Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is gearing up for one of its biggest annual showcases as the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition — a flagship initiative of Alibaba Philanthropy — prepares to host the 7th ABH Summit and Grand Finale in Kigali, Rwanda, on 12–13 December 2025.
Organised in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the two-day gathering is set to attract over 1,000 entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, mentors, and innovators from across the continent and beyond. This year’s theme, “Defining Africa’s Future Today,” signals a strong focus on groundbreaking ideas and scalable solutions capable of influencing Africa’s economic transformation over the coming decade.
The summit will feature masterclasses, panel conversations, fireside chats, and live pitch sessions, offering participants both learning and networking opportunities. The highly anticipated Grand Finale will reveal the 2025 ABH winners, who collectively stand a chance to receive up to US$1.5 million in grant funding to accelerate their ventures.
A Dynamic Top 10: Innovators Shaping Africa’s Next Frontier
Selected after a competitive semi-final round in Dakar, Senegal, this year’s Top 10 finalists reflect the diversity and ingenuity driving Africa’s entrepreneurial rise. Representing fields such as digital finance, agritech, women’s economic empowerment, health technology, and biotechnology, the finalists include:
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Wyclife Onyango (Kenya) – BuuPass, a digital transport and ticketing platform
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Siny Samba (Senegal) – Le Lionceau, specialising in food tech and infant nutrition
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Mukasahaha Diane (Rwanda) – DIKAM Ltd, a textile enterprise empowering women
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Baraka Chijenga (Tanzania) – Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa, an agritech solution for food security
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Janet Kuteli (Kenya) – Fortune Credit Limited, a fintech microfinance provider
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Diana Orembe (Tanzania) – NovFeed, an agritech and biotech innovator
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Abraham Mbuthia (Kenya) – Uzapoint Technologies, supporting small businesses with digital tools
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Gohar Said (Egypt) – Suplyd, a food technology and supply-chain platform
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Adriaan Kruger (South Africa) – nuvoteQ, offering health-tech and digital medical solutions
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Jean Lobe Lobe (Cameroon) – Waspito, a telemedicine and health technology provider
“These finalists embody the spirit of African entrepreneurship,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Africa Managing Director at ABH. “Their resilience, innovation, and commitment to solving real problems inspire us, and we cannot wait to see them present their work on the ABH stage.”
Kigali: A Continually Rising Innovation Hub
This year marks the third consecutive edition of the ABH Summit hosted in Kigali, solidifying Rwanda’s capital as one of Africa’s most vibrant hubs for innovation, tech advancement, and investment partnerships.
“We are excited to welcome ABH back to Kigali,” said Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of RDB. “Our collaboration with ABH highlights a shared vision — empowering African entrepreneurs to scale impactful businesses. The summit is a powerful platform for founders, investors, and institutions to explore avenues for long-term, sustainable growth.”
Seven Years of Impact: ABH’s Growing Legacy
Since launching, ABH has supported 70 high-impact entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship, and international exposure. Over 5,000 entrepreneurs have benefitted from programmes like ABH ScaleUp, while the initiative has recorded more than 160,000 applications from across Africa.
The 2025 edition is powered by major partners including Gebeya, Bank of Kigali, Jasiri, and Inkomoko, along with outreach collaborators such as Hanga Pitchfest, Impact Hub Kigali, ALU (African Leadership University), Carnegie Mellon University Africa, Kepler College, and Norrsken Africa. These partners play a crucial role in nurturing emerging businesses and strengthening the entrepreneurial pipeline entering ABH each year.
Together, these collaborations reinforce ABH’s mission to equip, celebrate, and elevate the next generation of African business leaders, ensuring that innovation on the continent continues to flourish.
