20 Top Entrepreneurs Advances to the Next Phase of the Business Support Funding Program

At Akem Foundation, our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening small businesses continues to drive impactful initiatives that transform lives and communities. One of such initiative is our Business Support Funding Program, designed to identify, support, and empower promising entrepreneurs whose businesses are solving real problems and creating meaningful value. This year’s edition of the program attracted 70 ambitious entrepreneurs from different sectors, each demonstrating passion, innovation, and a strong commitment to building sustainable businesses. To ensure that the program truly supports businesses with the potential to grow and make lasting impact, applicants were required to meet specific criteria. Participants were asked to demonstrate that: Their businesses are currently operational, not just ideas. Their solutions address real and critical needs within their communities or industries. They possess clear vision and execution capacity for business growth. Applicants submitted a comprehensive set of materials including detailed pitch decks explaining their business models and value propositions, recorded pitch presentations showcasing their ideas and entrepreneurial drive, and evidence of business operations, confirming that their ventures are actively running. Each submission was carefully reviewed by the selection committee, who evaluated the entrepreneurs based on innovation, feasibility, impact potential, and sustainability. After the first phase of evaluation, 46 entrepreneurs successfully advanced to the first selection stage. These businesses stood out for their clarity of purpose, operational strength, and the potential to address real-world problems through innovative solutions. The process continued with deeper evaluation and scrutiny of their business models, growth potential, and market relevance. Following this intensive review process, 20 exceptional entrepreneurs have now emerged as finalists for the second phase of the program. These entrepreneurs will proceed to the Virtual Pitching Session, where they will present their businesses directly to the Akem Foundation Selection Committee. This stage will allow them to further demonstrate their vision, strategy, and the impact their businesses are creating. From this virtual pitching round, five outstanding entrepreneurs will be selected to advance to the Live Pitching Phase, where the final winners will be determined. At the grand finale, the top five entrepreneurs will receive funding support to accelerate their businesses: Winner: ₦1,000,000 First Runner-Up: ₦750,000 Second Runner-Up: ₦500,000 Third Runner-Up: ₦300,000 Fourth Runner-Up: ₦200,000 This funding is aimed at helping these entrepreneurs scale their operations, increase impact, and strengthen their business sustainability. We warmly congratulate the 20 entrepreneurs who have successfully advanced to the second phase of the Akem Foundation Business Support Funding Program. Your dedication, resilience, and commitment to solving real problems through entrepreneurship are truly inspiring. Making it to this stage out of 70 applicants is a significant achievement and a testament to the strength of your businesses. As you prepare for the virtual pitching session, we encourage you to bring your best ideas, bold vision, and entrepreneurial spirit to the table. The journey continues, and we look forward to seeing which five entrepreneurs will emerge for the final live pitching event. At Akem Foundation, we believe that empowering entrepreneurs is one of the most powerful ways to build stronger communities and sustainable economic growth. Stay tuned for more updates as the competition progresses. Congratulations once again to our Top 20 entrepreneurs!