Aurora Ventures Targets Funding Gaps for Women Founders in the Philippines and Emerging Markets

  

 Aurora Ventures, backed by inDrive, is a new early-stage investment program supporting high-potential women founders across emerging markets, including the Philippines as part of its focus region.

Building on five years of Aurora Tech Award insights, the initiative aims to address funding gaps faced by women-led startups by providing early-stage investment of $180,000–$250,000, alongside access to networks and operational support to help accelerate the growth of innovative businesses.

Aurora Ventures launches with backing from inDrive – a global mobility and delivery platform scaled to unicorn status across the same emerging markets the program is investing in – for its 2026 pilot year.

The launch follows the successful conclusion of the 2026 Aurora Tech Award in Santiago, Chile, where a Nigerian, Adeola Ayoola-Famasi, was named among the top 10 finalists from a record-breaking field of 3,400 applicants.

Other women founders that make up the 2026 Aurora Tech Award top 10 finalists include: Adriana Gonzalez-Tizo (Panama), Angela Acosta-Morado (Colombia), Catalina Isaza- Innmetec (Colombia), Estefania Abello- Muta (Colombia), Maria Kawas- DomestikCo (Chile), Mariana Zuliani-OncoAI (Brazil), Mercedes Bidart- Quipu (Colombia), Patricia Florencia- Pilou (Mexico), and Penny Musengi- Pesira Technologies (Kenya).

Aurora Ventures, an early-stage investment program, is designed to leverage one of the world’s largest pipelines of underserved female talent. It is built on a proprietary sourcing advantage derived from five years of Aurora Tech Award data.

With applications exploding by nearly 30 times since 2021, the Award noticed a persistent market inefficiency, fuelled by high-traction, high-growth businesses led by women in MENA, Africa, and Latin America, which are consistently undervalued and overlooked by traditional venture capital.

A new Aurora research study involving 900+ founders across 127 countries found that women founders face systemic "competence scepticism" and higher traction standards.

The program, Aurora Ventures, aims to capture the "mispricing" faced by women founders by investing $180k–$250k at the pre-seed and seed stages. The program also utilises the Aurora Tech Award’s network to identify companies before their valuations fully reflect their performance, creating a repeatable model for generating alpha in emerging markets.

Speaking on the initiative, Head of Aurora Ventures, Isabella Ghassemi-Smith, described the launch of Aurora Ventures as a disciplined investment program built on the conviction that women founders are one of the most overlooked opportunities in venture capital today.

"Over the past five years, we've seen a repeating pattern: exceptional women building rigorous businesses but reaching institutional capital later and on worse terms than their performance justifies," says Ghassemi-Smith.

She stated that the success stories of the top 10  finalists underscore the calibre of startups the initiative intends to back.

Also speaking, Chief Growth Businesses Officer, inDrive, Andries Smit, explained that "We built inDrive against all odds, competing against better-funded incumbents. We see the same thing playing out with women founders in emerging markets today. Backing Aurora Ventures is not charity; it is the same bet we made on ourselves."

The 2026 pilot program focuses on building an initial portfolio and generating the track record necessary to transition into a formal GP/LP fund structure. By providing capital, network access, and operational guidance, Aurora Ventures seeks to accelerate portfolio companies toward subsequent funding rounds on more equitable terms.

About inDrive
inDrive is a global mobility and delivery platform. The inDrive app has been downloaded over 400 million times and ranked second among mobility apps for the fourth consecutive year. inDrive operates in over 1,100 cities in 48 countries. In 2023, inDrive launched New Ventures, a venture and M&A arm. www.inDrive.com

About the Aurora Tech Award
The Aurora Tech Award, powered by inDrive, backs the boldest women tech founders in emerging markets. Aurora combines non-dilutive capital with direct access to investors, operators and a global network. Since its inception in 2021, it has acted as a catalyst for women in 127 countries to build the next category-defining companies. www.auroratechaward.com

About Aurora Ventures
Aurora Ventures is an early-stage investment program backing women founders in emerging markets - specifically those building high-traction, capital-efficient businesses that have been systematically undervalued by traditional venture capital.

