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Africa’s Business Heroes Announces Top 10 Finalists for 2022

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4 years ago

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Africa’s Business Heroes

ABH local team established in Kigali to enhance support to African entrepreneur community

KIGALI, Rwanda, October 4, 2022/APO Group/ — 

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition 2022 (www.AfricaBusinessHeroes.org), a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy which is now in its fourth edition, has announced this year’s top 10 finalists following an intense round of semi-finale business pitches and judging held on September 30 at the Kigali Convention Centre.

The top 10 finalists include (in alphabetical order, by country):

The result was announced at a Gala Dinner on October 1 to an audience of around 100 attendees from all over the African continent, consisting of current and past ABH participants, judges, investors and other key stakeholders in Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape.

These top 10 finalists will take the stage at the competition’s grand finale in November 2022 for their final pitch to win a share of a US$1.5 million prize pool

These top 10 finalists will take the stage at the competition’s grand finale in November 2022 for their final pitch to win a share of a US$1.5 million prize pool. The winner of the first prize will walk home with a US$300,000 grant to fuel their further business growth.

The 10 entrepreneurs were selected through multiple stages of interviews and evaluation from over 21,000 applications across all 54 African nations. They hail from eight African countries including Cameron, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania. Their start-ups have been drawn from a wide variety of industries including agriculture, consulting, energy, environmental protection, healthcare, information & communication technology (ICT), and retail.

These outstanding entrepreneurs share a common trait of having a deep commitment to creating a positive impact on their communities, such as empowering disadvantaged groups, increasing access to digital commerce for businesses in Africa and leveraging technology to improve agricultural efficiency for small-holder farmers.

“ABH remains steadfast in its efforts to identify, support and shine a spotlight on African entrepreneurs that are driving positive growth for their communities. Now in the fourth year of the ABH competition, we are impressed with the increasing diversity of our participants and the impact they are making especially in supporting post-pandemic economic recovery. These top 10 finalists are sources of inspiration for other entrepreneurs in Africa,” says Jason Pau, Executive Director of International Programs, Jack Ma Foundation. “We wish all of them the very best of luck for the final pitch in November.”

“Entrepreneurship is a huge driver for social and economic development in Africa. The ABH Prize Competition provides a platform for outstanding start-ups to showcase targeted solutions that tackle problems in an impactful, competitive, sustainable and value-adding way. This year’s Heroes – as with other years – continued to demonstrate the resilience, passion, imagination, and traction that we need in our entrepreneurs here in Africa,” says Birame Sock, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kwely Inc, one of the judges in the semi-finale round.

Along with the unveiling of the top 10 finalists in this year’s competition, ABH has also announced its launch of a local team in Kigali to better serve and engage its growing African entrepreneur community of over 100,000 members.

“As ABH enters its fourth year, we are humbled by the incredible support from African entrepreneurs and key stakeholders which has made it possible for our ABH community to reach its current scale,” says Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Head of Partnerships & Programs at Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition. “Now with our base in Kigali, a city brimming with vitality and innovation, we are closer than ever to the African entrepreneurs that we serve and better positioned to help create a cohesive local start-up community leveraging our global network and experience. We are particularly excited to be based at Norrsken House, which is home to a vibrant ecosystem of incubators, accelerators and start-ups. We believe being a part of Norrsken will help strengthen our efforts to collaborate with key stakeholders in Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The ABH Prize Competition aims to identify, support and empower entrepreneurial talent from across Africa. The official competition slogan “It’s African Time” is a bold call to action to all African entrepreneurs who are challenging stereotypes associated with “African time” – creating local impact and building a better, more inclusive future through their businesses.

For more information on the 2022 ABH Prize Competition top 10 finalists, please visit the ABH official website (www.AfricaBusinessHeroes.org). Follow ABH on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3CqDNUf), LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3yfWkB7), Instagram (https://bit.ly/3fuWNsE) or Facebook (https://bit.ly/3fzFKFT) to join these dynamic and inspiring entrepreneurs as they get ready for the next round of judging and the grand finale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH).

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

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September 22, 2026

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ASEAN

NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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Events

24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival to Showcase Asia’s Spectacular Autumn Colors

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5 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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Red Leaf Festival

BAZHONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – The 24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival will run from October 1 to November 18 at the Guangwu Mountain Tourism Area in Bazhong, Sichuan Province, China.

Located in southwest China, Guangwu Mountain boasts a forest coverage rate of 97%, earning its reputation as a “natural oxygen bar.” Each autumn, 680 square kilometers of mountain forests burst into a dazzling palette. Over 40 tree species, including Fagus pashanica, maples and lindens, weave the mountains into a stunning autumn landscape.

