A celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation is set to unfold in Kigali, Rwanda where Africa’s top minds will rub shoulders to contest for the 2023 Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, and their share of $1.5 million in grant funding. Slated for November 23 through 24, the ABH Summit and Grand Finale will draw over 1,000 African entrepreneurs, investors, and other start-up ecosystem players from across the continent. Also expected are renowned African influencers, musicians, and entertainment icons. ALSO READ: Kigali to host Africa's Business Heroes Summit and Grand Finale The competition, now in its fifth year, is sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy to shine a spotlight on African entrepreneurs making a positive impact in their communities. The 2023 ABH Summit and Grand Finale is the first large-scale physical event organized by ABH since 2019, and it is intended to be a platform for the public to witness African entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas live to inspiring global business leaders and compete for grant funding. Hosted every year since the 2019 debut competition, 10 finalists in each edition are selected to compete in the Grand Finale, which is expected to be livestreamed and accessible to audiences across the continent. Contestants have the opportunity to not only showcase their talent and business ideas but also inspire others to pursue entrepreneurship as a career option. ALSO READ: Five Rwandans who secured funding from Jack Ma Foundation’s Funding Here are a few things you should know ahead of the summit: Excerpts, Prizes and heroes The overall winner takes home $300,000, the first runner-up $250,000 and the second runner-up $150,000. The other seven of the top 10 finalists each receive $100,000, and the remaining $100,000 is split among all finalists for additional training programs after the competition. This year’s top 10 finalists, elected from a pool of over 27,000, represent eight countries: Rwanda, Benin, Egypt, two from Ghana, Kenya Morocco, Nigeria, and another two from South Africa. Albert Munyabugingo, the CEO and co-founder of Vuba Vuba Africa, becomes the fifth Rwandan finalist who has made it to the Grand Finale since the competition’s inception. In previous editions, four Rwandan entrepreneurs have won grants exceeding $385,000, equivalent to over Rwf455 million. Vuba Vuba is a Rwandan mobile App that provides a convenient solution for residents in Kigali, Musanze, and Rubavu to order meals and daily essentials for delivery to their homes or offices. Since launching in January 2020, its team of 31 full-time employees, 100 delivery riders, and 50 casual workers has successfully delivered over 1,000,000 orders and continues to reach an average of 1,000 deliveries per day. According to ABH, Vuba Vuba stands out in the market by not charging extra fees on top of the regular prices of products, only adding a delivery fee of $1. It strives to provide reliable delivery service to its customers. Coming to Kigali Rwanda is a highly promising hub for entrepreneurship in Africa. Entrepreneurs from the country have been actively involved in the ABH competition since its inception in 2019. In fact, ABH has chosen Rwanda for its local base in Africa. This year, as ABH celebrates its 5th year anniversary, it has held the Semi-finale of its competition physically in Kigali. Soon, it will bring together entrepreneurial ecosystem players and aspiring entrepreneurs in Kigali again for its physical 5th anniversary Summit and Grand Finale. The target audience for the ABH Grand Finale is all-inclusive. ABH is inviting everyone, from entrepreneurs, students, investors, to business enthusiasts in Rwanda to attend. It's a valuable experience to connect with the trailblazers shaping Africa's business landscape, learn, network, and find inspiration. This event celebrates African entrepreneurship and offers a chance to be part of the continent's vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Beyond the awards, what else should attendees look out for? Attendees can look forward to a highly engaging and fun two-day ABH Summit and Grand Finale. There will be informative workshops, keynote speeches from industry experts, as well as Ted talk style sharing, debates between experts, and interactive workshops, among other activities. These sessions will provide valuable insights and knowledge sharing, making it a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and aspiring business enthusiasts to learn, grow, and engage in diverse forms of content and interaction. Anything else in the pipeline? ABH is bringing a massive immersive stage that will be a first for the continent. The team is integrating an incredible Augmented Reality (AR) experience for each of its top 10 heroes that will provide an immersive experience for deeper insight into their business all from the auditorium of the Kigali Convention Centre. In addition, this year, ABH is introducing “ABH 100” to honor individuals who have supported ABH’s cause in their respective capacities over the five editions so far. ABH knows that the tireless efforts the ABH 100 – including but not limited to those who have volunteered over 15,000 hours in the judging processes – put in to support entrepreneurship in Africa have had an amazing impact on both the competition and the exciting and steadily growing start-up ecosystem that it has cultivated. How do you compare this year’s uptake against the previous editions? The 2023 ABH Summit and Grand Finale is the first large-scale physical event organized by ABH since 2019, inviting the public to witness African entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas live to inspiring global business leaders and compete for grant funding. The year, ABH received an impressive 27,267 applications, the highest number since the program's inception in 2019, reflecting the growing entrepreneurial spirit in Africa. Francophone countries accounted for 27 percent of all applications, the highest percentage in ABH's history, indicating greater diversity and inclusivity. In summary, the 2023 ABH edition is remarkable due to its midway milestone, the return to a fully physical large-scale event, record-high applications, and the grand event being hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, with a diverse audience. Get ready for a knowledge-packed experience. The event’s speakers are top-notch business experts from Africa and beyond, bringing participants invaluable insights and knowledge sharing. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, part of the business community, or an aspiring one, you’ll gain a wealth of wisdom. The lineup of speakers is incredibly diverse, with 41 confirmed speakers who represent various facets of the entrepreneurial landscape, including investors, business leaders, ecosystem builders, entrepreneurs, and influencers. This diverse mix of speakers ensures that participants will get insights and perspectives from a wide range of experts. Beneficiaries’ take What sets this event apart from others in the same category? In summary, ABH's commitment to diversity, long-term support, first physical event since 2019, inviting the public to witness entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to global business legends live; the physical presence of renowned business figures and an expected high attendance among other things, makes it unique. The fusion of entertainment and entrepreneurship set it apart from similar events. It's not just a celebration of entrepreneurship but a learning and networking platform, making it a comprehensive experience. If you're in Kigali, don't miss this one-of-a-kind event at Kigali Convention Centre on November 23rd and 24th. Join ABH for an exciting celebration of African entrepreneurship and be part of something truly special. Book your seat today and invite your colleagues to share in this remarkable experience. For more details and registration, this is the link: https://africabusinessheroes.org/en/the-community/2023-abh-grand-finale Make sure to secure your seat promptly, as admission is free for registered attendees and operates on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited capacity. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity.
