Kigali, Rwanda– Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) has steadily evolved into one of the continent’s most influential platforms for identifying, financing and amplifying African-led solutions to African challenges.
Designed not merely as a competition, ABH is a long-term ecosystem that combines grant funding, mentorship, exposure and policy dialogue to help entrepreneurs scale impact-driven businesses.
This broader vision was on full display in Kigali as Rwanda hosted the seventh edition of the ABH Summit and Grand Finale, drawing entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and global technology leaders.
This year’s edition marked a milestone for the initiative. More than 32,000 entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries applied to compete, the highest number since ABH was launched.
From this pool, ten finalists from seven countries advanced to the grand finale, where they pitched their ventures for a share of USD 1.5 million in grant funding. Beyond the financial support, the finalists gained continental visibility and access to a growing network of partners committed to long-term entrepreneurial growth.
The significance of the event was underscored by high-level engagements on the sidelines. President Paul Kagame held discussions with Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma and Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, focusing on partnerships to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa.
Their presence in Kigali reflected ABH’s stature as a flagship initiative of Alibaba Philanthropy and the Jack Ma Foundation, and its expanding role in shaping Africa’s innovation narrative.
ABH, which began as the Africa NetPreneur Prize Initiative, is backed by a USD 10 million investment running from 2019 to 2029. Its ambition is to remove barriers facing African entrepreneurs and to use their stories to inspire a new generation of problem-solvers.
As Lijun Sun, President of Alibaba Philanthropy, noted, “We want African entrepreneurs from all walks of life to participate. We want to find a group of real African heroes and use their stories and spirit to inspire the entire African continent.”
Kigali as a hub for Africa’s entrepreneurial conversation
The two-day summit, held from December 12 to 13 at the Kigali Convention Centre, was organized in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), reinforcing Rwanda’s growing profile as a convening hub for innovation and investment.
It brought together more than 1,000 participants for masterclasses, panel discussions, live pitches and networking sessions under the theme “Defining Africa’s Future Today.” This marked the third consecutive year Kigali has hosted the ABH Grand Finale.
RDB Deputy CEO Juliana Muganza said Rwanda’s role as host reflects a shared conviction with the ABH community.
“We are proud that ABH has chosen Kigali as the host city for the Grand Finale. This is not by coincidence. It reflects a shared commitment between the government of Rwanda and the ABH community that entrepreneurship is not just a tool for development, it is an engine of transformation,” she said.
Muganza highlighted Rwanda’s entrepreneur-centered development model, supported by policies such as a modern investment code, digital business services, innovation hubs, special economic zones and Kigali Innovation City.
“We are building an ecosystem where ideas grow into companies, and companies scale into regional leaders… But policy and infrastructure alone are not enough. The real power lies in the people, and this is why partnership becomes pivotal,” she added.
Winners showcase African-led solutions
The grand finale results reflected the diversity and depth of innovation across the continent. Entrepreneurs from Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa claimed the top three positions, illustrating how local solutions are addressing global challenges.
First place went to Diana Orembe of Tanzania, co-founder and CEO of NovFeed, a biotechnology venture producing sustainable protein for animal and fish feed using food waste.
Her innovation reduces costs for farmers while promoting environmental sustainability, and her small factory has already created jobs for young people.
Second place was awarded to Adriaan Kruger of South Africa, founder of nuvoteQ, a health technology company that simplifies clinical trials and medical research through digital tools, improving access to credible data and strengthening research standards.
Third place went to Abraham Mbuthia of Kenya, whose company Uzapoint Technologies uses artificial intelligence to help small and medium-sized enterprises manage financial records and inventory, eliminating manual bookkeeping and improving business efficiency.
The top three received grants of USD 300,000, USD 250,000 and USD 150,000 respectively, while each of the remaining seven finalists received USD 100,000. In total, USD 1.5 million was disbursed to support the scaling of these ventures.
Long-term impact
According to ABH Managing Director Zahra Baitie-Boateng, the initiative’s impact extends far beyond the annual competition. She said ABH-supported entrepreneurs have created more than 120,000 jobs and positively impacted over 40 million lives through their products and services. “Africa’s future is not some distant idea. Africa’s future is being built right now by its entrepreneurs, many of whom are in the room with us today,” she said.
Africa’s innovation story is being written by its own entrepreneurs. With sustained investment, supportive policy environments and platforms like ABH, those entrepreneurs are no longer waiting for opportunity, they are creating it.
