It has been announced that three local entrepreneurs have been selected for the Top 100 Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) list for 2026. The contestants were chosen from a highly competitive pool of over 24,000 applicants from all 54 African countries, a milestone that highlights the growing impact of Ethiopian talent on the continental stage.
Among these leading entrepreneurs is Bersufekad Getachew Amare, the founder and CEO of Eagle Lion Group. Over the past decade, Bersufekad has grown the company from Eagle Lion System Technology PLC into a massive institution that has expanded into various technology sectors, including fintech, digital banking, agriculture, travel, and media.
In addition to developing pioneering digital remittance platforms such as CashGo and EthioDirect, which facilitate diaspora remittances from abroad, their team, in collaboration with the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, launched CBE Connect—the first multi-currency cross-border digital wallet platform supporting both Ethiopian Birr and US Dollar accounts.
In partnership with Dashen Bank, Eagle Lion also created Dube Ale, the first “Buy Now, Pay Later” digital loan service in Ethiopia. The platform currently serves more than 22,000 businesses, providing a credit limit of up to 700,000 Birr. In the agricultural sector, the group is also known for developing GetFi Enterprise, the country’s first fertilizer payment collection platform.
Furthermore, Eagle Lion built and currently manages ItsMyDam.com, the official international fundraising platform used to support the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the largest dam in Africa.
Beyond software development, Bersufekad serves as the founding chairman of Choice Microfinance, the first fully digital microfinance institution licensed by the National Bank of Ethiopia. He also serves as the chairman of StarPay Financial Services, which engaged over 300,000 merchants and processed over 2 billion Birr in transactions within a short period.
On the other hand, also included in Africa’s Business Heroes is Nael Hailemariam, CEO of Chapa, one of Ethiopia’s leading online payment gateways. The company provides critical digital payment infrastructure that empowers businesses to accept and process electronic payments seamlessly. Chapa plays a pivotal role in digital financial inclusion by securely connecting African enterprises with global financial networks.
The third entrepreneur is Samson Fentaye, the founder and CEO of Thur Biotech, an innovative biotechnology startup infusing new advancements into the continental agricultural sector. The company focuses on developing environmentally friendly bio-fertilizers and biological crop protection solutions designed to enhance soil health, foster sustainability, and boost agricultural productivity.
The Africa’s Business Heroes prize competition is a flagship philanthropic initiative of the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy. Launched following Jack Ma’s inspiring visit to the continent in 2018, the program has allocated $10 million over 10 years to identify, train, and provide crucial financial support to 100 African entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurial competition is now intensifying as international judges prepare to narrow the list down to the Top 20 semi-finalists. This coming August, Bersufekad and his fellow Ethiopian innovators will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to pitch their businesses to the judges. Their ultimate goal is to secure a spot in the Top 10 finalists, gain global recognition and intensive business training, and claim their share of the grand $1.5 million grant.
