Top 50 finalists selected by Africa’s Business Heroes for $1.5 M 2025 competition
A record-breaking year for participation and regional representation, Alibaba Philanthropy’s flagship philanthropic initiative, Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), has revealed the top 50 finalists for its US$1.5 million 2025 competition.
The Jack Ma Foundation’s principal African philanthropic endeavour is Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH). It helps forward-thinking businesspeople in all 54 African nations who are creating sustainable and inclusive economies.
ABH will identify 100 entrepreneurs over a ten-year period and provide them with training, grant funding, and a platform to share their stories. The top 10 finalists vie for a portion of US$1.5 million in a televised pitch finale every year.
All 54 African nations submitted applications to ABH this year, totalling 32,000—the most in the competition’s history. For the seventh iteration of the competition, fifty startups have been chosen to be finalists.
They come from 17 different countries, cover 16 different sectors, and are composed of 10% Francophone entrepreneurs and 36% women. The ABH Virtual Bootcamp, a rigorous training program with workshops led by ecosystem leaders, investors, and ABH Heroes, will be part of the competition’s next phase for the Top 50. Digital marketing for growth, leveraging AI, investment readiness, and creating resilient teams are some of the topics that will be covered.
“The 2025 ABH Prize has raised the bar, yet again. We are seeing greater depth, diversity, and innovation across the span of applications,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, managing director for Africa at ABH. “This record-breaking year speaks to the relevance of ABH in every corner of the continent. These 50 finalists are solving real problems with global potential, and we’re excited to amplify their work.”
Along with training and mentorship, the top 50 will gain access to a vibrant network of ABH Heroes, alumni, and partners, as well as media attention. 22 entrepreneurs will be selected to go through due diligence under PlusVC’s direction following a second round of evaluations that includes in-depth interviews with ABH round two judges. In August, the top 20 finalists will be announced, and in September, the winners will travel to Dakar for the semi-finals.
Following their selection in Dakar, the top 10 finalists will advance to the grand finale in Kigali in December, where they will vie for their portion of the US$1.5 million in grant funding and be named this year’s Africa’s Business Heroes.
