Persistence rewarded: 2024 Grand Prize Winner Henri Ousmane Gueye reflects the power of reapplying, refining, and ultimately winning.
Partner Content: Africa’s Business Heroes
Every year, thousands of African entrepreneurs ask themselves the same question:
Is my business ready? Am I good enough? Is it even worth applying?
And every year, too many stop there.
They hesitate. They overthink. They start the application, and never finish it.
But for those who do move forward, the outcome is rarely the only reward. The process itself becomes a turning point, challenging how founders think about their business, how they position it, and how far it can go.
Because Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) was never built for the “finished” entrepreneur. It was built for founders in motion, those navigating complexity, building in real markets, and ready to test their business on a bigger stage.
From Application to Selection – A competitive journey
Each year, tens of thousands of entrepreneurs across the continent enter the ABH process.
Through a multi-stage selection journey, this is narrowed to a Top 100, then a Top 20, and ultimately a Top 10, who share a $1.5 million prize pool.
At every stage, founders are evaluated not just on the strength of their ideas, but on:
- How clearly they understand their market
- How effectively they execute
- How realistically they can scale
This year, the programme expanded from a Top 50 to a Top 100, reflecting both the depth of entrepreneurial talent across Africa and a deliberate effort to give more founders access.
But expanded access does not mean easier selection. It means greater competition. Since its launch in 2019, ABH has grown into a continent-wide platform driving measurable impact. To date, ABH-supported businesses have raised over $153 million in investment, generated $252 million in revenue, created more than 123,000 jobs, and served 37.5 million people across 52 African countries – alongside $8.5 million awarded directly in prize funding.
Now, with only two years remaining in its ten-year mission to support 100 outstanding African entrepreneurs, the competition is reaching its most competitive stage. Applications continue to rise each year, the quality bar is higher than ever, and the final cohorts will define the legacy of the programme. For founders, this is no longer just an opportunity, it is one of the last chances to be part of a platform shaping Africa’s entrepreneurial future.
What judges are really looking for
As the process narrows, expectations sharpen. Judges are not looking for perfect businesses, they are looking for clarity, discipline, and real potential.
They look for founders who:
- Understand the problem deeply
- Have built something that works
- Show strong fundamentals
- Demonstrate the ability to scale impact
ABH judge Hasan Haider, Founder & Managing Partner, Plus Venture Capital, who has been part of the panel for the past seven years, notes that the strongest applicants consistently get two things right: the business and the story. “First, this is about real businesses,” he emphasises, ventures that are creating value, demonstrating sustainability, and are built on a clear understanding of operations, from financials to marketing to growth. But beyond that, founders must also bring a compelling narrative. “We are looking for heroes,” he adds, entrepreneurs whose journeys inspire, whose impact is tangible, and who represent what is possible for others across the continent. It is the combination of both a strong, well-run business and a story that resonates, that sets apart a true Africa’s Business Hero, their customers, and the true potential of their business, not just the idea behind it.
At this stage, it is no longer about having a good idea. It is about building something that can last and grow.
More than a competition, A defining experience
For those who go through the process, the impact goes beyond funding.
Each stage forces founders to refine:
- Their value proposition
- Their strategy
- Their positioning against continental and global peers
Even those who do not make the final stages leave with stronger businesses. What makes Africa’s Business Heroes particularly distinctive is that it rewards growth, not just a single moment of success. Reapplying is not seen as a setback, but as part of the journey. Founders who return often do so with sharper clarity, stronger traction, and a more refined understanding of their business.
In many ways, the process mirrors entrepreneurship itself: iterative, demanding, and built on continuous improvement. For those who may have started an application and stopped, or applied in the past without advancing, this is a moment to revisit, refine, and re-engage.
Because in a platform designed to test real progress, coming back stronger is not just encouraged, it is often what sets the strongest candidates apart.
As seen in previous winners like Henri Ousmane Gueye, the 2024 Grand Prize winner and founder of Eyone, success did not come on the first attempt, or even the second. He applied, refined, and returned stronger each time, using the process to sharpen both his business and his positioning. By the time he won, it was not just persistence that set him apart, it was how much he had evolved.
Why this moment matters
Africa does not lack ideas. It does not lack innovation. What it increasingly requires is participation, founders willing to step forward, put their work to the test, and engage with platforms that accelerate growth.
Because in today’s environment, waiting has a cost. And hesitation is often the only thing standing between an entrepreneur and the next level of their business.
Final call: the deadline has been extended – but not for long
Applications for the 2026 edition of Africa’s Business Heroes have been extended.
New deadline: May 7, 2026.
This is not just extra time.
It is the final window.
For entrepreneurs across Africa, this is an opportunity to:
- Compete for a share of $1.5 million
- Gain visibility
- Access mentorship and networks
- And test their business on a continental stage
But only if they take the step.
Start – and finish – your application now.
