OHOTO Courtesy/ABH
The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, the flagship philanthropic initiative of Alibaba Philanthropy and the Jack Ma Foundation, has selected 20 African entrepreneurs to advance to its 2026 Semi-Final in Nairobi.
The entrepreneurs were selected from more than 24,000 applications received from all 54 African countries and will compete in Nairobi on August 21–22 for 10 places in the next stage of the competition.
The 2026 Top 20 represent 12 African countries and 11 sectors, including agriculture and agritech, healthcare, manufacturing, climate technology, financial services, education, energy, technology and media and entertainment.
Eight women entrepreneurs make up 40 percent of the cohort, while their businesses collectively generated approximately US$85 million in 2025.
The finalists were selected from an expanded Top 100 cohort through three-person judging-panel interviews assessing leadership, innovation, impact, scalability and commercial strength.
The process also included site visits to every company advancing to the Semi-Final and comprehensive due diligence conducted by PlusVC.
The approach is intended to look beyond applications and pitches to understand the businesses, their teams and the communities they serve.
When the 2026 edition was launched back in March , Zahra Boateng-Baitie, Managing Director for Africa at Africa’s Business Heroes, said the initiative was designed to give entrepreneurs support beyond funding.
“Africa’s future is being shaped by entrepreneurs who are addressing the continent’s most pressing challenges and unlocking its economic potential,” Boateng-Baitie said. “Beyond the USD 1.5 million in grant funding, ABH is a transformational platform that equips founders with the visibility, mentorship, and strategic support they need to scale sustainable businesses.”
The philanthropic initiative provides US$1.5 million in grant funding to 10 entrepreneurs, alongside opportunities for mentorship, visibility and connections with other entrepreneurs and investors.
The support will also extend beyond the Nairobi competition.
A learning and market-access trip to Hangzhou, China, is scheduled for September 14–18, bringing together about 40 participants from more than 10 African countries, including ABH alumni, selected entrepreneurs, judges and participants from the Alibaba Digital Lion programme.
The Nairobi Semi-Final is also expected to attract a larger investor audience, giving the selected entrepreneurs opportunities to engage with funders and strategic partners from across Africa and beyond.
East Africa has five entrepreneurs among the 20 selected. Kenya is represented by Naom Monari of Bena Care, Joseph Mungai of AceleAfrica and Louisa Gathecha of Bottle Logistics East Africa.
Tanzania’s Joseph Paul, founder of Dawa Mkononi, completes the region’s representation.
Their businesses span health technology, energy and climate technology, placing East African enterprises within a wider group of African businesses seeking to combine commercial growth with solutions to social and economic challenges.
The 2026 Semi-Final marks ABH’s return to Nairobi, which hosted the programme’s first Semi-Final, and will bring the finalists together with investors and other players in Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
