Companion content material: Africa’s Enterprise Heroes
Africa’s Enterprise Heroes (ABH), the flagship philanthropic initiative of Alibaba Philanthropy, concluded its seventh version in Kigali on thirteenth December 2025 with Diana Orembe, Co-Founder and CEO of NovFeed from Tanzania, rising as the general winner and Africa’s Enterprise Hero.
Diana was recognised for her pioneering biotech innovation that transforms natural waste into sustainable protein for animal feed. Her resolution earned the Grand Prize of $300,000, reflecting its potential to strengthen agricultural methods and promote sustainability throughout the continent.
Her win marked the end result of an inspiring Grand Finale held on the Kigali Conference Heart, which introduced collectively the 2025 High 10 Heroes, chosen from greater than 32,000 candidates throughout Africa. The finalists offered their ventures via compelling pitches and in-depth discussions targeted on influence, scalability, and long-term viability.
Abraham Mbuthia of Kenya secured second place, receiving $250,000 for Uzapoint Applied sciences, a platform that equips small companies with digital instruments to enhance operational effectivity and entry to finance. Adriaan Kruger of South Africa positioned third, incomes $150,000 for nuvoteQ, a digital well being resolution designed to streamline affected person care and information administration.
The remaining seven finalists every acquired $100,000, recognising the energy, creativity, and industrial promise of their ventures. All ten entrepreneurs now be part of the ABH Neighborhood, a rising community that gives mentorship, visibility, and capability constructing alternatives past the competitors.
The Grand Finale welcomed a distinguished viewers of buyers, founders, and ecosystem leaders, underscoring the programme’s long-standing dedication to supporting African entrepreneurship.
Finalists offered earlier than a revered judging panel comprising Jerry Yang, Co-founder of Yahoo and Founding Companion of AME Cloud Ventures; Dr Diane Karusisi, CEO of the Financial institution of Kigali; and Ibukun Awosika, Founding father of The Chair Centre Group.
Their mixed views formed a rigorous analysis course of that emphasised readability of imaginative and prescient, disciplined execution, and options addressing actual challenges throughout Africa.
Reflecting on the finalists, Jerry Yang famous that the High 10 represented seven nations and 7 industries, united by a shared ambition to construct companies that remedy significant issues. He described Africa as being at an necessary inflection level and highlighted ABH’s function in constructing a long-term pipeline and neighborhood of founders.
The Grand Finale adopted the ABH Summit held in Kigali on 12 December 2025, which introduced collectively entrepreneurs, buyers, educators, and business leaders for dialogue, studying, and collaboration throughout themes together with synthetic intelligence, digital transformation, healthcare, manufacturing, artistic industries, and inclusive finance.
Summit audio system included Lijun Solar, President of Alibaba Philanthropy; Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa; Tara Fela-Durotoye, Founding father of Home of Tara; Wandia Gichuru, CEO of Vivo Style Group; and Naa Ashorkor, journalist and theatre producer.
By internet hosting the Summit and Grand Finale for the third consecutive 12 months, Kigali reaffirmed Rwanda’s place as a most popular vacation spot for main worldwide entrepreneurship convenings. With sturdy infrastructure, a supportive enterprise setting, and a dedication to innovation, Rwanda continues to play a central function in convening founders and companions advancing Africa’s financial transformation.
Since its launch in 2019, Africa’s Enterprise Heroes has grown into one of many continent’s main platforms for entrepreneurial improvement. In seven years, the ABH Prize Competitors continues to have a good time visionary leaders driving inclusive and sustainable progress throughout the continent. ABH has immediately awarded 70 entrepreneurs with funding and offered them with coaching and international publicity, serving to them scale impactful companies in sectors comparable to agribusiness, fintech, healthcare, training, and sustainability. ABH has additionally supported over 5,000 entrepreneurs via its coaching applications comparable to ABH ScaleUp and attracted over 160,000 candidates thus far.
The Summit and Grand Finale was made doable by Alibaba Philanthropies, Jack Ma Basis, the Rwanda Growth Board and supported by a rising community of companions, together with Gebeya, Financial institution of Kigali, Jasiri, and Inkomoko, alongside quite a few outreach companions.
The 2026 Africa’s Enterprise Heroes Prize Competitors will open on March 3, 2026.
Entrepreneurs throughout Africa are inspired to subscribe to the ABH e-newsletter to obtain software updates and notifications. Ecosystem companions enthusiastic about partaking with Africa’s Enterprise Heroes might contact [email protected]