Known as “Asia’s longest natural red carpet,” the Mountain has become a top autumn destination for backpackers, photographers and travelers seeking immersive cultural and nature experiences, and is widely recognized as one of western China’s signature autumn attractions.

 




 
 

The tourism area caters to international visitors who prefer slower-paced, in-depth, off-the-beaten-path travel. The new Yanziling Loop Boardwalk, launched in May 2026, winds along mountain cliffs, with a sea of clouds rolling beneath visitors’ feet and brilliant foliage unfolding alongside the trail, creating the feeling of “stepping into a painting.”

Guangwu Mountain offers a wealth of outdoor attractions. Highlights include the 1,888-meter Red Leaf Coaster and a glass water slide certified by Guinness World Record, combining thrilling experiences with stunning natural scenery.

The large-scale immersive production “New Dream of Guangwu Mountain” integrates cutting-edge light and visual technology with Bashan folklore and traditions, transforming the forest into an atmospheric nighttime experience. Visitors can also enjoy welcome performances and interactive robot activities, which offer more ways to discover the mountain’s late-autumn charm.

A major highlight of this year’s festival is the newly completed Micang Avenue. Stretching 85 kilometers, the route connects seven core scenic spots, including Guangwu Mountain, Micang Mountain, and Nuoshui River, reducing a four-hour drive to just one hour. Lined with continuous stretches of colorful forest and layered peaks, the avenue brings brand-new travel experiences for autumn foliage enthusiasts.

The festival will also feature cultural, sports and international exchange activities, including the third season of the “Sending You a Red Leaf” campaign, the China Micang Avenue International Road Cycling Race, and the “World Red Leaf Landmark” global collection campaign.

In addition, 31 scenic attractions and 18 museums and cultural venues across Bazhong will provide special ticket offers and visitor benefits during the festival.

Across mountains and seas, Guangwu Mountain invites visitors from around the world to witness one of China’s most vibrant red-and-gold autumn displays.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
 
 




 

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Business

DHL Invests in Greater Middle East-Africa Connectivity with New Aviation Lane

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5 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

By

DHL Express

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • New weekly B767/F Bahrain-Johannesburg service strengthens Sub-Saharan Africa connectivity and supports growing trade flows between Africa, the Gulf and global markets

DHL Express (www.DHL.com) has marked an important milestone in its regional aviation network with the successful operation of the first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa.

The inaugural flight arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, opening a new weekly aviation lane operated by a DHL Express B767/F freighter. The route reinforces DHL’s continued investment in strengthening Sub-Saharan Africa network connectivity, expanding heavier-weight capability, improving flexibility and supporting growing trade flows between the Middle East and Africa.

 




  

As trade between Africa and the Middle East develops, businesses need resilient, well-connected logistics networks. The new service provides greater inbound and outbound capacity for South Africa and neighbouring countries through the DHL Johannesburg Hub, one of the company’s key gateways on the continent.

 

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors. Bahrain’s position as a gateway between Africa, the Gulf and Asia make it an important link for businesses seeking faster access to international markets.

 

Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind

“Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind. As global trade routes diversify and economic ties between Africa and the Middle East continue to strengthen, we are seeing powerful geographical tailwinds creating new opportunities for businesses. Demand is growing across sectors such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce, all of which rely on fast, reliable international logistics,” said Anthony Beckley, Vice President of Operations and Aviation for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

“While this first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa is a significant network milestone, its real value lies in the opportunities it creates for customers.”

 

 

South Africa is one of DHL’s Geographic Tailwinds markets, reflecting its growing role in global trade flows and its potential to drive future trade growth. And Johannesburg remains a critical gateway in DHL’s SSA network, linking South Africa and neighbouring markets to global opportunities through Bahrain and the wider DHL aviation network. Through continued investment in routes, aircraft capacity and hub connectivity, DHL is supporting customers across this dynamic lane.

 

“DHL Express is the only logistics provider operating a dedicated intra-regional air fleet across the Middle East, connecting customers through Bahrain with major global gateways including Hong Kong, Leipzig and Cincinnati,” said Richard Gale, Vice President of Aviation, DHL Express MENA.

 

“Bahrain’s position at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East makes it an ideal hub for customers seeking faster, more reliable access across these growing trade corridors. We are pleased to add this direct Johannesburg connection as economic ties between Africa and the Gulf deepen.”

 

DHL remains committed to helping customers seize opportunities created by changing trade patterns and expanding economic relationships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DHL Express.

 

 




 

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