The awards saw three winners receive a total of $15,000 in non-equity grants to support their cross-border operations.
| Rank | Company Name | Sector | Prize Amount |
| First Place | Dingpay | Fintech | $10,000 |
| Second Place | AquaTrack | Agrotech | $3,000 |
| Third Place | Grower | Tech Talent Marketplace | $2,000 |
Itohowo Udofia, Co-founder of Dingpay, the grand prize winner, highlighted that the prize will enable the company to “scale faster, strengthen our operations, and unlock new market opportunities.”
Award Objectives and Evaluation
Launched in February 2025, the award reflects Verto’s commitment to fostering a new generation of sector-agnostic startups across the continent. Beyond the financial prize, the award aims to equip startups with access to international supplier connections and the robust financial infrastructure necessary to scale effectively beyond their local markets.
The finalists were evaluated by a distinguished judging panel on four key criteria:
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Innovation
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Feasibility
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Scalability
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Market Impact
Ola Oyetayo, Co-founder and CEO of Verto, commented that the inaugural edition demonstrated the “innovation, resilience, and global ambition” within Africa’s early-stage ecosystem, reaffirming Verto’s dedication to providing the financial tools these businesses need to turn their international plans into reality.
