The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has crowned the winners of its sixth annual competition at the ABH Summit and Grand Finale in Kigali, Rwanda.
Selected from nearly 20,000 applicants, the Top 10 finalists competed for a share of the $1.5 million prize pool, pitching their businesses before a distinguished judging panel and a live audience. Under the theme “AI – African Innovation, Insight, and Impact,” the event celebrated Africa’s brightest entrepreneurial minds.
Meet the Top Three Winners of ABH 2024
- 1st Place – $300,000 – Henri Ousmane Gueye, Co-founder & CEO, EYONE (Senegal)
- 2nd Place – $250,000 – Dr. Salma Bougarrani, Co-Founder & CEO, GREEN WATECH (Morocco)
- 3rd Place – $150,000 – Alexander Odhiambo, Founder & CEO, Solutech Limited (Kenya)
Reflecting on his win, Henri Ousmane Gueye expressed his gratitude saying, “This achievement is the result of relentless hard work. It’s a milestone that motivates us to keep tackling the challenges our innovation aims to solve.”
Global Platform for African Entrepreneurship
The ABH Summit and Grand Finale attracted 1,606 participants and featured:
- Live pitches from the finalists
- Panel discussions on entrepreneurship, innovation, and impact
- Masterclasses on business financing and leadership
- Interactive networking sessions, including the unique ‘Networking in the Dark’ experience
Over 50 influential speakers from 15 countries took part, including Jean-Guy Afrika (CEO, Rwanda Development Board), Dr. Brenda Kateera (Country Director, Clinton Health Access Initiative), and Hasan Haider (Founder & Managing Partner, PlusVC).
In her keynote, Ibukun Awosika, ABH Grand Finale judge and Founder of the Chair Centre, emphasized the importance of ‘African Intelligence’ in shaping the continent’s future, “Africa’s future will be built by those who turn challenges into opportunities and take action.”
ABH also confirmed that Rwanda will continue to host the Summit and Grand Finale for the next four years,. Key partners in this include the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), and Bank of Kigali.
Applications Open for ABH 2025
With the 2024 winners announced, ABH has officially launched the 2025 call for applications. African entrepreneurs now have a chance to compete for a share of $1.5 million and join the ranks of the continent’s most promising business leaders.
Also Read: Africa’s Business Heroes Announces Top 50 Finalists for 2024 Prize Competition