Launched in 2026 with inaugural backing from inDrive, Aurora Ventures targets investments across MENA, Africa, and Latin America at the pre-seed and seed stages. The 2026 program is designed to validate the investment thesis and build an initial portfolio, forming the foundation for a formal GP/LP fund structure. www.auroratechaward.com/get-funding

2nd Food Show South Africa Returns Co-located with Food Pack & Process from July 22, 2026 at Johannesburg

 

Following the successful debut edition in 2025, Astrovision Global FZCO is pleased to announce the return of the 2nd Food Show South Africa, co-located with Food Pack & Process, scheduled to take place from 22–24 July 2026 at Hall No. 1, Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Food Show South Africa has rapidly established itself as one of the region’s leading international trade exhibitions dedicated to the food, beverage, food ingredients, food processing, packaging machinery, and packaging solutions industries. It combines product showcases, business networking, and targeted matchmaking opportunities. The exhibition serves as a strategic gateway to South Africa’s dynamic food sector and the rapidly expanding African market.

Supported by the South African National Halaal Authority (SANHA) and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI), the exhibition offers an unparalleled platform for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, importers, exporters, retailers, and industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and explore new business opportunities across the continent.

The 2026 edition will provide a complete industry platform covering the entire value chain. This ranges from food raw materials and ingredients to processed foods, food technology, food processing equipment, packaging machinery, and innovative packaging solutions.

Building on the achievements of its inaugural edition, Food Show South Africa 2025 welcomed exhibitors from five countries and strengthened its position as a flagship trade event for the food, beverage, processing, and packaging sectors in South Africa. The exhibition generated significant business opportunities, enabling exhibitors to establish partnerships and strengthen commercial relationships with qualified buyers and industry stakeholders.

According to participating companies, the three-day event facilitated productive meetings with decision-makers actively seeking new products, technologies, and long-term business collaborations.

The upcoming 2026 edition is expected to attract around 100 exhibitors from 7–8 countries and welcome approximately 2,500 trade visitors. These include distributors, wholesalers, retailers, importers, exporters, food service professionals, manufacturers, and government representatives from across Africa and beyond.

The exhibition will bring together a comprehensive range of exhibitors from across the global food and beverage industry, showcasing the latest products, innovations, and technologies. Participating companies will represent sectors including dairy products, meat, poultry, seafood, frozen and chilled foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, cereals, pulses, edible oils, spices, condiments, organic and plant-based foods, snacks, confectionery, bakery products, beverages, tea, coffee, and specialty foods.

The event will also feature FMCG and packaged food manufacturers, food ingredient suppliers, superfood and health food producers, as well as wine and beverage equipment providers.

In addition, leading companies specializing in food processing technology, packaging machinery, packaging materials, cold-chain solutions, logistics, quality assurance, food safety systems, and related services will showcase their latest advancements. This makes Food Show South Africa and Food Pack & Process a comprehensive business platform for the entire food and packaging ecosystem.

With Africa’s food consumption, processing, and packaging industries experiencing sustained growth, the exhibition is expected to play a pivotal role in fostering international trade, technology transfer, investment opportunities, and cross-border partnerships.

For exhibitors and visitors alike, the 2nd Food Show South Africa co-located with Food Pack & Process 2026 promises to be a premier meeting point where innovation, business, and global opportunities converge.

Consumers question whether NEA ratings reflect actual electric cooperative performance

 

Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) called on the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to review its electric cooperative performance evaluation system, saying it does not reflect the service consumers experience in their communities.

The call came after NEA released its 2025 Overall Performance Assessment, which classified 91 cooperatives as AAA and recognized several for improved ratings. Yet, many of these cooperatives continue to face complaints about prolonged brownouts, unreliable service, high system losses, slow power restoration during calamities, and expensive electricity rates.

Consumers are increasingly confused by the disconnect between NEA ratings and their daily experience. In several franchise areas, recurring service issues persist despite cooperatives receiving AAA, AA, Green, or Compliant classifications. PARE noted that PALECO was upgraded from AA to AAA, while MOELCI I improved from A to AA. BATELEC II and FICELCO also maintained AAA ratings. Still, consumers in these areas report problems with reliability, affordability, and performance.

“Consumers are not interested in whether their cooperative is AAA on paper. They want to know why they still face brownouts, high system losses, unreliable service, and rising costs. The ultimate measure of performance should be the actual experience of consumers, not a rating in a report,” said Nic Satur Jr., Chief Advocate Officer of PARE.

