Africa’s Business Heroes has opened applications for its eighth annual competition, offering $1.5 million in grant funding to ten entrepreneurs building businesses across the continent.
The programme, supported by Alibaba Philanthropy and the Jack Ma Foundation, has operated as an entrepreneurship support platform in Africa since its launch in 2019.
Organisers said the 2026 edition will run under the theme “Defining Africa’s Future Today,” continuing the programme’s focus on supporting founders who are building businesses across different sectors of the African economy.
Under the structure of the competition, the overall winner will receive $300,000, while the first and second runners up will receive $250,000 and $150,000 respectively. The remaining seven finalists will each receive $100,000.
In addition to the grant funding, the finalists will also participate in a global immersion programme at Alibaba’s campus in Hangzhou, China, scheduled for September 2026. The training programme is designed to expose participating entrepreneurs to international business practices and networks.
Organisers also announced a change to the competition structure for the new edition. The number of applicants advancing to the interview stage has been increased to 100, compared with 50 in previous years.
Applications are open to entrepreneurs across all sectors, including financial technology, healthcare, climate innovation and artificial intelligence. The programme accepts submissions in both English and French.
According to the organisers, the 2026 edition will also focus on expanding participation from countries that have historically been less represented in the competition’s final stages.
Outreach activities are expected to take place in markets including Namibia, Tunisia and Zambia.
The most recent winner of the competition was Diana Orembe, founder of NovFeed, a company that converts organic waste into animal feed and biofertilisers.
Applications for the 2026 edition will close on April 28.
