The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship 2014

The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (AAE) was established in 2007 to recognize business leaders who demonstrate innovation, profitability and business excellence while serving as role models to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. Since its inception, AAE has attracted more than 7,000 applications from African businesses and awarded prizes of over USD 1.5 million to 30 leading companies.

The AAE’s objectives are to:

• Create a platform to spotlight and celebrate business excellence in Africa
• Build a strong network of African entrepreneurs as role models and a source of best practice
• Promote entrepreneurship as a driving force for Africa’s prosperity
• Encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship
• Attract venture capital inflows towards good businesses across the continent

There are five award categories which recognize entrepreneurs at different stages of the entrepreneurial cycle.

• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD  
• TRANSFORMATIONAL BUSINESS AWARD  
• OUTSTANDING MATURE BUSINESS AWARD 
• OUTSTANDING SMALL AND GROWING BUSINESS AWARD 
• OUTSTANDING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD (NEW)

Eligibility and Selection process

The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship 2014 is open to Africa-based entrepreneurs with firms that are fully registered in the continent and that:

• Have revenues of over USD 150,000 for social entrepreneurs and over USD 500,000 for all other categories
• Have been profitable for the last two consecutive years
• Are independent, that is, not a subsidiary of a foreign entity
• Are free of legal actions

Nominees will be selected through a rigorous and transparent selection process. A team of business analysts, auditors and market and sector experts will review and shortlist the most outstanding nominations across each of the five categories.
The Finalists will be judged by an international panel of leading business experts through interviews and comprehensive reviews of company reports based on the following criteria:

• Sustainability and innovation
• Profitability and growth
• Long-term business strategy
• Leadership, culture and values
• Investment in employees
• Social and economic impact on communities

No financial data on the selected companies will be divulged without the companies’ consent. The decisions of AAE with respect to all aspects of the selection process are final and binding on all applicants without the right to appeal.

Application Forms

• English Application Form
  
• English Nomination Form
  
• French Application Form
  
• French Nomination Form
  
• Portuguese Application Form
  

More details