NAIROBI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Jack Ma Foundation has launched the second edition of Africa's Business Heroes (ABH) prize competition to reward budding entrepreneurs who are making a difference in the lives of local communities.
Entrepreneurs from 54 African countries drawn from all sectors of the economy and demographics, will be eligible to apply for the competition that awards 1.5 million U.S. dollars to the ten finalists.
"With this prize competition, we are looking to inspire and reward African business heroes in all sectors and encourage aspiring applicants to seize this opportunity to break through barriers and create hope for the future," Jason Pau, senior advisor for International Programs of the Jack Ma Foundation said on Monday.
The ten finalists are expected to participate in a pitching show that will be broadcast on digital platforms across the African continent, besides sharing the prize money of 1.5 million U.S. dollars.
The finalists will also have access to the Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative(ANPI) community of business leaders and gain from knowledge, expertise and training required to excel in entrepreneurship.
ANPI is the Jack Ma Foundation's flagship philanthropic program in Africa. Over a ten-year period, the ANPI plans to recognize 100 African entrepreneurs and commit to allocating 100 million U.S. dollars in grant funding, training programs, and support for the broad African entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Applications for the second edition of Africa's Business Heroes prize that are both in English and French will be open online from April 6 to June 9 while the top ten finalists will be unveiled in September.
