In a world where women continue to face systemic barriers in business and technology, every initiative that highlights their contributions deserves attention. Ride-hailing and urban services platform inDrive has taken a bold step by unveiling a tech award dedicated to women entrepreneurs, aimed at recognizing and supporting female-led innovation.
This move comes at a critical moment. Across Africa, the Middle East, and other emerging markets, women are building startups at an unprecedented pace, yet they still receive a fraction of venture capital funding compared to men. Reports have shown that in Africa, less than 2% of total VC funding goes to startups founded by women. Awards like inDrive’s are more than symbolic gestures — they’re a much-needed push towards leveling the playing field.
From my perspective, this initiative is not just about recognition; it’s about redistributing visibility in an ecosystem that often sidelines women. One of the biggest challenges female entrepreneurs face is access: access to capital, access to mentorship, and access to networks that can propel their ideas forward. By creating an award, inDrive is offering not only visibility but also validation — two powerful tools that can change trajectories.
It’s also telling that inDrive, a company operating in multiple fast-growing markets, has chosen to invest in this kind of recognition. It shows an understanding that innovation thrives when diversity thrives. Women entrepreneurs often build solutions that address overlooked problems, particularly those affecting families, communities, and underserved groups. Ignoring that potential is not just unfair — it’s bad business.
The success of such awards depends on how they are executed. Will winners gain only a trophy and applause, or will they receive tangible support in the form of funding, mentorship, and access to global markets? The true impact lies not in the announcement, but in the follow-through. If inDrive pairs this recognition with real resources, it could set a precedent for how tech companies contribute to ecosystem growth beyond their core services.
Ultimately, this award is a reminder that women are not waiting for permission to innovate. They are already building, already scaling, and already solving pressing problems. What they need is more platforms that amplify their voices. inDrive’s recognition of women entrepreneurs may not dismantle all the structural barriers they face, but it adds momentum to a much-needed shift. And if more companies follow suit, we may begin to see startup ecosystems where women are not the exception, but an integral part of the story.
