Aurora Tech Awards 2025 Puts Women-Led Startups on the Global Stage

The 2025 edition of the Aurora Tech Award in Cairo put the spotlight on women-led tech startups from around the world. Organised by ride-hailing platform inDrive and held in partnership with Entreprenelle’s SHE CAN conference, the event featured a global finale that welcomed ten finalists selected from over 2,000 applications submitted across 116 countries.

From April 11th to the 13th, finalists pitched their ventures to a jury comprising investors, public sector representatives, and business operators, competing for financial support and access to global networks. Alongside the monetary prizes, the event aimed to facilitate connections between founders and potential strategic partners and investors.

During the event, inDrive also announced a partnership with Entlaq, a startup enabler in Egypt. The collaboration is intended to support early-stage ventures through mentorship, infrastructure, and access to capital, reinforcing efforts to grow the local entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Among the highlights was the recognition of Salma Medhat, founder and CEO of Egyptian startup Hiryo, who received a Special Recognition Award. Hiryo is a personal safety platform that allows users to share real-time updates in public spaces, promoting transparency and accessibility. Medhat’s selection marks a notable local presence within the wider international competition.

Award winners included:

First Place ($30,000): Solape Akinpelu (Nigeria) – HerVestA fintech platform providing African women—especially smallholder farmers—with access to savings, credit, and investment opportunities.

Second Place ($20,000): Loretxu Garcia Arraztoa (Chile) – Nido ContechThis startup creates nature-based construction materials to reduce environmental impact and cost.

Third Place ($15,000): Shreya Prakash (India) – FlexiBeesA platform connecting experienced women professionals with businesses seeking flexible and remote talent.

Fourth Place ($10,000): Laura Velásquez Herrera (Colombia) – Arkangel AIAn AI-powered SaaS platform enabling early detection of preventable diseases, transforming medical data into AI algorithms without requiring coding expertise.

Fifth Place ($10,000): Leonie Korn (Switzerland) – UpLeapAn AI platform designed to enhance medical education through interactive simulations.