Grace Ashiru
The 3rd annual Africa Startup Ecosystem Builders (ASEB) Summit & Awards took place from October 1-5, 2024, in Accra, Ghana. The event was a resounding success, filled with dynamic engagements, insightful discussions, and celebrations of the unsung heroes driving Africa’s startup ecosystem. This year’s summit brought together key players from 35 countries to exchange knowledge, foster collaboration, and recognize the vital contributions being made to support the continent’s entrepreneurial growth. Out of 2,089 nominations from 44 countries, 45 exceptional winners were selected to be honored.
McKevin Ayaba, Founder and Convener of the ASEB Summit & Awards, highlighted the importance of the event, stating, “The ASEB Summit & Awards is a celebration of Africa’s unsung heroes—the ecosystem builders who work tirelessly to create opportunities and drive innovation across the continent. Our vision is to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and resilient startup ecosystem that transcends borders.”
The ASEB awards spotlighted individuals and organizations excelling in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation across the continent. Winners were carefully selected by a panel of accomplished judges through a rigorous nomination and selection process. Representing 30 diverse categories, the winners epitomized innovation, resilience, and visionary leadership, all vital to fueling Africa’s entrepreneurial growth.
Gustav Nii Ayi Mokobi Aryee, Head of Commercial, Corporate & Investment Banking at Fidelity Bank Ghana, praised ASEB’s mission: “ASEB shares our vision—a vision where Africa becomes a global leader in entrepreneurship. Their mission to amplify the impact of these builders resonates deeply with us. Fidelity Bank is proud to be part of this movement, and we look forward to building the future of entrepreneurship in Africa, one partnership at a time.”
The 2024 ASEB Winners:
The awards recognized outstanding ecosystem builders across various categories, from entrepreneurship support organizations to youth ecosystem builders. Winners included:
•tem Builder Champion of the Year
Rym Jarou, Smart Africa (Tunisia)
Ahmed Bastawy, ICEALEX (Egypt)
- Entrepreneur Support Organisation of the Year:
Fetola (South Africa)
YGAP (Kenya)
These Hands (Botswana)
- Incubator of the Year:
Kivu Entrepreneurs (DRC)
- Accelerator of the Year:
La Plage Accelerator (Mauritius)
Impact Hub Ghana (Ghana)
- Startup Mentor of the Year:
Serge ABIHONA (Benin)
Onyeka Akumah, Treepz (Nigeria)
- Startup Coach of the Year:
Dr. Alphonsine Mukayisenga Dushimimana, University of Rwanda (Rwanda)
Abd Razack Midingoyi, MARCK Consulting (Benin)
- Youth Ecosystem Builder Champion of the Year:
Kekeli Yaw Dorkenoo, Keldork Global Innovations (Ghana)
Kodjo Maligbe Ayedjenou, La Succession SARL (Togo)
- Innovation Hub of the Year:
Ghana Innovation Hub (Ghana)
Grit Lab Africa (South Africa)
- Immigrant Ecosystem Builder Champion of the Year:
Tafadzwa Chiganga, Muzambiringa SL Limited (Sierra Leone/Zimbabwe)
Auri Evokari (Finland/Namibia)
Prof. Abejide Ade Ibijola, Grit Lab Africa (Nigeria/South Africa)
- Entrepreneurship Education Champion of the Year:
Umgibe Farming & Training Institute (South Africa)
DirectEd Development (Kenya)
- Startup Service Provider Champion of the Year:
Bitter Kola (Cameroon)
- Coworking Space of the Year:
UR-CAVM Agribusiness Incubator (Rwanda)
Duapa Werkspace (Ghana)
- Startup Research and Development Initiative of the Year:
Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MAScIR) (Morocco)
- Ecosystem Development Partner of the Year:
GIZ (Ghana)
- Startup Financing Initiative of the Year:
Future Africa (Nigeria)
- Woman in STEAM of the Year:
Alida Ahouandjinou, Oyayi Cosmetics (Benin)
Dr. Shikoh Gitau, Qhala (Kenya)
- Ecosystem Internationalization Champion of the Year:
Tech Connect Africa (Ghana)
- Technology Transfer & Commercialization Champion of the Year:
MEST Africa (Ghana)
National Higher Polytechnic School of Douala (Cameroon)
- Cross-Border Collaboration Initiative:
Discovering New Tech Destinations Across Africa (Nigeria)
Open Startup (Tunisia)
- Ecosystem Media & Content Creator of the Year:
TechCabal (Nigeria)
- Investor Readiness and Matching Initiative of the Year:
CcHub (Nigeria)
- Ecosystem Collaboration Champion of the Year:
Innovation Support Network (ISN) (Nigeria)
- Government Initiative for Startups of the Year:
Eswatini Development Finance Corporation (FINCORP) (Eswatini)
- Startup Event Initiative of the Year:
AfricArena (South Africa)
- Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year:
SheFound (Tanzania)
- Angel Investor of the Year:
Sewu-Steve Tawia, Jaza Rift Ventures (Kenya)
- Policy Initiative of the Year:
i4policy (Rwanda)
- Ecosystem Funder of the Year:
– Knife Capital (South Africa)
- Corporate–Startup Collaboration Champion of the Year:
Indalo Inclusive (South Africa)
- Social Entrepreneurship Support Initiative of the Year:
African Management Institute (AMI) (Kenya)
Winning an ASEB Award is more than a trophy—it’s a pivotal achievement that enhances visibility and opens doors for partnerships, investments, and collaborations. Additionally, winners gain access to ASEB-endorsed international training and capacity-building opportunities, further solidifying their influence in Africa’s entrepreneurial future.
A Resounding Success
ASEB 2024, co-organized by Setup A Startup and Orange Corners, exceeded expectations, transforming traditional conference norms into an immersive experience. The event was made possible by the collective support of esteemed sponsors and partners, including Brand South Africa, Fidelity Bank, Orange Corners, NEIP, GrowthAfrica, and others.
Looking ahead, the ASEB team is already planning the 2025 edition. For more information on partnerships or to learn about ASEB’s initiatives, visit www.asebsummit.com or contact [email protected].
