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Africa’s Business Heroes Names 20 Entrepreneurs for Nairobi Semi-Final
Twenty entrepreneurs from across Africa have been selected to compete in the 2026 Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) semi-final, which will take place in Nairobi from August 21 to 22.
The entrepreneurs emerged from more than 24,000 applications received from all 54 African countries. The semi-finalists represent 12 countries and 11 sectors, with their businesses collectively generating about $85 million in revenue in 2025.
The Nairobi event will give the entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch their businesses to a panel of investors, business leaders and experienced entrepreneurs. Ten entrepreneurs will advance to the grand finale in Kigali later this year.
Kenyan Entrepreneurs Join Africa’s Top Business Talent
The Kenyan contingent includes Ikechukwu Anoke of Zuri Health, Naom Monari of Bena Care, Joseph Mungai of AceleAfrica and Louisa Gathecha of Bottle Logistics East Africa.
The wider group includes entrepreneurs from Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Ethiopia, South Africa, Rwanda, Tanzania, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Ghana.
Their businesses span sectors such as agritech, healthcare, renewable energy, manufacturing, fintech, education, climate technology and technology.
The return of ABH to Nairobi also holds significance for the competition. The city hosted the inaugural ABH semi-final in 2019.
Focus Shifts to Sustainable Business Growth
As African entrepreneurs navigate a changing funding environment, judges say commercial sustainability will become increasingly important.
Kome Oruade-Etim, Global Programme Manager for Acumen Angels and a judge in this year’s competition, said entrepreneurs must demonstrate strong business fundamentals while delivering social and environmental impact.
The challenge, she noted, is not simply to build businesses that address problems, but to create commercially sound enterprises that can sustain their impact.
She also highlighted the importance of developing solutions that respond to the realities of African communities.
“How do you bring technology to where people are at as opposed to the other way around?” she asked, pointing to entrepreneurs who make technology relevant by solving problems that matter to local communities.
Africa’s Business Heroes Names 20 Entrepreneurs for Nairobi Semi-Final
Entrepreneurs Urged to Know Their Numbers
For past ABH participants, the semi-final is also an opportunity to sharpen the fundamentals of running and presenting a business.
Abraham Mutian, CEO and co-founder of Kuza Point and a 2025 ABH runner-up, urged the entrepreneurs to communicate their businesses clearly.
“Sharpen your story. Know your numbers. Articulate them clearly,” he said, stressing the importance of helping judges understand the value and potential of the business.
Mutian also encouraged entrepreneurs to look beyond the competition itself and build meaningful relationships with investors, customers, mentors and fellow entrepreneurs.
“Don’t just exchange business cards, build relationships,” he said, noting that the next investor, customer, partner or mentor could already be part of the ABH community.
Can African Businesses Scale Beyond Borders?
For Wandia Gichuru, co-founder and CEO of Vivo Fashion Group and one of the judges, the ability to scale will also be an important consideration.
“The scale of the business matters. Is this something that you’re building that can take you much wider, much further?” she said.
The question reflects a broader challenge facing African entrepreneurs: building businesses that can move beyond their initial markets while remaining relevant to the communities they serve.
With sectors ranging from healthcare and education to climate technology and renewable energy, this year’s semi-finalists are tackling some of the continent’s most pressing challenges.
$1.5 Million in Annual Grant Funding
ABH is a philanthropic initiative of the Alibaba Foundation. The competition provides $1.5 million in annual grant funding to African entrepreneurs, alongside mentorship, visibility and access to a wider business network.
The Nairobi semi-final will therefore offer more than an opportunity to compete for funding. Entrepreneurs will also connect with potential investors, customers, mentors and strategic partners from across Africa and beyond.
Following the two-day event, 10 entrepreneurs will be selected to proceed to the grand finale in Kigali in December.
For the 20 semi-finalists, the Nairobi stage represents another step towards scaling their businesses and demonstrating how African entrepreneurship can create commercially viable solutions to challenges across the continent.
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