Africa’s Business Heroes 2025 Top 10 Finalists announced at Semi-Final event./Photo ABH
Six innovators from Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda to take center stage at the 7th ABH Grand Finale in Kigali
The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a flagship philanthropic initiative of Alibaba Philanthropy, has unveiled its Top 10 Finalists of 2025, and East Africa has emerged as the region to watch.
Out of nearly 32,000 applications across the continent, six entrepreneurs from Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda secured their place among the 10 Africa’s most promising innovators, showing the strength and diversity of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Selected after multiple rounds of rigorous evaluation including interviews, due diligence, and live pitches before a distinguished panel of judges in Dakar these East African entrepreneurs embody the ingenuity and resilience that define ABH.
“Our Top 10 Finalists embody the best of African entrepreneurship visionary leaders. Their journeys showcase the ingenuity, grit, and diversity of Africa’s entrepreneurial talent, from healthtech and agritech to fintech, education, and sustainability,” commented Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Africa Managing Director, ABH
“We are thrilled to see them advance to Kigali for the Grand Finale, where they will not only compete for funding but also inspire millions across the continent with their stories of resilience and innovation.”
East Africa’s Six Heroes
From Kenya, Wyclife Onyango, co-founder of BuuPass, has built one of Africa’s most successful digital transport-ticketing platforms.
Since its founding in 2016, BuuPass has grown into a regional leader, enabling travelers to search, compare, and book intercity bus tickets across multiple countries via web, mobile app, and USSD.
With over 20 million tickets sold and more than 150 transport operators integrated into its system, the platform has transformed access and convenience for millions of passengers while reducing long queues at bus stations.
Partnerships with leading transport companies, such as Mash Poa in Kenya, have positioned BuuPass as a key driver of safer, more transparent, and digitally enabled mobility in Africa.
Also from Kenya, Janet Kuteli leads Fortune Credit Limited, a microfinance and digital credit provider that has become a lifeline for underserved households and small businesses.
Fortune Credit focuses on expanding financial inclusion through innovative loan products tailored to those traditionally excluded from banking services.
Recently licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya as a Digital Credit Provider, the company has strengthened its credibility and capacity to scale.
By offering accessible financing and financial literacy, Fortune Credit is helping thousands of Kenyans unlock opportunities in education, health, and business, while also building resilience among vulnerable communities.
Kenya’s third finalist, Abraham Mbuthia, is the founder of Uzapoint Technologies Limited, a company dedicated to empowering small and medium enterprises with digital tools.
Uzapoint develops affordable business management systems that help informal and small businesses keep accurate records, manage inventory, and process sales digitally.
For many SMEs that previously relied on handwritten notebooks, Uzapoint’s solutions have provided a crucial gateway to formalization, credit access, and growth.
Mbuthia’s mission is to ensure that technology is not reserved for large corporations but is also a resource for micro and small businesses that form the backbone of Africa’s economies.
From Tanzania, Baraka Chijenga is transforming agriculture through Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa Limited, a company he co-founded to bridge the gap between smallholder farmers and reliable markets.
By sourcing produce directly from farmers, adding value through cleaning, packaging, and cold storage, and supplying both modern retailers and informal vendors, Kilimo Fresh tackles food insecurity and post-harvest losses head-on.
The company currently works with hundreds of farmers, many of them women, ensuring fairer prices sometimes up to 20 percent higher than those offered by middlemen.
At the same time, Kilimo Fresh reduces food waste and ensures that urban consumers receive high-quality, fresh produce.
Fellow Tanzanian Diana Orembe is reimagining the future of sustainable agriculture with her biotech startup, NovFeed.
Based in Dar es Salaam, NovFeed has developed a groundbreaking process that converts organic waste into protein ingredients for aquaculture and livestock feed, alongside bio-fertilizer byproducts.
This innovation not only provides a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to fishmeal and soy but also cuts greenhouse gas emissions and relieves pressure on natural resources.
NovFeed has already won international recognition, including the prestigious US$1 million Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech, and has been named among UNICEF’s Innovation30 companies.
By tackling both food security and climate change, Orembe’s work positions Tanzania at the heart of global biotech innovation.
From Rwanda, Mukasahaha Diane leads DIKAM Ltd, a garment manufacturing company that has become a symbol of women and youth empowerment.
Specializing in school uniforms, children’s clothing, and ready-made apparel, DIKAM combines affordability with quality under the “Made in Rwanda” brand.
Starting with just 30 employees, the company has since expanded to a workforce of about 200, most of them women, providing stable jobs and technical training in a country where employment opportunities are scarce.
Diane’s vision is to psition Rwanda’s textile industry not just as a domestic supplier but as a competitive player in regional and international markets, while also uplifting communities through dignified work.
Other Trailblazers Across the Continent
Completing the 2025 Top 10 are standout entrepreneurs from across Africa: Siny Samba of Le Lionceau (Senegal, FoodTech/Infant Nutrition), Gohar Said of Suplyd (Egypt, FoodTech/Supply Chain), Adriaan Kruger of nuvoteQ (South Africa, HealthTech/Digital Solutions), and Jean Lobe Lobe of Waspito (Cameroon, HealthTech/Telemedicine).
Their work, alongside East Africa’s innovators, reflects the diversity and breadth of Africa’s entrepreneurial talent.
Dakar as a First-Time Hosting
This year’s Semi-Finals marked a milestone: the first time ABH was hosted in a francophone country and the first in Senegal, underscoring the nation’s growing influence as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.
With GDP growth at 8.6% and the upcoming 2026 Youth Olympic Games—the first on African soil—Dakar offered an inspiring stage for the competition.
Next Stop: Kigali Grand Finale
The finalists will move on to the 7th ABH Grand Finale in Kigali, Rwanda on 12–13 December 2025, where they will compete for their share of US$1.5 million in grant funding.
The Grand Prize winner will take home US$300,000, while each of the other finalists will receive at least US$100,000, alongside mentorship, storytelling opportunities, and global networks to accelerate their growth.
“As a former ABH Top 10 Hero, I know the transformative power of this platform. Returning as a judge is a true honor, and I am thrilled to congratulate this year’s Top 10 finalists. Their innovation, resilience, and impact are inspiring, and I look forward to welcoming them into the ABH community and supporting them as they scale their businesses and shape Africa’s entrepreneurial future,” said Moulaye Taboure, CEO and Founder of ANKA, and the first ABH alumnus to serve as a judge.
Powered by Collaboration
The event was made possible thanks to the support of Alibaba Philanthropy and Senegalese sponsors Wave, Sonatel, and InTouch Group, alongside outreach partners including Haske Ventures, Impact Hub Dakar, SenStartup, Seedstars, and African Leadership University (ALU).
Now in its 7th edition, the ABH Prize Competition continues to celebrate and empower Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs, with East Africa firmly at the forefront of this year’s journey.
About Alibaba Philanthropy:
Alibaba Philanthropy is the social impact arm of Alibaba Group, committed to harnessing technology and partnerships for good.
Its work spans rural revitalization, environmental protection, disaster relief, and empowering vulnerable communities.
In Africa, Alibaba Philanthropy drives flagship initiatives such as Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), supporting entrepreneurs who are building inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent.