PARE explained that NEA’s evaluation system focuses on financial, operational, technical, and institutional compliance. While these indicators are important, consumers question whether the framework captures the realities faced by households, businesses, farmers, and communities that depend on electricity every day.

The group stressed that a cooperative may perform well in compliance metrics while consumers continue to suffer from poor service. This credibility gap risks undermining public confidence in the evaluation system.

“In some communities, consumers even joke that AAA no longer means excellent performance. In PALECO, frustrated consumer Tony Cabrestante mockingly called it ‘Araw Araw Ara Kuryente’ because of recurring interruptions. The remark may be humorous, but it reflects deeper frustration,” Satur added.

PARE urged NEA to strengthen its assessment system by incorporating direct consumer feedback. Future evaluations, the group said, should include satisfaction ratings, complaint resolution, restoration time during calamities, AGMA compliance, transparency measures, and other indicators that reflect consumer experience.

NEA’s mandate extends beyond evaluation. As the agency tasked with assisting cooperatives, it must ensure that technical support, financial aid, and regulatory interventions translate into real improvements in service quality and consumer welfare.

“The question consumers ask is simple: If a cooperative receives a high rating, why are they still experiencing prolonged brownouts, unreliable service, and expensive rates? Until that is answered, the evaluation system will remain in doubt,” Satur said.

PARE concluded that cooperative performance should be judged not only by compliance reports but by the affordability, reliability, and responsiveness of service delivered to consumers. “Consumers deserve a rating system that reflects reality, not just paperwork,” the group said.

PetroSync Delivers Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training

 

Advance your HPHT engineering knowledge with PetroSync. Gain practical insights into well integrity, risk management, and operational excellence.

Industry-Focused Learning Designed Around Real HPHT Challenges

High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) wells present some of the most demanding engineering challenges in the oil and gas industry. Engineers must understand complex pressure regimes, elevated temperature conditions, well integrity requirements, and operational risk management to ensure safe and efficient project execution. Industry-focused training helps bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application by exposing participants to real-world HPHT scenarios and technical discussions.

Practical Training Supports Better Engineering Decisions

Effective decision-making is critical throughout the lifecycle of an HPHT well. From well planning and drilling operations to completion and production activities, engineers are required to evaluate multiple technical variables that can significantly impact safety, reliability, and project performance. Practical training enables participants to strengthen analytical skills, improve risk assessment capabilities, and gain greater confidence when addressing complex operational challenges.

Standardized Competency Development Helps Reduce Technical Skill Gaps

Engineering teams often consist of professionals with different backgrounds, responsibilities, and levels of field experience. These differences can lead to inconsistent technical understanding and communication across project teams. Standardized training helps establish a common foundation of HPHT engineering knowledge, improving collaboration between drilling, completion, production, well integrity, and operations personnel.

Continuous Learning Supports Operational Reliability and Performance

As reservoirs become more challenging and well designs increasingly complex, continuous professional development becomes essential for engineering teams. Ongoing learning helps professionals stay aligned with industry best practices, emerging technologies, and evolving engineering methodologies. Strong technical competency enables organizations to manage operational risks more effectively while supporting safe, reliable, and efficient project execution.

Training Programs Designed Around Industry Requirements

Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training focuses on strengthening participants’ understanding of high-pressure, high-temperature well environments through practical learning and industry-relevant discussions. By combining engineering principles, operational insights, and real-world case studies, professionals can develop the competencies needed to support safe and effective HPHT operations.

Flexible Learning Solutions for Engineering Professionals

Engineering professionals often need to balance competency development with ongoing project responsibilities and operational commitments. PetroSync offers flexible learning solutions that enable organizations to invest in workforce development without disrupting business operations. This approach helps companies continuously strengthen technical capability while maintaining productivity and project performance.

Building Operationally Ready Engineering Teams

The increasing complexity of oil and gas operations requires organizations to invest in workforce readiness and technical excellence. Through Advanced HPHT Well Engineering Training, PetroSync helps engineering professionals develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to address challenging well conditions, improve operational decision-making, and support safer, more reliable project outcomes.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES