Defining Africa’s Future: Business Heroes 2026 Opens Applications

Precious Olowookere

Mar 10, 2026 • 2 min read

Africa’s Business Heroes supports talented African entrepreneurs through its annual Prize competition. Each year, ten exceptional finalists are selected to receive a share of USD 1.5 million in grant funding, with the top winner receiving up to USD 300,000.

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) competition has made an open application for its eighth edition in order to support African entrepreneurs with a sum of $ 1.5 million in grant funding.

This funding is a project initiative by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy in a mission to continue its move in empowering Africa’s most promising business leaders. This competition is set to be opened to entrepreneurs and co-founders from all 54 African nations and from every industry, including finance, agritech, healthcare, logistics, and climate solutions.

One of the major requirements from businesses is that they must have been in operation for at least three years and also demonstrate quantitative social or economic impact in their local communities.

At the end of the program, there will be ten outstanding finalists selected by the program each year to compete in a grand finale pitch event. The sum of the $1.5 million prize tool will be divided amongst these finalists, with US$300,000 going to the overall winner, US$250,000 to the first runner-up, and US$150,000 to the second runner-up. While each of the final seven recipients will receive $100,000 USD, plus additional funds for training and global integration opportunities.

For entrepreneurs who are interested in this competition, the application is open till April 28, 2026 for submission. The organisers affirm that the initiative continues to highlight Africa’s growing entrepreneurial talent and the role startups play in solving some of the continent’s challenges.

About Africa’s Business Heroes

The Jack Ma Foundation launched Africa's Business Heroes (ABH), a premier charitable entrepreneurship initiative, to encourage and honor African entrepreneurs who are starting advanced businesses and boosting the continent's economy. As part of an ongoing commitment to empower entrepreneurs and bolster Africa's startup ecosystem, the program was introduced in 2019.

The mission of ABH is to find, assist, and motivate the upcoming generation of African business owners. Through its initiatives, the group offers finance, training, media exposure, and mentorship to innovators creating scalable enterprises while tackling social and economic issues in Africa.

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