Africa’s Business Heroes 2025 is open. Win a share of $1.5M grant

Africa’s Business Heroes 2025 (ABH) is a flagship philanthropic initiative established by the Jack Ma Foundation that seeks to identify, support, and inspire African entrepreneurs who are making a significant impact in their communities and beyond. In 2019, Temie Giwa-Tubosun emerged winner and turned a $300,000 grant into LifeBank, a revolutionary health logistics company saving lives across Nigeria.

Over a ten-year period, the programme aims to recognise 100 African entrepreneurs, offering them financial support, mentorship, and access to a network of global business leaders.

Since its inception in 2019, Africa’s Business Heroes has been fostering a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem across the continent. Participants and business leaders are empowered to identify and solve critical challenges in their local markets, thereby driving economic growth.

This year, the fund will stay true to its mission by providing funding, training, and networking opportunities to help selected entrepreneurs scale their ventures and create sustainable change.

Each year, 10 finalists win grants ranging from $100,000 to $300,000, plus a follow-on of $100,000 for global immersion training. Beyond funding, participants gain mentorship from industry titans—including strategic advice from CEOs and investors—and tailored workshops on scaling, marketing, and more. Past winners have used this boost to expand operations, launch innovations, and secure partnerships, strengthening Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. This current application was opened in 2024, and the competition will award $1.5 million in grant funding to 10 African entrepreneurs.

Eligibility

To qualify for Africa’s Business Heroes 2025, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be an African citizen or have African-based businesses
• Be a founder or co-founder
• Have a business that is legally registered and operates within Africa
• Have been in operation for at least three years with proven revenue
• Demonstrate a clear impact on their community and a scalable business model

The competition is open to  African entrepreneurs across all sectors and industries, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

The selection process

The competition follows a rigorous selection process to ensure that only the most promising entrepreneurs are chosen. Applicants will go through multiple stages, including:

• Initial screening: applications are reviewed based on eligibility and business impact
• Video call interview: after the top 50 candidates have been selected, each of them will undergo a video interview with business leaders to test them and afterwards, the top 20 will emerge
• Investigations: a check is done to be sure the candidates are who they claim to be
• Semi-finals: shortlisted candidates pitch their business models to expert judges who will determine the top 10 finalists
• Final pitch competition: the top finalists pitch their ventures to a panel of esteemed business leaders and investors for a share of $1.5 million

Past winners have leveraged the competition to expand operations, secure further investments, and build influential partnerships. At the inception of Africa’s Business Heroes 2025,  the winner in 2019, Temie Giwa-Tubosun, the CEO of Life Bank, was able to expand her business across Nigeria and grow her revenue. Ikenna Nzewi, another beneficiary in 2021, developed two new technologies with the grant he received.

Beyond monetary rewards, ABH promises exposure to its prestigious network of African innovators. Winners will also learn from global business mentors like Jack Ma himself and gain real-time strategies to scale their startups and SMEs to new heights. Whether you’re in fintech, healthtech, agriculture, or education, Africa’s Business Heroes 2025 offers tools to succeed.

How to apply

If you are interested, head to the official ABH website to apply. The deadline is Friday, May 23, 2025. Early applications are encouraged to allow sufficient time for document preparation and submission.

Think of ABH as a chance to tell your story clearly and concisely. Past applicants have found it helpful to review the guidelines on the ABH site first, ensuring they have everything ready to grab grants for their SMEs without last-minute stress.

Do you have an innovative business (small, mid-scale business or start-up) that adds value, creates opportunities or solves bold problems? then you`ve got a story worth telling? Shoot us an email with SUBJECT — “Story Worth Telling (+ Name of Business)” — to editorial@smepeaks.com