Kathmandu. InDrive, the global mobility and delivery platform, launched a new investment program called “Aurora Ventures”, which aims to connect women entrepreneurs in emerging markets, including Nepal, with international networks and investment opportunities. The program aims to minimize the challenges faced by women founders in obtaining funding.

The announcement coincided with the conclusion of the Aurora Tech Awards 2026 held in Santiago, Chile. The awards received over 3,400 applications from emerging markets, out of which the top 10 women founders were selected. In 2021, only 116 applications were received for the award.

The top 10 women founders of the 2026 Aurora Tech Awards are Nigeria’s Adeola Iyoola-Famasi, Panamania’s Adriana Gonzalez-Tijo, Colombia’s Angela Acosta-Morado, Catalina Isaja-Inmetek, Estefania Abelo-Muta, Chile’s Maria Cavas-Domestico, Brazil’s Mariana Giuliani-Oncói, Colombia’s Mercedes Bidart-Quipu, Mexico’s Patricia Florencia-Pilou and Kenya’s Penny Musenghi-Pesira Technologies ।

Aurora Ventures is an investment program that aims to support early-stage women-led startups. The program is based on data and research collected over the past five years through the “Aurora Tech Award”.

With applications growing nearly 30-fold since 2021, Aurora concludes that many women-led businesses in the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, Latin America, and emerging Asian markets are still not getting enough opportunities from traditional venture capital.

The latest study by Aurora included more than 900 female founders from 127 countries. The study shows that women entrepreneurs need to present more evidence and achievements when it comes to funding, and there is still a tendency to doubt their abilities. The Asia-Pacific region is one of the regions most affected by such unequal assessments, the study said.

Aurora Ventures aims to invest between $180,000 and $250,000 in pre-seed and seed-stage businesses. According to the company, the Aurora Tech Award network will identify and invest in startups with high potential at an early stage.

Aurora Ventures Head Izabella Grassemi-Smith said the initiative was necessary because there are still not enough opportunities for women founders in the venture capital space.

“In the last five years, we’ve seen the same situation repeat itself,” she said. Many women entrepreneurs are building strong businesses, but they are not getting the investment they need in time. She added that the success stories of the top 10 women founders selected for the Aurora Tech Awards clearly show the scale of startups the program is trying to support. ”

Andritz Schmidt, Chief Growth Business Officer at Indrive, said that women entrepreneurs are now facing the same struggles that the company faced in the early stages. “Indrive started its journey by competing with big competitors with limited resources. Women founders in emerging markets are facing a similar challenge. Supporting Aurora Ventures is not just a philanthropy, it is a continuation of the faith we have learned from our own journey. ”

According to research by Aurora Ventures, the challenges faced by women founders are not due to a lack of business quality or innovation, but to structural inequalities within the investment system. The study shows that women entrepreneurs need more equal access to investment, mentorship, and investor networks.

According to the company, an initial investment portfolio will be built through a pilot program in 2026. In addition, preparations will be made to develop a formal GP÷LP fund structure in the future. Aurora Ventures aims to help women entrepreneurs reach the next level of investment through capital, network access, and business operations.

For an emerging digital marketplace like Nepal, events like Aurora Ventures are expected to further promote a culture of women entrepreneurship and startups. Nepalese women entrepreneurs, especially those working in the technology sector, will have the opportunity to connect with international investors and networks.

About the Aurora Tech Award

The Aurora Tech Awards, powered by InDrive, celebrate women tech entrepreneurs in emerging markets. The event provides women founders with an opportunity to connect with investors, industry experts, and international networks. The initiation, which has been in operation since 2021, has so far supported women entrepreneurs from 127 countries to build world-class companies.

About Aurora Ventures

Aurora Ventures is an early-stage investment program targeted at women founders in emerging markets. The program has been launched with special focus on businesses with high potential and making effective use of capital. Launched in 2026 with the support of InDrive, the program will invest in pre-seed and seeded startups in the Middle East and North Africa, Africa and Latin American markets.