Two Nigerian Entrepreneurs Named Finalists for Prestigious Aurora Tech Award
Two Nigerian innovators, Manzo Nyifamu Ogechi, founder of Farmatrix, and Solape Akinpelu, founder of Hervest, have been named among the top 10 finalists for the 2025 Aurora Tech Award.
The prestigious award, organized by inDrive—a global mobility and urban services platform—recognizes women-led technological innovations that drive social impact.
The announcement, made on Wednesday by Isabella Ghassemi-Smith, head of start-ups at the Aurora Tech Awards, highlighted the diversity of this year’s finalists. Entrepreneurs from industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, health tech, agrotech, eco-tech, ed-tech, and HR-tech cut.
“This year’s shortlist features trailblazing founders from MENA, LATAM, Central Asia, and APAC, each leading start-ups that are offering cutting-edge solutions across various industries,” Ghassemi-Smith stated.
According to her, half of the selected start-ups are at the seed stage, three are in the pre-seed phase, while the rest have secured early funding from personal networks or angel investors.
In addition to Ogechi and Akinpelu, the finalist list includes entrepreneurs from India, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, Chile, and French Polynesia, making it a truly international competition.
A panel of industry experts and investors will assess the finalists’ projects, with the winner set to be announced at a grand ceremony in Cairo, Egypt, from April 11 to 13. The top prize? A substantial $30,000 award to help propel the winning innovation forward.
