for actionable insights to help businesses thrive.

Joining the Performance Marketing Conversation

What made you decide to participate in ELEVATE Summit 2025, and what are you most looking forward to sharing with the SME community?

ELEVATE is a great opportunity to discuss how performance marketing and strategic partnerships can drive real growth for brands. With this in mind, involvement for myself was a no-brainer and I’m particularly excited to share insights on leveraging unique proposition partnerships to scale businesses efficiently. At Cashblack and Afrofiliate, we’ve seen how the right affiliate and partnership strategies can expand customer reach and optimise performance and we believe that this is something from which all brands can benefit.

Overcoming Growth Challenges

What challenges have you encountered while scaling a business through affiliate marketing, and how will your insights help SMEs attending ELEVATE?

One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that partnerships are mutually beneficial and scalable. It’s not just about signing up affiliates. It’s also about aligning incentives, tracking performance effectively and optimising collaborations for long-term, sustainable success. At the summit, I’ll share practical strategies for SMEs to build high-performing partnerships, from selecting the right affiliates to structuring commissions that drive results.

Innovation in the Affiliate Space

What innovative approaches to affiliate partnerships have you developed at Afrofiliate that you’ll be sharing during your panel?

We’ve focused on creating data-driven, performance-based partnerships that prioritise transparency and scalability – particularly because the we’re the first introduction to this space for the majority of our brands. Beyond this, I feel that our most innovative approach we’ve found successful is to really lean into our niche of connecting diverse affiliates with brands who want to connect with diverse audiences. This has been a game-changer for us as we are the only real players in this particular subcategory.

Making the Most of ELEVATE

What networking opportunities are you personally looking forward to at ELEVATE 2025, and how do you recommend attendees make the most of the event?

I’m looking forward to connecting with other founders and performance marketing experts to exchange ideas on scaling through partnerships. My advice to attendees is to come prepared with clear objectives. Whether it’s finding potential partners, learning about new tools or refining their affiliate strategies. Overall, they should make an effort to speak to as many different attendees as possible as you never which connection can make all the difference to your journey.

Learning from Industry Peers

Beyond your panel, what other sessions or speakers are you excited to learn from?

I’m particularly keen on the panel about Leveraging B2B Partnerships to Scale Your Business and Customer Reach. B2B affiliate marketing is often overlooked, but it’s a powerful way to expand reach and drive sales – something that we plan to do more of as we scale. Beyond this, I’ll be very much looking forward to making new connections and catching up with old ones.

This will be my first time attending an Affiverse event so I’m looking forward to making as many new valuable connections as possible.

Matthew Addai is a multi-award-winning visionary social entrepreneur, serving as the co-founder and CEO of Cashblack and Afrofiliate. Cashblack is an innovative, Startup 100 Index recognised platform that offers cashback to consumers supporting Black-owned businesses, while Afrofiliate is an affiliate network that connects these brands with affiliates to foster growth.

Don’t Miss Matthew at ELEVATE 2025!

Secure your ticket now to hear Matthew and other industry leaders share their insights at ELEVATE 2025 in London on 15 July. Join the conversation about the future of performance marketing and discover actionable strategies to elevate your affiliate programme.

Celebrating Industry Excellence: The Affiverse RAV Awards

Debuting at ELEVATE 2025, the Affiverse RAV Awards shine a spotlight on the rising stars, forward-thinkers, and unsung heroes driving affiliate and performance marketing forward.

These awards celebrate the achievements of SMEs, solo entrepreneurs, publishers, managers, and behind-the-scenes talent shaping the future of our industry. From program innovation to partnership excellence, the RAV Awards recognise those making a real impact, often without the recognition they deserve.

Submit your entry by Monday, 30 June 2025 to be considered for these prestigious awards. Join us for a night of inspiration, celebration, and industry connection as we honour the voices powering the next chapter of affiliate marketing.

Date: 15 July 2025 Time: 18:00 – 22:00