Jack Ma Foundation’s Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) annual competition supports and encourages African entrepreneurs. The competition aims to identify and fund African entrepreneurs who are solving critical problems and creating an impact in their communities. It provides a platform to showcase their businesses, access funding, and receive mentorship from top business leaders. The competition offers up to $1.5 million in funding for entrepreneurs with innovative and scalable business ideas.
The Top 10 finalists share a prize pool of $1.5 million in grants ranging from $100,000 to $300,000. The 1st takes home $300,000, 2nd and 3rd prize winners take home $250,000 and $150,000 respectively. All other 7 finalists, take home $100,000. An additional $100,000 is allocated for training.
The annual competition to identify the next, best Africa’s Business Heroes is open from the 3rd of March 2023 till the 12th of May 2023, 23:59 GMT.
All finalists also join an exclusive community of like-minded entrepreneurs, business professionals, investors, and mentors. In addition, they get access to training and networking opportunities to further support them on their business journey.
Below are some key benefits of participating in the competition
- Grant Funds Of Up To $300 000
- Global Recognition And Exposure
- Access To An Exclusive & Vibrant Entrepreneurship Community And Network
- Mentorship From Business Icons
- Targeted And Practical Training Programs
- Insights Into Your Business
Who is eligible?
- To apply for our competition, you should meet the following criteria:
- You’re the founder or a co-founder.
- You’re an African citizen or the direct descendant (child/grandchild) of an African citizen.
- Your company is registered, headquartered, and primarily in an African country.
- Your company has market traction and at least 3 years of revenue.