Cairo – Sharikat Mubasher: Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, Africa’s leading philanthropic initiative supported by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, announced the Top 10 finalists for the 2024 ABH Prize.
These exceptional entrepreneurs were chosen after an intense round of Semi-Final business pitches and judging held on September 27-28 at Kamelizer Spaces, with community events until September 29, in Cairo, Egypt, according to a press release.
This marks ABH’s first event in North Africa, highlighting Egypt’s growing role as a key hub of entrepreneurial innovation in Africa.
The 2024 ABH Top 10 entrepreneurs were identified through a rigorous process involving multiple rounds of interviews and assessments. Starting from around 20,000 applications from all 54 African countries, the pool was narrowed to the Top 50 finalists.
The finalists represent eight nations: three from Egypt, the host country of the 2024 ABH Semi-Final, as well as entrepreneurs from Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is represented the first time this year.
Their ventures span a diverse range of industries, including Agriculture, Education and Training, Financial Services, Health care, ICT, Logistics, Manufacturing and Retail. All the Top 10 finalists have been vetted through a due diligence process led by PlusVC and were selected after pitching their ventures to a panel of judges in front of a live audience.
The 10 finalists included Hadeel Fayek, Founder & CEO of Joviality, Mina Shahid, Co-founder & CEO of Numida, Rasha Rady, Co-founder & COO of Chefaa from Egypt
Hosting the Semi-Final event in Cairo highlighted the city’s longstanding legacy in commerce, trade, and entrepreneurship. Known for its rich history, Egypt plays a critical role in promoting entrepreneurship and supporting the next generation of African business leaders.
Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Managing Director, Africa at Africa’s Business Heroes commented: “We chose Cairo as the location for this important stage of the competition because of its vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and its strategic position in the African market. The remarkable growth of Egypt’s entrepreneurial community is evident from our experience over the past six years at ABH. We have seen 34 Egyptian entrepreneurs progress through various stages of the competition, from the Top 50 to the Top 10, including two third prize winners, one second prize winner, and one grand prize winner. These achievements, among others, underscore Egypt’s influence within the continent’s broader entrepreneurial landscape, and we are proud to showcase its significance.”
The Semi-Final event featured an esteemed panel of judges, including Hasan Haider Founder and Managing Partner at PlusVC, Fatoumata Doro, Former Managing Director at Vlisco and Board Member at Ecobank, Dina el-Shenoufy, Chief Investment Officer at Flat6Labs, and Simbarashe Mhungu, an Executive Director in Agriculture and Infrastructure Finance.