In a landmark year for entrepreneurship on the continent, Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), a philanthropic program backed by Alibaba’s Jack Ma Foundation, has unveiled the top 50 finalists for its 2025 competition.
This follows a record-breaking 32,000 applications from all 54 African nations. The competition, now in its seventh edition, is part of a decade-long commitment to empower 100 African entrepreneurs through grant funding, capacity-building, and continental exposure.
The finalists span 17 countries and 16 sectors, with women representing 36% and Francophone entrepreneurs accounting for 10% of the cohort.
These entrepreneurs are now set to undergo an intensive virtual bootcamp, followed by multi-stage evaluations culminating in the grand finale in Kigali, Rwanda, where 10 finalists will pitch for a share of the $1.5 million prize.
Historic Participation and Continental Reach
This year’s applicant pool, surpassing 32,000, is the highest in ABH’s history, sending growing awareness of the platform and rising entrepreneurial energy across the continent.
“This record-breaking year speaks to the relevance of ABH in every corner of the continent,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Managing Director for Africa at ABH.
With representation from every African country, ABH continues to bridge regional and linguistic divides while elevating innovation-led solutions with global relevance.
Diversity and Sectoral Breadth
The 2025 finalists reflect a dynamic mix of industries, including agriculture, fintech, education, health, and AI. The 16 represented sectors and 36% female participation underscore ABH’s commitment to inclusivity.
The inclusion of 10% Francophone entrepreneurs also marks progress toward linguistic diversity in Africa’s startup ecosystem, an area often sidelined in pan-African competitions.
From Bootcamp to Kigali: A Rigorous Journey Ahead
The top 50 will next participate in the ABH Virtual Bootcamp, featuring expert-led sessions on team-building, digital marketing, AI integration, and investment readiness.
Following this, 22 candidates will be shortlisted for due diligence by PlusVC, after which the top 20 will proceed to the semi-finals in Dakar, Senegal, in September.
The final 10 will then head to Kigali in December for the grand finale and live pitch session, where they will compete for $1.5 million in non-dilutive grant funding and the chance to be crowned one of Africa’s Business Heroes.
An African Platform for Impactful Africa
Beyond financial support, ABH provides a powerful platform for storytelling and scale. Finalists gain access to a wide-reaching media network and mentorship from a growing community of ABH alumni and global partners.
As Baitie-Boateng notes,
“These 50 finalists are solving real problems with global potential, and we’re excited to amplify their work.”
With each edition, ABH continues to cement its role as a transformative catalyst for Africa’s entrepreneurial renaissance.
Talking Points
From a personal standpoint, Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) stands out as one of the most strategically structured entrepreneurial empowerment initiatives on the continent.
Its model does more than simply award grants, it identifies high-potential startups, equips them with business training, and connects them to a global network of investors, mentors, and media platforms.
In a region where early-stage capital is scarce and many startups struggle with visibility, this multilayered approach is crucial. The fact that the competition is pan-African, multilingual, and sector-diverse also positions it as a truly inclusive and continent-wide economic stimulant.
By supporting startups tackling local challenges with scalable solutions, ABH isn’t just funding businesses, it’s building the foundations for more resilient, self-sustaining economies across Africa.
Strategically, ABH fills a void that many government-led initiatives have failed to address, bridging grassroots innovation with global relevance.
The program’s focus on training, investment readiness, and digital capacity-building, including the integration of AI and marketing strategies, directly addresses the skills and knowledge gap limiting many African startups.
Moreover, its long-term design, supporting 100 entrepreneurs over 10 years, allows for sustained ecosystem development rather than one-off impact. If scaled or complemented by similar initiatives across sectors, ABH could evolve into a continental blueprint for entrepreneurial acceleration.
In the broader context of Africa’s digital and economic transformation, it’s not just a prize competition; it’s a catalytic platform helping to shape the next generation of African business leaders with global influence.
