50,000 Dollar Up for Grab as Application Opens for Women Innovators Aurora Tech Award
- The 2026 Aurora Tech Award, organized by inDrive, is accepting applications until November 12, 2025, offering $50,000 to the winner
- The award supports female tech founders with a focus on social impact, providing access to investors and mentorship
- The top three finalists will be announced in early 2026, and the award ceremony will take place between March and April 2026
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The 2026 edition of the Aurora Tech Award, an annual worldwide prize for female tech founders, is currently accepting applications.
Source: Getty Images
The award's organizers, inDrive, announced in a statement on Tuesday that submissions will be accepted until November 12, 2025, with the deadline being August 12.
The 2026 winner will receive $50,000, according to the organizers, while the first and second-place finishers will receive $20,000 and $15,000, respectively.
Since its inception in 2021, the prize has supported female-led businesses that integrate social impact and innovation. It also provides access to investors, mentorship, and inDrive’s global network.
This year, Nigeria’s Solape Akinpelu became the winner, while 31 African inventors made it to the top 120 shortlist.
According to inDrive, firms qualifying for the 2026 edition must be started or co-founded by a woman, be no more than five years old, have a functioning prototype, be at the pre-seed stage, and have earned no more than $6 million in total financing.
The Aurora Tech Award's director, Isabella Ghassemi-Smith, characterized the program as a launching pad for the upcoming wave of fearless female entrepreneurs from developing economies.
“We provide not just funding, but access to top investors, global networks, and the tools to help scale ventures that will shape the future of entire industries,” she said.
Source: Getty Images
The top three finalists will be revealed in early 2026, after the quarterfinalists are announced on December 8, 2025, according to the organizers.
The award ceremony is scheduled for March through April of 2026. Applicants can learn more about the program through the website.
FG opens phase 2 of CEDF to Nigerians
Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian government has begun phase 2 of the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) to offer large-scale investment of up to $100,000 for creative persons and businesses.
The fund is a critical national investment scheme to boost the creative sector and recognises its potential as a driver of economic growth and cultural diplomacy.
According to reports, the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy announced the rollout of the CEDF, a landmark scheme to empower businesses and individuals in the creative space.
Source: Legit.ng
