THE Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) The Prize Competition, Africa’s leading philanthropic initiative supported by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, is proud to announce the Top 10 finalists for the 2024 ABH Prize.
These exceptional entrepreneurs were selected after an intense round of Semi-Final pitches and judges held on September 27-28 at Kamelizer Spaces with community events until September 29, all in the historic city of Cairo, Egypt. This marks ABH’s first event in North Africa, highlighting Egypt’s growing role as a key business innovation hub in Africa.
The top 10 finalists
- Tisia MukunaFounder & CEO, La Kinoise (La boite) – Democratic Republic of Congo | www.La-Kinoise.com
- Hadeel FayekFounder & CEO, Joviality – Egypt | www.Intl.Joviality-eg.com
- Mina Shahid, Co-Founder & CEO, Numida – Egypt | www.Numida.com
- Dr. Rasha Rudy, Co-Founder & COO, Chefaa – Egypt | www.Chefaa.health
- Clement Owusu-DonkorFounder & CEO, Aquantuo – Ghana | www.Aquantuo.com
- Alexander Odhiambo, Founder & CEO, Solutech Limited – Kenya | www.Solutech.co.ke
- Dr. Salma BougaraniCo-Founder & CEO, GREEN WATECH – Morocco | www.GreenWatech.com
- Mobolaji AjayiFounder & CEO, Purelife Pharmacy – Nigeria | www.PurelifePharmacy.ng
- Henri Ousmane Gueye, Co-Founder & CEO, EYONE – Senegal | www.Eyone.net
- Maxima NsimedaCo-Founder & CEO, LIVARA – Uganda | www.myLivara.com
ABH’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs for 2024 were identified through a rigorous process that included multiple rounds of interviews and evaluations. Starting from around 20,000 applications from all 54 African countries, the pool was narrowed down to the Top 50 finalists.
Digging deeper
After another round of selection that included video call interviews with expert judges, ABH identified the Top 20 finalists who attended the Semi-Final in Cairo. In these Semi-Finals, the Top 10 finalists were selected to receive their share of the US$1.5 million grant.
These finalists represent eight nations: three from Egypt, the host country of the ABH 2024 semi-final, as well as entrepreneurs from Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congorepresented for the first time this year.
Their businesses cover a wide range of industries including agriculture, education and training, financial services, healthcare, ICT, logistics, manufacturing and retail.
All of the top 10 finalists have been vetted through a due diligence process led by PlusVC and were selected after pitching their businesses to a panel of judges in front of a live audience.
The Semi-Finals event featured a distinguished panel of judges including; Hasan HaiderFounder and Managing Partner at PlusVC, Doro ghostsFormer CEO of Vlisco and member of the Board of Directors of Ecobank, Dina el-ShenoufiChief Investment Officer at Flat6Labs, and Simbarashe MhunguExecutive Director in the field of Agriculture and Financial Infrastructure.
What They Say
Cairo’s hosting of the Semi-Final highlighted the city’s long heritage in commerce, trade and entrepreneurship. Known for its rich history, Egypt plays a critical role in promoting entrepreneurship and supporting the next generation of African business leaders.
“We chose Cairo as the location for this important stage of the competition because of its vibrant business ecosystem and its strategic position in the African market“, he said Zahra Baitie-BoatengManaging Director, Africa at Africa’s Business Heroes.
“The remarkable growth of Egypt’s business community is evident from our experience over the past six years at ABH. We have seen 34 Egyptian entrepreneurs progress through various stages of the competition, from the Top 50 to the Top 10, including two third prize winners, one second prize and one grand prize winner. These achievements, among others, highlight Egypt’s influence in the wider business landscape of the continent and we are proud to highlight its importance,she added.
What They Say
In a statement released after the Top 10 was revealed at the Gala Dinner concluding the Semi-Final, Baitie-Boateng further noted, “We continue to see inspiring examples of innovation and resilience among ABH finalists, and this year’s cohort is no different. These entrepreneurs have overcome significant challenges and are building businesses that contribute to their local economies and beyond.”
The grand finale and summit in Kigali, Rwanda
The finalists will now compete for a share of the US$1.5 million prize at the Grand Final, scheduled to take place from 3 to 5 December 2024, in Kigali, Rwanda.
Stay up to date with news and other items on our WhatsApp Community Page, Twitter/Xand subscribe to our weekly newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any news.
Related
