Islamabad
\ninDrive, a global mobility and services platform, has named two exceptional women-led startups from Pakistan among the Top 100 female founders for the Aurora Tech Award 2026, its flagship initiative celebrating women tech founders driving meaningful innovation across emerging markets.
\nThe Aurora Tech Award goes beyond recognition, offering winners up to US$50,000 in non-dilutive funding, along with tailored mentorship, global networking opportunities, and media visibility that connects them to investors and markets worldwide.
\nAwais Saeed, Country Head of inDrive Pakistan, said, \u201cPakistani women entrepreneurs are leading the way in innovation and problem-solving. They have immense potential but often face challenges in access to funding, visibility, and strategic support. The Aurora Tech Award gives them the platform, resources, and global network they need to scale their ideas and make a real difference in their communities and beyond.\u201d
\nFaiza Yousuf, a Pakistani finalist for the 2023 edition, spoke about the impact of the initiative: \u201cBeing part of the Aurora Tech Award in 2023 gave my startup the visibility and credibility that continues to support my growth today. It reinforced my resolve to keep innovating and showed the world the potential of women-led initiatives in Pakistan.\u201d
\nSubmissions from Pakistani startups ranged across Education Technology (EdTech), Artificial Intelligence (AI\/ML), Medical HealthTech, Energy & Sustainability, and Gaming & Visual Assets. These applications aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including improving health and well-being, promoting quality education, advancing industry and innovation, creating sustainable cities, and championing gender equality.
\nThis year, the award received a record 3,400 applications from 127 countries, reflecting the initiative\u2019s growing appeal among women entrepreneurs worldwide. The number of top finalists will be announced in February 2026, with the winners celebrated at a global ceremony later in the year.
\ninDrive\u2019s impact in Pakistan goes beyond ride-hailing. Along with supporting drivers with livelihood opportunities and offering passengers affordable, reliable mobility, the company also undertakes initiatives that serve communities across the country. Through programs like the Aurora Tech Award, inDrive is actively working to amplify women\u2019s contributions to technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad inDrive, a global mobility and services platform, has named two exceptional women-led startups from Pakistan among the Top 100 female founders for the Aurora Tech Award 2026, its flagship initiative celebrating women tech founders driving meaningful innovation across emerging markets. The Aurora Tech Award goes beyond recognition, offering winners up to US$50,000 in non-dilutive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":519520,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-519505","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n