The Jack Ma Foundation has launched the second edition of the Africa Netpreneur Prize, which will offer selected innovative African tech startups access to a US$1.5 million prize pool.
The Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) was created by Alibaba founder Jack Ma after his first trip to Africa in 2017, and aims to support the next generation of African entrepreneurs. The first edition was won by Nigerian startup LifeBank in November last year.
Run through the Jack Ma Foundation, the prize will select 10 finalists to pitch for a share of an overall prize pool of US$1.5 million, up from $1 million last year.
“We find ourselves in unprecedented and extraordinary times. Now, more than ever, we need entrepreneurs with courage, initiative, and vision to do what they do best – solve problems for society. With this prize competition, we are looking to inspire and reward African business heroes in all sectors and encourage any aspiring applicants to seize this opportunity to break through barriers and create hope for the future,” said Jason Pau, senior advisor for international programmes at the Jack Ma Foundation.
This year, the foundation will work with a select group of Anchor Partners, including Ashesi, Dalberg, Janngo and RiseUp to identify and support African entrepreneurs.
Applications are open here until June 9, with semi-finalists announced in August and the top 10 finalists for 2020 unveiled in September. Entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries are welcome to apply, with applications available in both French and English.
