A worldwide prize for women founders of tech startups, created and supported by inDrive

000
participants
submitted
Applications are now closed.
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Folake Owodunni
“Investing in women is no riskier than other investments.”
Winner
2024

$85 000 prize fund

Providing financial support for the Top 5 winners

Professional insights

Developing a strong educational program for the applicants

Networking opportunities

Building a community for women in IT

At inDrive, we challenge social injustice by fostering impactful connections.
Our goal is to address gender inequality in the venture world and help your startup succeed in the global market.
The Aurora Tech Award is an annual global prize set up by inDrive for women entrepreneurs in IT.

Only 2.3%

of venture funding  goes to women-led startups

34%

of female founders reported burnout in a 2023 research

649

women founders of Tech startups enrolled in the Aurora Tech Award last year

5x growth*

of business revenue  in a year boosted by participation in the Aurora Tech Award
*Growth rate provided by Marie-Reine Seshie, 2023 Aurora Tech Award finalist
To learn more about the gap between men and women founders of startups in different countries, check out our latest research:

OUR partners

Our partners from VC funds provide valuable feedback for the longlist applicants, and our community partners make sure that more people get to know about Aurora Tech Award.

View all partners
View all partners
Winner
2023

Elizabeth Mwangi

“This means a lot not just to me, but to women that I work with. The impact of this moment will be felt for generation. It’s going to ensure that their children go to school, they are fed. And we are going to break the cycle of poverty in Kenya.”

Award calendar

02.09.2024

Open call start

22.11.2024

Open call end

Pre-selection process

20.12.2024

Longlist announcement

20.01.2025

Middle list announcement

26.02.2025

Shortlist announcement

Spring 2025

Winners announcement

Spring 2025

Mentorship program for finalists

The ceremony will be held in the spring of 2025, between March and May. The date and location of the ceremony will be announced no later than February 1, 2025.

What
Aurora Tech Award offers you

What
Aurora Tech Award offers you

Guidance
from inDrive's executives and industry experts for the shortlist participants
Useful feedback
from Venture Capital experts for the longlist participants
Media representation
for the shortlist participants
A safe space
to expand your professional network
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Cash prizes for an extended winners list
First prize
$30 000
Second prize
$20 000
Third prize
$15 000
Fourth prize
$10 000
Fifth prize
$10 000

Rules

To participate, your startup is required to…
  • Be founded or co-founded and led by a woman
  • Have a functional prototype of a product
  • Fit in the investment limit of $4 million in funding, including the seed round
  • Be less than 5 years old
Applications are now closed
Follow us to stay tuned for exciting updates!
How to find and measure impact in your startup | Aurora Tech Award

Educational
materials

Check out usefull guides for founders to make a better pitchdeck.

More helpful videos here

Join an inspiring community of women in IT

And get valuable materials for your startup through our bi-weekly newsletters.

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