Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), the Jack Ma Foundation’s flagship philanthropic program, dedicated to uplifting and empowering entrepreneurs across the African continent has announced the Top 20 finalists of the 2023 edition of the competition.
The program’s primary objective revolves around showcasing and nurturing local talent that generates positive impact within their communities and beyond, thereby inspiring a thriving movement of African entrepreneurship.
Over the course of a decade, the ABH program is committed to recognizing 100 outstanding African entrepreneurs and extending crucial support through grant funding, comprehensive training programs, and broader assistance to bolster the African entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Eligibility for the program requires that the applicant’s company must be registered and have its primary headquarters in an African country. Moreover, the company must have demonstrated market traction and generated revenue for at least three years.
Out of the shortlisted Top 20 finalists, 25% represent Healthtech, 20% are in Agtech, and 15% are dedicated to Edtech.
These talented entrepreneurs hail from various African nations, with Egypt accounting for 25% of the finalists, while Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa make up 15% each.
Here is a comprehensive list of the Top 20 finalists, categorized by country:
Benin
Bola Bardet (Founder & CEO, Susu)
Egypt
Ayman Bazaraa (Co-Founder, Sprints)
Mohamed Ali (Managing Director, PluGuard)
Mohamed Moustafa (CEO, Shezlong)
Mostafa Ali (Co-founder & CGO, iSpark Egypt)
Omar Hagrass (Co-Founder, Trella)
Ghana
Andrew Takyi-Appiah (Co-Founder & MD, Zeepay Ghana Limited)
Christina Gyisun (Co-Founder & COO, Sommalife Limited)
Kenya
Alexander Odhiambo (CEO, Solutech Limited)
Taita Ngetich (Co-Founder & CEO, Synnefa)
Thomas Njeru (Co-Founder & CEO, Pula Advisors Limited)
Morocco
Ismael Belkhayat (Founder & CEO, Chari)
Nigeria
Bryan Mezue (Co-Founder & Director, Lifestores Healthcare)
Funmi Adewara (Founder & CEO, Mobihealthcare Limited)
Ikpeme Neto (Founder, Wellahealth Technologies)
Rwanda
Albert Munyabugingo (Co-Founder & CEO, Vuba Vuba Africa LTD)
South Africa
Gareth Thomson (Founder & Head of Content, Resolute Education)
Nthabiseng Mosia (Co-Founder & CCO, Easy Solar)
Theo Baloyi (CEO, Bathu)
Zambia
Sunday Silungwe (Co-Founder & Director of Marketing, Good Nature Agro)
The Top 10 finalists will collectively receive $1.5 million in grants, with individual amounts ranging from $100,000 to $300,000. This financial support serves as a significant boost to these remarkable entrepreneurs, enabling them to further pursue their impactful ventures and drive positive change across Africa.
