A prize for women founders of IT startups
An inDrive project
000
applications submitted

The Aurora Tech Award is an annual prize for women founders of IT startups whose projects have had the most profound impact on world development. Our goal is to support women in the field of advanced technologies, especially women entrepreneurs.

IT improves the lives of millions of people all over the world, that is why we want to support startups in this field.

The winner of the award represents freedom of choice, something that inDrive is giving back to people. She is independent, compassionate, transcends stereotypes, and does fascinating and important work.

If you are a woman entrepreneur, and your project has improved the lives of a large number of people, then don’t delay, submit an application today!

Why
it matters

Latest researches shows that investors are hesitant to invest in businesses founded by women. Talented women specialists are often told that a career in technology isn’t for them. The aim of our award is to change this perception and situation for women in IT.

Despite all obstacles, women IT entrepreneurs are currently creating unique medical solutions, researching voice control, and developing artificial intelligence for unmanned transportation. They are systematically building effective businesses and conquering the global market.

The world is changing, and gender stereotypes are becoming a thing of the past. In 2022 the most profitable US Fortune 500 companies have 74 female CEOs or 15% of all CEOs. In 2002 there were only 7.

The Aurora Tech Award was established in order to remind people that women are half of our civilization’s creative intellectual potential. In many technological fields, they have become the driving force behind development and have done a great deal of good in the world. During the Second World War, it was women who deciphered covert Nazi communications, and in the 1960s, it was women scientists who made the Apollo space missions possible.

We believe that women should have the opportunity not only to get a career in IT but also to flourish therein, to realize their best ideas without having to face unnecessary obstacles. That is why we have set ourselves the following tasks: to recognize the achievements of women in IT entrepreneurship, to support them with a financial award, and to tear down gender stereotypes in IT.

Laureates 2023

Elizabeth Mwangi

Elizabeth Mwangi

1st place

Elizabeth Mwangi (Kenya) and Gwiji for Women, connecting cleaners living in the slums of Nairobi with their clients.

For the economic empowerment of Nairobi women, for creating an incredible idea in order to help her community.

Iva Gumnishka

Iva Gumnishka

2nd place

Iva Gumnishka (Bulgaria) and her company Humans in the Loop, data annotation services for computer vision.

For restoring faith in people who are still behind artificial intelligence technologies, for reflecting the power and generosity of the person behind technology.

Namya Mahajan

Namya Mahajan

3rd place

Namya Mahajan (India) and her Rocket Learning startup that organizes digital teacher-parent communities.

For making early childhood education available to low-income families, for building a cost-effective and scalable model that can impact the future of our children today.

Shortlist

Marie-Reine Seshie from Ghana
Kola Market Inc., a product that drives sustained growth for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially female owned SMEs in Ghana and beyond
Elizabeth Mwangi from Kenya
Gwiji for Women, connecting cleaners living in the slums of Nairobi with their clients
Folake Owodunni from Nigeria
Emergency Response Africa, network of First Responders, emergency vehicles, and hospitals, and connecting people in urgent need to help using technology
Marisa Paramita from Indonesia
Ibu Punya Mimpi, webplatform with online education and job opportunities for mothers in Indonesia and beyond
Carol Kakooza from Uganda
aXiom Zorn Foundation, connecting farmers with business and financial services in Uganda
Karina Ojanguren Carreira from Argentina
Humana Digital Health, virtual family doctor
Lauren Yen from USA
Frontida Records, customizable health applications to empower underserved clinics
Princess Oti from Nigeria
Kaoshi Network, a marketplace to connect Africans at home and abroad to enable them to meet their financial obligations
Adila Shaukat from Pakistan
Shemote, a project supporting women working from home with training and consultancy
Aira Mongush from Tyva (Russia)
Mathshub, edtech project with free fundamental programming and data analysis skills for everyone, as well as personalized career programs
Hira Saeed from Pakistan
CaterpillHERs, edtech project with training and job marketplace
Faiza Yousuf from Pakistan
CaterpillHERs, edtech project with training and job marketplace
Cynthia Asije from Nigeria
Craftmerce Inc, marketplace that connects small and medium-sized producers and artisans from Africa with retailers and business owners from Europe and North America
Sonal Majeethia from India
Kadamb Inclusive Learning Tools, web platform that provides comprehensive guides with a focus on enabling students with learning disabilities to study independently
Iva Gumnishka from Bulgaria
Humans in the Loop, data annotation services for computer vision
Loide Dawid from Namibia
K-12EdTech.Inc, the app that enables education in the metaverse
Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti from Nigeria
Herconomy Limited, community empowering women to be financially independent
Monsurah Alli-Oluwafuyi from Nigeria
HERRYDE, ride-hailing where women drive women
Anna Ngwenyi Mafor from Cameroon
GreenAgain app, that increases farmers’ crop productivity by diagnosing diseases in plants that are difficult to diagnose physically or manually
Olapeju Umah from Nigeria
MyFoodAngels, a marketplace connecting farmers and consumers
Ifeoma Nwobu from Nigeria
Sendstack, digital logistics infrastructure for businesses in Africa
Anggaris Anggia (Ghea) Cininta P. from Indonesia
GenEd, education-based solution focusing on empowering educators
Namya Mahajan from India
Rocket Learning, digital teacher-parent communities

