Applications have opened for the eighth edition of the Africa’s Business Heroes competition, which awards a total of $1.5 million in grants to African entrepreneurs.
The program is supported by Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy and aims to recognize entrepreneurs building businesses across the continent.
Each year since 2019, the competition has selected 10 finalists who share $1.5 million in grant funding.
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The overall winner receives $300,000. The first runner-up receives $250,000 and the second runner-up receives $150,000.
The remaining finalists each receive $100,000. Finalists also receive an additional $100,000 for global immersion training.
In addition to funding, the program offers mentorship, training and access to investor and business networks.
The competition aims to support entrepreneurs by providing capital and exposure to help scale their ventures.
The winner of the 2025 edition was NovFeed.
Entrepreneurs from across Africa can apply to compete for the grants and participate in the program’s mentorship and training activities.
Key Takeaways
Entrepreneurship competitions have become an important source of early-stage funding for African startups, particularly in markets where venture capital remains limited. Grant programs such as Africa’s Business Heroes provide non-dilutive capital that founders can use to expand operations, develop products or enter new markets without giving up equity. Beyond funding, these competitions often provide mentorship, investor exposure and global networks that help startups access additional financing. Over the past decade, Africa’s startup ecosystem has grown as digital technology lowers barriers to launching businesses in sectors such as fintech, logistics, health technology and agriculture. However, access to capital remains uneven across the continent, with funding concentrated in a small number of countries and sectors. Programs that support entrepreneurs across different regions and industries aim to broaden participation in the startup economy and strengthen the pipeline of companies capable of scaling across African markets.