Entries open for Africa Business Concept Challenge

Deadline: 22-Mar-2026

The Africa Business Concept Challenge (ABCC) is an annual virtual competition for African undergraduate and graduate students, encouraging teams to turn local community challenges into practical, sustainable business solutions. Participants gain mentorship, investor feedback, and lifetime access to the Ennova platform, while developing real-world entrepreneurial skills over a structured five-week process. The competition emphasizes innovation, SDG alignment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practical impact.

Overview

The Global Business School Network (GBSN) hosts the ABCC to empower African students to:

• Transform community challenges into actionable business solutions

• Gain hands-on entrepreneurial experience

• Receive guidance from mentors and investor experts

• Access resources and networks through the Ennova platform

The competition provides an immersive, virtual experience over five weeks, designed to teach practical business skills, problem-solving, and innovation.

Who Can Participate?

• Teams of 2–5 members, with at least 2 members enrolled at an African institution

• Each team must have a faculty mentor from a participating institution

• One member serves as Team Captain for communication and registration

• Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged

• No participation fee

Competition Structure

The ABCC follows a structured process to help students develop and refine their business concepts:

Phase 1: Identify the Challenge

• Select a locally relevant community issue

• Clearly frame the problem by identifying gaps, deficiencies, or unmet needs

• Demonstrate impact on affected communities and relevance in context

Phase 2: Industry and Market Analysis

• Conduct industry research to understand market demand and existing solutions

• Identify opportunities and competitive advantages

• Ground the business concept in real-world conditions

Phase 3: Concept Development

• Present a clear business concept explaining:

  • How the solution improves society

  • Connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  • Unique value proposition and competitive edge

Phase 4: Go-to-Market Plan

• Outline implementation strategy, distribution channels, and sustainability

• Show how the concept will reach and benefit the target community

Phase 5: Final Submission

• Submit a written report integrating all mentor and investor feedback

• Record a team pitch, ensuring all members participate actively

• Top teams proceed to the live pitch round with international judges

Evaluation Criteria

Projects are judged on:

• Problem framing and relevance to community and development priorities

• Innovation and creativity of the business concept

• Business potential and feasibility

• Alignment with SDGs and societal impact

• Quality of presentation and live pitch performance

Mentorship and Resources

• Teams receive guidance from assigned mentors and investor experts

• Feedback is provided throughout the development process

• Participants gain lifetime access to the Ennova platform for resources, networking, and ongoing support

Benefits of Participation

• Hands-on entrepreneurial and business experience

• Practical skills in problem-solving, research, and business planning

• Exposure to international experts and investors

• Development of solutions that are grounded in local realities

• Opportunity to build networks across African institutions and future leaders

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Selecting a problem not relevant to local communities

• Failing to integrate mentor and investor feedback into final submissions

• Ignoring SDG alignment in the concept or business plan

• Unequal participation among team members during the pitch

• Weak market analysis or implementation strategy

Conclusion

The Africa Business Concept Challenge is more than a competition—it is an opportunity for African students to develop practical, sustainable business solutions while learning from experts, collaborating across disciplines, and connecting with resources and networks that support entrepreneurial growth and community impact.

For more information, visit Global Business School Network.