Two Egyptians in the Running for Top 10 African Business Heroes Prize

Two Egyptian entrepreneurs have been shortlisted in the final Top 10 African Business Heroes (ABH) prize competition, a flagship philanthropic programme established by the Jack Ma Foundation.

Amena El-Saie has been recognised for her good work as founder and CEO of Helm, a consultation firm specialising in the promotion of social inclusion for persons of disabilities in Egypt. Since launching in 2014, Helm has worked with a variety of different stakeholders to build partnerships and break down the many barriers for Egyptians with disabilities.

The second Egyptian to be shortlisted is Khadija Mohamed El Bedweihy, founder of PraxiLabs. The much celebrated startup aims to make scientific education affordable and accessible for schools and other institutions through easy-to-use virtual science labs. 

Together, the pair become the only Arab representation in the shortlist of 20, out of which a final 10 will share the spoils of a $1.5 million grant, connect with an entrepreneur ecosystem, access mentorship and training, and gain global recognition and exposure.

Now, the contestants will enter a due diligence process and make their pitches before a prestigious panel of judges which will test each entrepreneur’s motivation and vision, business plan, and ability to clearly articulate how their businesses can generate positive impact for their communities.