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African startups have been awarded a total of $400,000 through the 2025 FINCA Ventures Prize Competition, a flagship initiative of FINCA Ventures. This year’s competition attracted more than 300 applicants from across the continent, with six startups advancing to the final round to compete for catalytic funding to accelerate their impact.
“African entrepreneurs are designing bold, locally grounded solutions to complex challenges,” said Andrée Simon, Global CEO of FINCA. “They deserve support that matches their ambition: resources that accelerate growth, open doors, and amplify their impact.”
The 2025 FINCA Ventures Prize Competition accepted applications in two categories: climate-smart agriculture and fintech for financial inclusion. First-place winners in each category – Esther Kimani, founder of Farmer Lifeline Technologies, and Foluso Ojo, founder of truQ – received $100,000 in catalytic funding, while second- and third-place winners received $60,000 and $40,000, respectively.
A Platform for Innovation and Impact
The six finalists – five of which are founded or co-founded by women – pitched their businesses to an esteemed panel of judges at a virtual livestream event on September 15, and the winners were announced at an award celebration in San Francisco on September 16, 2025.
The judging panel represented a diverse cross-section of impact investing, venture capital, fintech, and climate innovation, including leaders such as FINCA International Board Chair David Weisman, FINCA UK Board Member Alex Yew, Christopher Gilkerson of RiAdvantage Consulting, FINCA Ventures Investment Committee Member Tahira Dosani of ResilienceVC, and Rob Trice of Better Food Ventures and The Mixing Bowl, among others.
In addition to catalytic funding, finalists also benefit from expert feedback, strategic introductions, and a platform to elevate their work – support that can be as transformative as the seed money itself. “This is about building an ecosystem that works for African entrepreneurs, by investing in them, but also by connecting them to global networks, mentorship, and opportunity,” said Winnie Mwangi, Managing Director of FINCA Ventures.
To Ojo, whose digital platform connects small-scale transporters to credit, operational tools, and better-paying jobs, winning the FINCA Ventures Prize is a critical vote of confidence. “Getting this kind of support from FINCA goes a very long way – not just as a personal validation of the problems that we’re solving and the solution that we’re providing, but also as a major booster to enable us to make our product and services available to more people,” she said.
Kimani, whose company uses solar-powered devices and AI to detect crop pests and diseases before they spread, underscored the importance of early-stage investment. “With the backing we’re receiving from FINCA, we are so excited,” she said. “This kind of patient capital allows us to invest in research and development, launch into new markets, and even have the right team on board as we look forward to scaling.”
Second-place winners include Silo Africa co-founder Eliud Rugut in climate-smart agriculture and Cladfy co-founders Ebby Gatamu and Kibe John in fintech for financial inclusion. Third-place awards went to Karpolax co-founder Samuel Muyita in climate-smart agriculture and 10mg Health founder Christian Nwachukwu in fintech for financial inclusion.
A Critical Moment for African Innovators
The 2025 FINCA Ventures Prize comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s startup ecosystem, which has faced a sharp decline in venture capital – with funding down more than 50% and under 10% of investment reaching women-led teams in 2024. By providing early-stage, risk-tolerant funding and global visibility, the Prize aims to close this gap and catalyse solutions for the communities most affected by poverty, climate change, and financial exclusion.
“There is a very young, dynamic population in Africa, full of creativity and entrepreneurship,” Simon said. “We need to shine a spotlight on these opportunities and attract investors who are interested in innovation, in social change, and in building a more prosperous world.”
