The grand prize winner of the sixth annual competition Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, has been announced, along with the first and second runners-up.
The ABH Summit and Grand Finale in Kigali, Rwanda, celebrated the Top 10 finalists, selected from nearly 20 000 applicants to compete for a share of the $1,5-million prize.
Under the theme “AI – African Innovation, Insight and Impact”, they pitched their businesses to a live audience and judging panel, including Dr Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali and Ibukun Awosika, founder of the Chair Centre, who were joined by Fred Swaniker, founder and CEO of Sand Technologies.
The top three Africa’s Business Heroes for 2024 are:
- First – winning $300 000: Henri Ousmane Gueye, co-founder and CEO of Eyone.
- Second – winning $250 000: Dr Salma Bougarrani, co-Founder and CEO of Green Watech (Morocca).
- Third – winning $150 000 – Alexander Odhiambo, founder and CEO of Solutech Limited (Kenya)
Gueye comments: “I am very proud to be announced as the winner of the 2024 ABH Prize Competition. This achievement is the result of a lot of hard work, and I am incredibly proud of my team. It’s a significant milestone for us, and it serves as an encouragement for us to keep working towards solving the problem our innovation addresses. It motivates us to continue tackling the big challenges our country faces.”
Applications for the 2025 competition are open now. Details can be found at: https://apo-opa.co/4bucitT