Winners emerge in $1m Jack Ma Foundation initiative

Ten winners have emerged at the grand finale of the Jack Ma Foundation’s Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI), clinching $1 million prize money.

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 last weekend where the top 10 finalists pitched their businesses directly to four judges, including Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba Group and the Jack Ma Foundation, and Ibukun Awosika,

Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and Founder/CEO of The Chair Centre Group.

Each finalist is receiving a share of $1 million. Among the top three is a Nigeria, Temie Giwa-Tubosun, founder and CEO, LifeBank winning 250,000 in the First Place.

The others are Dr. Omar Sakr, founder and CEO, Nawah-Scientific, winning $150,000 in Second Place from Egypt and Rwandan Christelle Kwizera, founder, Water Access who won $100,000.

“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.

“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,” Jack Ma said.

“If this is an indication of the future of entrepreneurship on the continent, then Africa’s future looks bright,” Awosika noted.