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StartUpAfrica’s Entrepreneurship
Awards Gala
Awards Gala
StartUpAfrica’s Entrepreneurship Awards Gala is an annual gathering which celebrates the achievements and recognizes our best and brightest entrepreneurs who share our mission and have contributed significantly towards the development of entrepreneurship. Winners will be selected based on overall contributions to entrepreneurship locally, nationally, and globally.
Book your Tickets
Nominations for individuals, organizations, and youth are now open. Awards will be presented at the StartUpAfrica Awards Gala: Inspiring Innovation. Celebrating Impact. Building the Future on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
The formal StartUpAfrica’s Entrepreneurship Awards Gala will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, Venue, Buena Vista, New Castle, DE 19720. Outstanding businesses and individual entrepreneurs will be announced during the event. Additionally, the event will recognize outstanding volunteers who give their time and resources to make a difference in our local and international communities.
- Past Award Winners
Year : 2025
Hon. Matt Meyer
Lifetime Achievement Award
Governor, State of Delaware
Nalishebo Nyambe
Social Entrepreneur Award
Founder, World Youth and Leadership Foundation
Dr. Kamika Lynette Bell
Woman Entrepreneur Award
Founder and Executive Director, Girls With Pearls
Daniel Ogwal
Youth Entrepreneur Award
CEO, Blessed Hands Africa
Margaret Nyamumbo
Youth Entrepreneur Award
Founder and CEO
Kahawa 1893
Daisy Khasandi
Emerging Youth Social Entrepreneur
Founder & CEO
Poise & Purpose Kenya
Year : 2024
Simbarashe Hunzwi
Social Entrepreneur Award
Founder, Advocacy in Action (Zimbabwe)
Samantha Mitchell
Woman Entrepreneur Award
Founder and President, Black Women in Aviation (U.S.A.)
Maria Kambongi
Innovative Start-up Award
Namibia's First Neurophysiologist
Alex Chitumbo
Entrepreneur of the Year
Director of Programs-Community Outreach, Special Hope Network (Zambia)
Dr. Innocent Hezron
Professional Entrepreneur Award
Research Scientist and Study Coordinator, Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute (Tanzania)
Francis John Sesay
Youth Entrepreneur Award
Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer, Cassavity SL Limited (Sierra Leone)
Dr. Kelechi Lawrence
Lifetime Achievement Award
Global Project & Operations Leader (U.S.A.)
Year : 2022
Dr. JoAnn Rolle
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dean, School of Business, Medgar Evers College, NY
Dr. Joan Coker
Community Champion Award
Board Certified Otolaryngologist
ENT & Allergy of Delaware
Logan E. Herring
Social Entrepreneur Award
CEO, WRK Group (DE)
Faith Mbori
Outstanding Mentorship Award
BSN, RN
Omeil Novado Morgan
Outstanding Alumni Award
Founder, Rolle Drinks
Year : 2019
C. Linwood Jackson
Jennifer Grace-Umoete
Andrena Sawyer
Shaunta Davis
Keith Crippen
Year : 2018
Rev. Dr. Donald Dunningan
Dr. David Angwenyi
Victoria Kageni
Garry A. Johnson
Ronald “Ronaldo” Tello-Marzol
Year : 2014
Rahama Wright
Woman Entrepreneur Award/b>
Founder & CEO, Shea Yeleen
Tebabu Assefa
Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Co=Founder, Blessed Coffee and USADBC
Kevin Onyona
Consumer Business Award
President and CEO, Swahili Village Restaurant
Vince Strano & Joe Feeley
Lifetime Achievement Award
Strano & Feeley Funeral Home