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By Chinenye Anuforo
The Aurora Tech Award, in partnership with The Nest Innovation Technology Park, has unveiled the Foundry for HER Bootcamp, a virtual accelerator aimed at empowering women-led startups in Nigeria.
The three-day programme, scheduled for October 15 to 17, 2025, is designed for early-stage female founders and will provide training in pitching, fundraising, and scaling businesses beyond local markets. Organisers said the bootcamp will also prepare participants for the Aurora Tech Award Open Call 2026.
Applications opened on September 8 and will close on October 3, with 120 women founders expected to join the sessions. The training will be led by seasoned investors and ecosystem experts who will share practical insights on building globally competitive ventures.
While Nigeria remains one of Africa’s strongest startup hubs, women entrepreneurs continue to face challenges accessing capital and international exposure. By working with The Nest, a Lagos-based innovation centre, the Aurora Tech Award hopes to provide a platform for women founders to access the networks and knowledge needed to accelerate growth.
“At Aurora Tech Award, we focus on one thing: giving the world’s boldest women founders the fast track to scale. Nigeria has already proven itself on the global stage through our past winners, and with the Foundry for HER Bootcamp we are doubling down, giving early-stage founders the tools, network, and visibility to compete at the highest level,” said Isabella Ghassemi-Smith, Head of the Aurora Tech Award.
Nigeria has already produced two consecutive winners of the award: Folake Owodunni, founder of Emergency Response Africa in 2024, and Solape Akinpelu, co-founder and chief executive officer of HerVest in 2025. Their success highlights the strength of Nigerian women-led startups and sets the stage for future founders.
Reflecting on her recognition, Akinpelu described the award as more than a prize. “The Aurora Tech Award is the opportunity to be part of a community that champions women in tech who are shaping the future. This award isn’t just mine, it belongs to every woman who dares to dream, build, and lead in spaces where she wasn’t expected to be,” she said.
The Aurora Tech Award was launched by inDrive in 2021 to celebrate bold women tech founders from emerging markets. It offers not only funding but also access to investors, international networks, and visibility. In 2025, the award attracted more than 2,000 applications from 116 countries.
The Nest Innovation Technology Park is an innovation hub that supports entrepreneurs across Africa, helping them to grow ideas into scalable, technology-driven businesses.
