Fintech company Verto has announced the finalists for its 2025 Startup Awards, spotlighting emerging African innovators shaping the continent’s future across technology, health, energy, and agriculture. The competition, now in its second year, seeks to recognise early-stage startups that are building scalable, impactful, and sustainable solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges.
Applications opened in February 2025, attracting hundreds of entries from Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. The finalists, announced in early October, represent a mix of bold ideas—from clean energy to AI-powered agriculture and digital payments. Winners will be unveiled at a grand event scheduled for 21 November 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria.
According to Ola Oyetayo, co-founder and CEO of Verto, the awards were created to celebrate innovation while connecting African founders to global opportunities. “Access to international markets isn’t just about expansion—it’s about empowerment. Africa’s startups are solving real problems, and they deserve global recognition,” Oyetayo said.
He added that beyond celebrating success, the Verto Awards are designed to provide visibility, mentoring, and access to Verto’s financial infrastructure to help startups scale across borders.
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Diverse Startups from Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa
The Verto 2025 Startup Awards finalists reflect the breadth of Africa’s entrepreneurial potential. From Nigeria to Kenya and South Africa, each startup brings a unique response to the continent’s evolving needs.
Nigeria’s Finalists
Nigeria leads with some of the most dynamic entrants, spanning fintech, agritech, renewable energy, and health innovation. The list includes:
- Health Forever Product Ltd, producers of Jobelyn, a plant-based supplement used in treating chronic illnesses.
- Powerbox Energy Systems Ltd, a solar solutions manufacturer closing the power access gap.
- AquaTrack Ltd, an agritech company using AI to support small-scale fish farmers and reduce losses.
- ZER Consulting Africa Ltd, helping SMEs and social enterprises scale sustainably.
- Royal Pearls Resources Ltd, a women-led agro-processing business improving food security and empowerment.
- Growwr, an AI-driven talent platform connecting vetted African tech professionals to local and global employers.
- Dingpay (Ding Wallet), a unified digital wallet that lets users store both physical and digital assets and perform contactless payments.
Kenya’s Finalists
Kenya’s entries show a strong push toward green growth and digital productivity. They include Fixo, Grofunder, Goflow, Thorium Organic Foods, TrainYourBrain, RN, WissenWelle, and Green Voyage—covering sectors such as digital learning, organic food systems, sustainable travel, and productivity tech.
South Africa’s Finalists
South African startups bring in a mix of enterprise technology and creative industries. The list features Evolutica Technologies, Innova Networks, Sync Discovery (a music distribution and royalty tracking platform), SkyRocket Marketing, Henko Group (an AI and IoT energy monitoring company), EduVance Group (for education management tools), and Ethicore Group, which focuses on ethical business and public affairs.
Together, these companies illustrate Africa’s growing confidence in homegrown innovation—driven by necessity, creativity, and the desire to compete globally.
Evaluation and Prizes
The finalists will now enter the judging phase, where an expert panel will assess them based on impact, scalability, and sustainability. According to Verto, the evaluation process aims to go beyond business metrics to examine how well each startup can solve long-term social and economic problems.
The winners will share a total prize pool of USD 15,000, with USD 10,000 going to the overall winner, USD 3,000 for the first runner-up, and USD 2,000 for the second runner-up. But more than money, the awards promise strategic exposure, mentorship, and access to partnerships that can help founders scale their operations regionally or globally.
For many early-stage startups, this platform could open doors to investment, visibility, and growth. “Cash rewards matter, but ecosystem support is priceless,” said a Lagos-based tech founder whose company participated in last year’s edition. “Recognition from a global fintech like Verto gives you credibility in conversations with investors.”
A Boost for Nigeria’s Startup Ecosystem
For Nigeria, where startup growth continues to surge despite funding headwinds, the Verto Awards serve as a powerful signal that local innovation still commands global attention. The diversity of Nigeria’s finalists—ranging from agritech and health to clean energy and fintech—mirrors the country’s expanding innovation landscape.
Many of these ventures address systemic challenges: unreliable power, food insecurity, healthcare access, and financial inclusion. Startups like AquaTrack and Powerbox focus on improving livelihoods in rural areas, while fintech players like Dingpay and Growwr strengthen the digital economy.
Industry watchers see Verto’s initiative as a bridge between emerging founders and investors who want to support high-impact ventures. “When large financial players recognise startups, it sends a strong message that innovation is not just about apps—it’s about nation-building,” said Dr. Adaeze Okezie, a Lagos-based innovation consultant.
The awards also reinforce Lagos’s status as a continental startup hub. Hosting the final ceremony in Nigeria signals confidence in the country’s role as a launchpad for African entrepreneurship.
As the countdown to November begins, expectations are high. Regardless of who takes home the top prize, the Verto 2025 Startup Awards finalists have already earned a powerful spotlight—one that could propel them into the next phase of Africa’s innovation story.
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