$1 Million Awarded to African Entrepreneurs in Grand Finale of the Jack Ma Foundation Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative
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
ACCRA, Ghana, November 17, 2019/ -- Last night the Jack Ma Foundation hosted
its first annual Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) (https://www.Netpreneur.Africa/) 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
including 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:
“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:
“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:
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 (https://bit.ly/2pqInf) on Facebook, @AFNetpreneurs (https://www.Netpreneur.Africa/) on Twitter for application details. For photos and videos from the finale event, please visit Alizila (https://bit.ly/2qWkxgf)About the ANPI:
The ANPI (https://www.Netpreneur.Africa/) 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 Business Heroes” show where ten finalists will compete in a pitch competition to win a share of $1 million USD in grant money.
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