Business
Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition 2023 Calls for Participation of Business Professionals as Judges
Record-breaking number of applications expected as 21,000 entries received three weeks ahead of deadline
KIGALI, Rwanda, April 26, 2023/APO Group/ —
The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) (AfricaBusinessHeroes.org) Prize Competition is calling for the participation of business professionals from across Africa as judges of its 2023 edition, as it is on course to be bigger and better this year. With less than three weeks before entries close on May 12, more than 21,000 entrepreneurs from all corners of the continent have already submitted their applications, reflecting a strong interest in the competition.
ABH is a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy. Every year since 2019, ABH conducts a continent-wide search with its partners for the most talented, business-driven entrepreneurs driving inclusive growth and creating a positive impact for their communities. ABH features 10 African entrepreneur finalists each year as they pitch their business to win a share of US$1.5 million in grant money and gain access to unparalleled mentoring, networking and training opportunities. Over a 10-year period, ABH will recognize a total of 100 outstanding African entrepreneurs.
Now in its fifth year, ABH has grown into a truly Pan-African, inclusive, sector-agnostic and grassroots-oriented initiative, which has been positively impacting the continent’s entrepreneurial landscape.
A crucial part of ABH’s success is a group of esteemed judges who not only evaluate but also inspire entrepreneurs broadly. Hundreds of judges at all levels of the competition support and mentor African entrepreneurial talents taking part in the competition each year. Judges of past ABH editions include Omar Cisse, CEO of InTouch SA; Amal Enan, Partner of 500 Global and Founder of The Lotus Collective; Tomi Davies, Collaborator-in-Chief at TVC Labs and Advisor to Fathom; Fatoumata Ba, Founder of Janngo Capital; Fred Swaniker, Founder of African Leadership Academy, among others.
This year, as ABH expects a record-breaking number of applications, the competition is looking to expand its pool of judges to support the contestants further on their ABH journey. Seasoned entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, academics, and business professionals from all sectors are invited to join the ABH community of judges here (https://apo-opa.info/3HbA9AA).
Aside from providing guidance and evaluation for the contestants, judges can also connect with the ABH ecosystem of more than 100,000 stakeholders
“As an ABH judge, I have enjoyed supporting entrepreneurs over the last two years. I’ve learned as much as I have mentored, and I am inspired each time I connect with an ABH entrepreneur. In addition to supporting amazing participants, I have made so many new connections with passionate ABH judges that work all over the continent,” said Akua Nyame-Mensah, Executive Coach and Co-Founder of A.N.M. & Company and CoffeeChat.
Aside from providing guidance and evaluation for the contestants, judges can also connect with the ABH ecosystem of more than 100,000 stakeholders, including investors, entrepreneurs and ABH partners through judge networking sessions hosted by ABH. After completing the judging process, they will be awarded a certificate and featured on ABH’s official website.
ABH is also putting out a special call to entrepreneurs whose countries are still underrepresented – including Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya to apply for this year’s competition and inspire millions of others with their unique stories. The competition is still open for applications (https://apo-opa.info/41MUCo0) in either French or English until May 12, 2023.
Entrepreneurs who are interested in applying or who have registered as applicants now have less than three weeks until May 12, 2023 to complete their applications by submitting the required materials. For more guidance on the application process, visit the ABH official website (https://apo-opa.info/3N9S3aN), or watch a video here (https://apo-opa.info/3n5s8X3).
In addition to the US$1.5 million cash grant, applicants will also gain access to mentoring, networking, and publicity opportunities for their ventures. All applicants have access to training and scaling opportunities across a vast range of business disciplines through webinars, presentations and events, such as the Alibaba Netpreneur Training (https://apo-opa.info/3n8g6wg) program.
The top 50 candidates will be announced in July, the top 20 semi-finalists in August, and the top 10 finalists in September. The return of a large-scale Grand Finale and Summit is slated for November 2023.
For more information about ABH 2023, please visit: https://apo-opa.info/41MUCo0 and follow ABH on Twitter (https://apo-opa.info/3KY3OQs), LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.info/3L1Cgda), Instagram (https://apo-opa.info/3KZTXKa), Facebook (https://apo-opa.info/3ylgNE9), and YouTube (https://apo-opa.info/3YDG5bH).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH).
Events
As global power structures shift, Invest Africa convenes The Africa Debate 2026 to redefine partnership in a changing world
The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation
Now in its 12th year, The Africa Debate has established itself as London’s premier platform for African investment dialogue since launching in 2014, convening over 800 global decision-makers annually to shape the future of trade, finance, investment, and development across the continent.
Under the theme “Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition”, this year’s forum will focus on Africa’s response to global economic realignment with greater agency, ambition and economic sovereignty.
The Africa Debate puts Africa’s priorities at the centre of the conversation, moving beyond traditional narratives to focus on ownership, resilience and long-term value creation.
“Volatility is not new to Africa. What is changing is the opportunity to respond with greater agency and ambition,” says Invest Africa CEO Chantelé Carrington.
“This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy — so African economies can take greater ownership of their growth. Success will be defined by how effectively we turn disruption into leverage and partnership into shared value.”
The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation.
Key challenges driving the debate
Core focus areas for this year’s edition of The Africa Debate include:
This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy
Global Realignment & New Partnerships
How shifting geopolitical and economic power structures are reshaping Africa’s global partnerships, trade dynamics and investment landscape.
Financing Africa’s Future
The growing need to reform the global financial architecture, new approaches to development finance, as well as the strengthening of market access and financial resilience of African economies in a changing global system.
Strategic Value Chains
Moving beyond primary exports to build local value chains in critical minerals for the green economy. Also addressing Africa’s energy access gap and mobilising investment in renewable and transitional energy systems.
Digital Transformation & Technology
Unlocking growth in fintech, AI and digital infrastructure to drive productivity, inclusion, and the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation.
The Africa Debate 2026 offers a unique platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making, and strategic engagement. Attendees will gain actionable insights from leading policymakers, investors and business leaders shaping Africa’s economic future, while building strategic partnerships that define the continent’s next growth phase.
Registration is now open (http://apo-opa.co/46b19gj).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.
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