Rules of the Aurora Tech Award

Any woman founder or co-founder of a company that was created within the last five years can be nominated for the award. The key product of the nominee’s company must be based on information technologies. The nominee must hold a C-level position in the company at the time the application is submitted.

The nomination presentation includes:

  1. The candidate’s main achievements

    A short bio, detailing any challenges the candidate faced while working on their startup and the professional attributes that helped her overcome these obstacles.
  2. The startup’s successes

    An in-depth description of the company, its achievements, and an explanation of how the startup contributes to making the world a better place.
  3. The reason for the nomination

    A comprehensive explanation of how the award will affect the life of the applicant, the company, or a particular community.

Presentations should include above mentioned information. Please make sure the file is in PDF format and does not exceed 30 megabytes.

See the Terms and Сonditions for the full rules of the award.

Conducting
the award

Stage one: reception of applications
Applications will be received from October 3 to December 2, 2022.
Stage two: drawingup a shortlist for the award
The award committee will then select the twenty strongest applications.On February 28, the list will be published on the award’s website.
Stage three: Publication of the results
The judging panel selects the winners of the award. On March 8, the results of the Aurora Tech Award will be published.

The prizes

First prize
$30,000
Second prize
$20,000
Third prize
$10,000

In addition to the financial prize, the entrepreneurs will receive access to the inDrive mentorship program and other opportunities.

Our jury

Adora Nwodo
Founder, AdoraHack
Ruchika Singhal
President of Medtronic LABS
Adrienne Doolan
CEO of Green Touches
Mayra Castro
Founder of InvestAmazonia
Sahra-Josephine Hjorth
Co-founder and CEO CanopyLAB
Ahu Serter
Founder of Arya Women’s Investment Platform
Sardana Mikheeva
VP of Operations at inDrive
Ainura Sagyn
Co-founder and CEO of Tazar
Sadaffe Abid
Social entrepreneur leading CIRCLE
Learn more about our jury

Frequently asked questions

Who can receive the award?
Any woman founder or co-founder of a company that was created within the last five years. The main product of the nominee’s business must be based on IT. The nominee must hold a C-level position in the company at the time the application is submitted.
Why is the award solely for women?
Women entrepreneurs and tech professionals face prejudice from investors, colleagues and society. As a result, we lose out on their breakthrough ideas, which could have the potential to shape the future of IT. This is why we want to support women in IT — this is our contribution to world development.
How long will the selection process take?
The award will be conducted in three stages, which will take just over five months.

Stage one: reception of applications—from October 3 to December 2, 2022.
Stage two: drawing up a shortlist of finalists for the award—up to February 28, 2023.
Stage three: publishing the results—March 8, 2023.  
What should be included in applications for the award?

A presentation should include:

  1. The candidate’s main achievements

    A short bio, detailing any challenges the candidate faced while working on their startup and the professional attributes that helped her overcome these obstacles.
  2. The startup’s successes

    An in-depth description of the company, its achievements, and an explanation of how the startup contributes to making the world a better place.
  3. The reason for the nomination

    A comprehensive explanation of how the award will affect the life of the applicant, the company, or a particular community.
What sort of startup do I need to have in order to win?
It must be an IT company that was created by a woman within the last five years, and that is changing our world and society for the better. The impact it has had on world development will be evaluated by the judging panel.
What is the cash prize for the winners of the Aurora Tech Award?
The results will be published on March 8, 2023. The prize for first place is $30,000, second place $20,000, and third place will be awarded $10,000.