Maxima Nsimenta in final round of Jack Ma's Africa's Business Heroes

Nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs from every corner of Africa applied for the chance to compete in this initiative.

According to the competition's website, "The Top 20 Business Heroes will gather in person in Cairo, Egypt, to showcase their impactful businesses and compete for a spot in the 2024 Africa's Business Heroes Grand Finale."

The finalists who reach the finale are guaranteed a share of a $1.5 million (about Shs 5.5 billion) prize.

Maxima Nsimenta Pulse Live Uganda

Maxima Nsimenta, who took to LinkedIn to share her journey, explained that the inspiration for Livara came after she was turned away from three upscale salons in Pointe-Noire and struggled to find African-made products tailored for Afro hair.

"My disappointment drove me to start Livara Natural Organics," she revealed, adding, "Livara's mission is to make natural haircare and skincare easy and accessible while empowering Africans."

Livara also aims to uplift African farmers by using authentically African raw materials in its products, ensuring that people with Afro-hair and melanin-rich skin have access to high-quality, locally sourced beauty solutions.

An alumna of Mt. St. Mary's College Namagunga, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Makerere University and a certificate from Stanford University’s Seed Transformation Programme. Her career includes stints with Total E & P Uganda and SLB, a global tech company based in Houston, Texas.