From Cairo to Kigali: 2024 ABH Grand Finale and Summit Gain Momentum
Cairo, Egypt, September 30, 2024 – The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) 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 chosen after an intense round of Semi-Final business pitches and judging 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 hub of entrepreneurial innovation in Africa. The Top 10 finalists are (in alphabetical order, by country):
The 2024 ABH Top 10 entrepreneurs were identified through a rigorous process involving multiple rounds of interviews and assessments. Starting from around 20,000 applications from all 54 African countries, the pool was narrowed to the Top 50 finalists. Following another selection round involving video call interviews with expert judges, ABH identified the Top 20 finalists who attended the Semi-Final in Cairo. At these Semi-Finals, the Top 10 finalists to receive their share of the $1.5 million USD grant were selected. These finalists represent eight nations: three from Egypt, the host country of the 2024 ABH Semi-Final, as well as entrepreneurs from Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is represented for the first time this year. Their ventures span a diverse range of industries, including Agriculture, Education and Training, Financial Services, Health care, ICT, Logistics, Manufacturing and Retail. All the Top 10 finalists have been vetted through a due diligence process led by PlusVC and were selected after pitching their ventures to a panel of judges in front of a live audience.
Hosting the Semi-Final event in Cairo highlighted the city’s long standing legacy 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 entrepreneurial ecosystem and its strategic position in the African market,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Managing Director, Africa at Africa’s Business Heroes.
“The remarkable growth of Egypt’s entrepreneurial 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 winner and one grand prize winner. These achievements, among others, underscore Egypt’s influence within the continent’s broader entrepreneurial landscape, and we are proud to showcase its significance,” she added.
The Semi-Final event featured an esteemed panel of judges, including Hasan Haider Founder and Managing Partner at PlusVC, Fatoumata Doro, Former Managing Director at Vlisco and Board Member at Ecobank, Dina el-Shenoufy, Chief Investment Officer at Flat6Labs, and Simbarashe Mhungu, an Executive Director in Agriculture and Infrastructure Finance. The event, which attracted participants from across the continent, also featured community-focused events.
These included a networking cruise on the Nile, sponsored and co-hosted with The FutureList, and a training session on building a future-proof business, led by industry experts with additional training from Alibaba Cloud. Other sponsors included Kamelizer Spaces, while partners such as Career180, Helm, Satguru, ALX Ventures and RiseUp Summit were also involved - highlighting the collaboration of key players from Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and beyond, all working together to support African entrepreneurs.
In a statement shared following the unveiling of the Top 10 at the Gala Dinner concluding the Semi-Final, Baitie-Boateng further noted, “We continue to see inspiring examples of innovation and resilience among the 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 Finale, which is set to take place from December 3-5, 2024, in Kigali, Rwanda.
The event, which will also be partially live-streamed, will bring together leading investors, business leaders, and innovators from across Africa. It will feature a variety of activities, including keynote speeches, workshops, an entrepreneurial showcase, and a live pitch competition, among other exciting sessions.
ABH has indicated that the 2024 Grand Finale will stay true to the initiative’s core values since its launch in 2019. Emphasizing its pan-African commitment, the event will spotlight inclusivity, sector-diversity, and grassroots innovation. This high-profile gathering will highlight entrepreneurs who are addressing some of the continent's most pressing challenges while driving sustainable economic growth across Africa.
