“A shark cannot kill a Chinese alligator. A foreign company can never defeat a local one,” said Alibaba founder Jack Ma to African entrepreneurs at a networking event on June 28.

“I hope in the next 20 years, Africa will have at least 100 Alibaba and 1,000 Jack Ma.”

The entrepreneurs are part of the eFounders Fellowship which is a two-week course for young entrepreneurs in developing countries who are operating platform-based businesses. eFounders Fellowship is jointly organized by Alibaba Business School and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.