VMPL
New Delhi [India], August 27: The Aurora Tech Award has officially opened applications for its 2026 edition, calling on women founders of tech startups. This annual global award celebrates visionary female entrepreneurs who are reshaping the future of technology and driving meaningful social change. In 2025, winners included Shreya Prakash, Indian entrepreneur and CEO of FlexiBees, recognized globally for her innovative talent-matching platform empowering women through flexible work opportunities.
Founded by inDrive in 2021, the Aurora Tech Award supports women-led startups that combine innovation with impact. Over the years, the award has grown into a powerful platform for elevating underrepresented voices in the tech world. The 2025 edition attracted a record-breaking 2,018 applications from 116 countries – double the number received the previous year. Finalists represented regions including MENA, LATAM, Central Asia and APAC, with startups spanning health tech, AI, fintech, edtech, agrotech and more.
The open call begins on August 12, 2025, and runs through November 12, 2025. Female founders can apply by submitting an online application at auroratechaward.com
To be eligible, startups must meet the following criteria:
-Founded or co-founded and led by a woman;
-Registered no more than 5 years ago;
-Have a working prototype, MVP, or early clients;
-Be at the pre-seed or seed stage;
-Fit within the funding limit of $6 million in total investment, including the seed round.
The full list of requirements is available on the website.
“The Aurora Tech Award is more than a prize – it’s a springboard for the next generation of bold women founders from emerging markets. 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,” said Isabella Ghassemi-Smith, head of the Aurora Tech Award,.
Quarterfinalists – the top 100 female founders – will be announced on December 8, 2025. From there, semifinalists (top 30) and finalists will be revealed in early 2026. Finalists will participate in a tailored mentorship program in February-March 2026, ahead of the Aurora Tech Award ceremony scheduled for March-April 2026.
Finalists will be selected based on the innovation, scalability, and social impact of their startups by a distinguished jury of investors and industry experts. .
Winners will receive:
-$50,000 – First place
$20,000 – Second place
-$15,000 – Third place
Reflections from previous finalists and winners:
“I applied to the Aurora Tech Award because I believe it’s essential to amplify the voices of women creating real-world solutions through technology. Being recognized by a global community that shares this mission was both empowering and deeply validating,” said 2025 finalist Thais Sterenberg (Brazil).
“What inspired me was knowing there’s an award that recognizes not just technology, but the courage to innovate from our own lived realities. Applying to Aurora was my way of saying: women are also shaping the future through science,” said Loretxu Garcia, a 2025 finalist from Chile.
“Very few women-centric programs provide actual funding. As a woman founder, it was heartening to see that the Aurora Tech Award backed its belief in women entrepreneurs with the catalyst of capital,” said third-place winner of the Aurora Tech Award 2025, Shreya Prakash of FlexiBees (India).
Beyond the prize money, all finalists gain access to:
-A curated network of investors and strategic partners;
-inDrive’s global expertise and mentoring support;
-Resources to grow, fundraise, and scale internationally.
Stay updated and apply today at www.auroratechaward.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
About the project
Launched by inDrive in 2021, the Aurora Tech Award supports the most promising female-led tech startups from emerging markets – not just with capital, but with access. Each year, Aurora identifies bold, visionary founders building scalable companies and provides what truly moves the needle: funding, direct access to investors, inDrive’s global network and strategic visibility.
With less than 2% of global VC funding going to women-led startups, Aurora aims to change the landscape by shifting both the spotlight and resources toward founders who aren’t waiting for a seat at the table – they’re building their own.
The award is a non-profit initiative of inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform operating in 982 cities across 48 countries. Known for its peer-to-peer price negotiation model, inDrive is the world’s second-most downloaded ride-hailing app. Through Aurora Tech Award, inDrive advances its mission to challenge injustice and promote gender equality by empowering women in technology.
For more information visit www.inDrive.com
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