The grand finale of the Africa&039;s Business Heroes (ABH) competition, held at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) on Saturday, March 15, saw three entrepreneurs from Senegal, Morocco and Kenya emerge as the top winners.
This followed day one of the ABH summit on March 14, which brought together business leaders and entrepreneurs from across Africa.
The event, organised in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), with support from Bank of Kigali (BK), focused on exploring pressing challenges and innovative solutions through the lens of entrepreneurship.
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ABH, a flagship initiative of the Jack Ma Foundation, is one of Africa’s largest and most inclusive pitch competitions. It aims to empower outstanding entrepreneurs through grant funding, mentorship and media exposure.
The competition, which began as the Africa NetPreneur Prize Initiative, is backed by a $10 million investment from 2019 to 2029.
Senegalese entrepreneur Henri Ousmane Gueye, co-founder and CEO of Eyone Medical, an interconnected healthcare system that provides real-time access to patients’ medical records, won the grand prize of US$300,000.
He said, "I want to thank the people who believe in what we are doing day-to-day. And definitely, we are motivated to change Africa.”
Speaking about the grant, he added, "The money will serve our day-to-day operations, but beyond that, it’s a message. It’s a message saying that if a country invests in a local innovator, he can be a champion and change Africa.”
Moroccan entrepreneur Salma Bougarrani, co-founder and CEO of GREEN WATECH, which combats water scarcity through innovative, low-tech wastewater treatment systems that provide irrigation solutions for rural communities in Morocco, secured the first runner-up position and took home US$250,000.
Celebrating her achievement, she said, "This is the first time Morocco has reached this position in ABH. It is the best affirmation that we have come far.”
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Kenyan entrepreneur Alexander Odhiambo, co-founder and CEO of Slutech Limited, which offers an all-inclusive Sales Force Automation software that empowers businesses of all sizes with real-time visibility and data-driven decision-making, secured the second runner-up position and took home US$150,000.
Out of nearly 20,000 applicants, 10 entrepreneurs representing eight African countries and seven diverse industries, including healthcare, fintech, agribusiness and logistics, made it to the finals.
The remaining seven innovators each received $100,000.
Speaking at the grand finale, Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), commended the top 10 finalists for their remarkable achievements.
"These 10 exceptional entrepreneurs represent eight African countries and span seven diverse industries. They truly embody the resilience, innovation, and visionary leadership that will shape Africa&039;s future,” he said.
However, Afrika reminded the winners that the journey ahead remains challenging. "While today marks a significant milestone, the road ahead is long and demanding. Success will require unwavering dedication and continuous innovation.”
Afrika also noted the transformative impact of the initiative on Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape.
"Since its inception in 2019, ABH has profoundly impacted Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape, engaging over 120,000 entrepreneurs from 54 countries and providing $1.5 million in grants annually to the top 10 finalists.”
Additionally, Rwanda is set to host the grand finale for the next four years, as announced by Jason Pau, Executive Director (International) of the Jack Ma Foundation.
Afrika expressed Rwanda’s pride in hosting the event, not only this year but for the next four years.
"We remain dedicated to supporting entrepreneurial growth and investing in the creation of an ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship, investment and mentorship,” he added.
Furthermore, the opening of applications for the 7th edition of the competition was announced, inviting interested individuals to apply at https://africabusinessheroes.org/en/register.
The competition’s reach has expanded significantly, with applications increasing from 9,366 to 27,267. The regional distribution includes 42 per cent from West Africa, 30 per cent from the East African Community (EAC), 14 per cent from Northern Africa, 10 per cent from Southern Africa, and only 4 per cent from Central Africa.