The Empower Africa Business Platform is Now Live !!!
Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), a program under Alibaba Philanthropy, has named the 50 finalists for its 2025 edition, drawing from a record number of applicants across the continent.
The ABH initiative, founded by the Jack Ma Foundation, focuses on supporting African entrepreneurs who are creating inclusive and sustainable solutions.
Over ten years, the program will recognize 100 business leaders, offering financial support, training, and visibility.
For the 2025 cycle, ABH received 32,000 applications from all 54 African countries—the highest number since the competition began.
From these, 50 startups have made it to the next round. These finalists represent 17 countries and work in 16 different sectors. Women make up 36 percent of the selected group, while 10 percent are Francophone entrepreneurs.
The selected businesses will now take part in the ABH Virtual Bootcamp, a training program that includes sessions led by investors, previous winners, and industry professionals. The workshops will focus on team building, fundraising preparation, AI integration, and digital marketing.
Zahra Baitie-Boateng, ABH’s Africa Managing Director, described the 2025 edition as the most competitive so far.
“We’ve seen more variety, stronger business ideas, and a greater reach across the continent,” she said. “These entrepreneurs are tackling real challenges and have the potential to scale globally.”
In addition to training, the top 50 will receive media exposure and access to ABH’s broader network of alumni and partners.
They will then go through a second evaluation involving in-depth interviews. From this stage, 22 candidates will proceed to the next phase, which includes due diligence by PlusVC.
In August, the 20 top-performing entrepreneurs will be announced and invited to Dakar for the semi-finals in September.
The final 10 will then compete at the grand finale in Kigali this December for a share of the $1.5 million grant prize and the title of Africa’s Business Hero for 2025.
The finalists include:
1. Abakar Mahamat – O’Nadif
2. Abraham Bundi – UZAPOINT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
3. Adewale Opaleye – Alerzo LImited
4. Adriaan Kruger – nuvoteQ
5. Alaa Afifi – Green People
6. Angela Gichaga – Advisory Alliance for Health
7. Angela Juliana Odero – Rio Fish Ltd
8. Appessika Adanin – GREEN AGRO VALLEY CI
9. Baraka Chijenga – KILIMO FRESH FOODS AFRICA LIMITED
10. Blandine Umuziranenge – Kosmotive
11. Diana Orembe – NovFeed
12. Dr Peter Gichuku – Hydroponics Africa LTD
13. Emmastella Gakuo – Savanna Circuit Technologies Limited
14. Fehintolu Olaogun – Crednet Technologies Limited
15. Francis Nderitu – Keep IT Cool
16. Gildas Zodome – BIO PHYTO
17. Gohar Zaki – Suplyd
18. Iheb Triki – Kumulus Tunisia SARL
19. Issam Bellaj – Med.tn
20. Janet Kuteli – FORTUNE CREDIT LIMITED
21. Jean Lobe Lobe – Waspito
22. Jess Roussos – BluLever Education Pty Ltd
23. Jessy Radwan – Careerha
24. Kesi-Ayeba Kendyson Douglas – SELAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
25. Khadija Mohamed Churchill – Kwanza Tukule Foods Limited
26. Kirubel Akalu – GlobeDock Academy
27. Kofi Kyei – Crux Global
28. Kwami Williams – True Farms Ltd
29. Louisa Kiwana – Kunda Kids Ltd
30. Martin Ssali – SMART FOODS LIMITED
31. Moka Lantum – CheckUps Medical Center
32. Mona Alami – ECOLOGIE FERTILISATION
33. Mostafa Hashisha – iSpark Egypt
34. Mostafa Ibrahim – Dar Al Elm for Medical Services
35. Mukasahaha Diane – Dikam Ltd
36. Neamat Eltazi – Kodathon
37. Olugbenga Olubanjo – Reeddi Technologies Limited
38. Oluwatobi Odukoya – CD CARE LIMITED
39. Racine Sarr – Shopmeaway SAS
40. Rania Ayman – Entreprenelle
41. Rita Idehai – The Ecobarter Company LTD
42. Samwel Bahebe – Mwamba Mining Limited
43. Sara Aziz – Safe Egypt
44. Siny Samba – Lionceau
45. Taita Ngetich – Synnefa Green Limited
46. Teresa Njoroge – Clean Start Africa
47. Thomas Brennan – Franc Group
48. Tokombe Onoya Cedrick – RECYCLO CONGO SARL
49. Wesley Owiti – Cherehani Africa Limited
50. Wyclife Omondi – BuuPass
Learn more about the 2025 ABH Here
Miro, a forestry and plywood manufacturing enterprise with operations in Sierra Leone and Ghana, has closed a significant funding round spearheaded by Lagata, an investment firm dedicated to forestry ventures across sub-Saharan Africa.
Kenyan agri-tech startup Farm to Feed has secured funding from Renew Capital, a pan-African investment firm, to help them scale their operations. The exact amount of funding was not disclosed.
Sahel Capital, manager of the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA), has secured a $10 million commitment from the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, which is administered by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) in Mauritius.
