ACCRA, Ghana-Sunday 17 November 2019 [ AETOS Wire ]
(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Last night the Jack Ma Foundation hosted its first annual Africa
Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) grand finale awarding $1 million in
prize money to 10 entrepreneurs from across Africa.
The
ANPI is a flagship initiative of the Jack Ma Foundation, created by
Jack Ma after his first trip to Africa in 2017. The aim of the prize is
to support and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs who
are building a more sustainable and inclusive economy for the future. In
its inaugural year, nearly 10,000 entrepreneurs from 50 countries
across the continent applied. The Jack Ma Foundation has committed to
running the competition for 10 years.
The
finale event, called “Africa’s Business Heroes,” was held in Accra,
Ghana, where the top 10 finalists pitched their businesses directly to
four prestigious judges - Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba Group and the Jack
Ma Foundation; Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of
Econet Group; Ibukun Awosika, Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and
Founder/CEO of The Chair Centre Group; and Joe Tsai, Executive Vice
Chairman of Alibaba.
The specifics of the prize pool division is listed below. Each finalist is receiving a share of $1 million.
The top three finalists were:
- Temie Giwa-Tubosun, founder and CEO, LifeBank (Nigeria) – First Place, winning $250,000
- Dr. Omar Sakr, founder and CEO, Nawah-Scientific (Egypt) – Second Place, winning $150,000
- Christelle Kwizera, founder, Water Access Rwanda (Rwanda) – Third Place, winning $100,000
“It
was an incredible honor to be named Africa’s Business Hero. I was truly
inspired by my fellow winners at today’s Netpreneur Summit. The Africa
Netpreneur Prize will give me the resources to grow LifeBank and expand
our presence in Nigeria and throughout the rest of Africa. I look
forward to continuing my journey to solve problems and make a
significant impact on the future of Africa,” said Temie Giwa-Tubosun,
Founder and CEO of LifeBank.
The remaining finalists, who each received $65,000, are listed below:
- Waleed Abd El Rahman, CEO, Mumm (Egypt)
- Ayodeji Arikawe, co-founder, Thrive Agric (Nigeria)
- Mahmud Johnson, founder and CEO, J-Palm (Liberia)
- Kevine Kagirimpundu, co-founder and CEO, UZURI K&Y (Rwanda)
- Dr. Tosan J. Mogbeyiteren, founder, Black Swan (Nigeria)
- Chibuzo Opara, co-founder, DrugStoc (Nigeria)
- Moulaye Taboure, co-founder and CEO, Afrikrea (Cote D’Ivoire)
“The
finalists who competed in ‘Africa’s Business Heroes’ should be an
inspiration for Africa and for the world. Each of these entrepreneurs
looked at big challenges facing their communities, and saw them as
opportunities,” said Jack Ma, Founder of the Alibaba Group and Jack Ma
Foundation. “It is my strong belief that entrepreneur heroes, like these
finalists, will change the world – creating companies that drive
inclusive growth and opportunity for the continent. Everyone is a winner
tonight.”
“This
competition demonstrates the overwhelming entrepreneurial talent that
exists across Africa. I’m very excited about the future of industry and
entrepreneurship for this continent,” said Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and
Executive Chairman of Econet Group. “The top 10 truly show the limitless
potential of African business.”
“What
really struck me about the finalists was that they each addressed
specific African problems with a specific African solution in a fresh
way, leveraging technology that wasn’t available previously,” said
Ibukun Awosika, Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and Founder/CEO of The
Chair Centre Group. “If this is an indication of the future of
entrepreneurship on the continent, then Africa’s future looks bright.”
“Africa’s
Business Heroes” will be televised in a two-hour special throughout
Africa. The journeys of the finalists as well as their pitches and
business insights from the judges will all be included in this exciting
television event.
You can watch “Africa’s Business Heroes” on the following dates and channels:
- December 13, 2019 - ROK 3 on DSTV
- December 14, 2019 - NOVELA and Sports Focus on StarTimes
Check your local listings for specific channel and airing times.
The
initiative will host a pitch competition where 10 finalists from across
the continent will compete for $1 million in total prize money every
year through 2028. All entrepreneurs across Africa are encouraged to
apply. Entries for next year’s prize will open in the first half of
2020.
Follow @africanetpreneurprize on Facebook, @AFNetpreneurs on Twitter for application details. For photos and videos from the finale event, please visit Alizila.
About the ANPI
The
ANPI is a philanthropic initiative spearheaded by the Jack Ma
Foundation aimed at supporting and inspiring the next generation of
African entrepreneurs across all sectors, who are building a more
sustainable and inclusive economy for the future of the continent. For
the next ten years, the ANPI will host the “Africa's Business Heroes”
show where ten finalists will compete in a pitch competition to win a
share of $1 million USD in grant money.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191117005049/en/
Contacts
Media contact:
Edelman
Caryl Kolk
caryl.kolk@edelman.com
+27 (0)82 295 2520
