Egyptian Startups Suplyd and Poultry Sync Advance in Africa’s Business Heroes Contest

There’s always a real buzz here at Arageek whenever news like this lands on the desk: two startups founded in Egypt, Suplyd and Poultry Sync, have made it into the Top 20 semi-finalists for the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) 2025 contest. If you’re in the startup space across MENA, you’ll know that ABH – created by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy – is the continent’s flashiest and, let’s be honest, most cutthroat entrepreneurship competition, offering a total prize pot of $1.5 million.

This year’s edition smashed records, drawing in over 32,000 hopefuls from all 54 African countries (imagine the admin – that’s got to be a bit of a faff!). After months of sifting, interviews and diligent background checks, just 20 companies made the cut for the semi-final showdown, set to take place in Dakar, Senegal, come September. It’s the first time the event is being hosted in a French-speaking African nation, which gives it a bit more colour and diversity, not that ABH has ever been short of that.

Suplyd and Poultry Sync aren’t just popping up out of nowhere; Egypt’s reputation as a regional tech hotbed is well-earned, and these two firms are proof that the country’s startup scene is still bursting with fresh, scalable ideas tackling stubborn challenges. I reckon it’s no coincidence that their selection lines up with Egypt’s wider push for entrepreneurship, digital solutions, and—let’s not forget—much-needed job creation.

What stands out is the breadth of innovation this year. Alongside the Egyptian duo, the Top 20 hail from nine African countries, spanning everything from fintech and healthtech to logistics and even sustainable mining. Not just a load of flash-in-the-pan apps, but proper businesses trying to fix big problems. You get grant funding of up to $300,000 as a finalist—not to mention world-class mentorship and spot-on global exposure. All this can be absolutely game-changing, something I hear again and again from founders right across the region.

There’s a panel of high-fliers set to judge this year’s semi-finalists, and the stakes couldn’t be higher: beyond the cash, winners are plugged directly into a network of global mentors and investors—plenty of whom have the clout to take a promising startup from scrappy to superstar. Talk about having an ace up your sleeve.

And believe it or not, Egypt isn’t the only MENA country making headlines lately: across the continent, climate-tech pioneer Koolboks has just raised $11 million to ramp up solar refrigeration in Africa’s trickier rural markets, a move certain to give small food retailers and clinics a fighting chance against power cuts. Meanwhile, straight-talking investors are piling into South African fintech infrastructure and electric vehicle scale-ups. Everywhere you look, the startup culture is—frankly—booming.

Every time a MENA-founded startup gets global attention, I can’t help feeling a bit chuffed to bits, remembering the times I’ve seen founders here grafting away long after the spotlight has moved on. That said, luck alone won’t get you far; the Africa’s Business Heroes contest remains as competitive as ever. Still, if past winners are anything to go by, doors do open, networks get built strong, and sometimes—if you time it right—the whole regional ecosystem gets a much-needed boost.

So, hats off to Suplyd and Poultry Sync. Egyptian innovation genuinely seems to be making its mark continent-wide. Fingers crossed for Dakar—here’s hoping they leave the competition eating their dust. It’s a journey that’s rarely easy, but watching these teams hit such milestones always reminds me why so many at Arageek remain passionate about energising and empowering the next wave of entrepreneurs, even if the road is sometimes a bit bumpy (and the odd typo or two sneaks through, you know?).

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