Jack Ma’s Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) has shortlisted 50 finalists from over 22,000 applications from all over Africa. The finalists will advance to the next selection phase where the top 20 finalists will participate in an exclusive boot camp. Finally, the top 10 entrepreneurs will compete in the grand finale event to hold at the end of the year.
Nigeria’s Adeyinka Tekenah (Happy Coffee), Chinedu Azodoh (Metro Africa Xpress Inc.), Faith Adesemowo (Social Lender), Ifeoluwa Olatayo (Soupah Farm-en-Market Limited), Kehinde Ayanleye (Stutern), Olajide Ayegbusi (Edusko Africa), Oluwasoga Oni (MDaaS Global) and 43 other African finalists were selected from across 18 sectors such as agriculture, e-commerce, construction, logistics, manufacturing, management, retail, renewable energy, engineering, fashion, education, ICT, retail, healthcare, and Artificial Intelligence.
This second edition of the Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative will award $1.5 million to the top 10 finalists. The benefits of becoming part of the top 10 finalists include an opportunity to pitch to Jack Ma and other key founders, access up to $300,000 grant, mentorship, training, exposure and admission into Alibaba’s 2-week intensive Founder program.
The finalists will be accessed via video-call interviews will top business leaders and the top 20 will be selected. They will participate in a semi-final pitch session where a panel of judges will ascertain the top 10 finalists which will pitch at Africa’s Business Heroes Show at the end of November.
In the first edition last year, Temie Giwa-Tubosun of LifeBank won $250,000 Africa Netpreneur Prize. She was also named the African Business Hero of the year.