The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition has selected 20 entrepreneurs from across Africa to compete in the 2026 semi-final, scheduled to take place in Nairobi on August 21 and 22.
The entrepreneurs were selected from more than 24,000 applications received from all 54 African countries. The semi-finalists represent 12 countries and 11 sectors, with their businesses collectively generating about $85 million in revenue in 2025.
During the Nairobi semi-final, the entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses to a panel of investors, business leaders and experienced entrepreneurs. Ten will qualify for the grand finale, which will be held in Kigali later this year.
The ABH Prize Competition is a philanthropic initiative of the Alibaba Foundation that provides $1.5 million in annual grant funding to African entrepreneurs, as well as mentorship, visibility and access to a wider business network.
Kome Oruade-Etim, Global Programme Manager for Acumen Angels and a judge in this year’s competition, said the changing funding environment was putting greater pressure on African businesses to build commercially sustainable models.
“The changing funding environment forces the question that we no longer need just businesses to solve problems, but ones that are commercially sound, have strong fundamentals and can demonstrate social impact and environmental protection,” she said.
Oruade-Etim said Africa also needed businesses capable of addressing persistent gaps in healthcare, energy, education and technology, while ensuring that innovation was designed around the realities of local communities.
“How do you bring technology to where people are at as opposed to the other way around? I see heroes who make technology relevant to us by solving problems that are relevant to us,” she said.
Abraham Mutian, CEO and co-founder of Kuza Point and a 2025 ABH runner-up, urged this year’s semi-finalists to clearly communicate their business models, financial performance and growth potential.
“Sharpen your story. Know your numbers. Articulate them clearly, and most importantly, make the judges understand your business, the value and your understanding,” he said.
Mutian also encouraged entrepreneurs to use the competition to build lasting relationships with investors, customers, mentors and other business leaders beyond the judging process.
“Don’t just exchange business cards, build relationships. Not only focus on who is sitting on the judging panel. Look around this room. Your next investor, customer, partner, mentor, market or connection could already be in this community,” he said.
Wandia Gichuru, co-founder and CEO of Vivo Fashion Group and one of the judges, said entrepreneurs should demonstrate how their businesses could expand beyond their existing markets.
“The scale of the business matters. Is this something that you’re building that can take you much wider, much further? Can it go beyond the borders that you’re in now?” she said.
Kenya’s representatives include Ikechukwu Anoke of Zuri Health, Naom Monari of Bena Care, Joseph Mungai of AceleAfrica and Louisa Gathecha of Bottle Logistics East Africa.
Other semi-finalists come from Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Ethiopia, South Africa, Rwanda, Tanzania, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Ghana. They operate across sectors including agritech, healthcare, renewable energy, manufacturing, fintech, education, climate technology and technology.
The return of the competition to Nairobi is significant for ABH, as the city hosted its inaugural semi-final in 2019.
Organisers said the 2026 event will also provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to connect with investors and strategic partners from across Africa and beyond.
The programme will culminate in the selection of the Top 10 entrepreneurs, who will proceed to the grand finale in Kigali in December.
