Verto, the global B2B payments platform, has named the first winners of its inaugural Verto Award, a program designed to elevate early-stage African startups onto the global stage. Announced at a Lagos ceremony on November 21, the competition distributed a total prize pool of $15,000 across three standout ventures. The initiative combines capital with practical cross-border support, positioning the cohort to plug into international suppliers, financial infrastructure, and new markets.
A New Platform for African Startup Recognition
Launched in February 2025, the Verto Award, also presented as the Verto Global Business Award, was created to spotlight founders developing scalable products for international customers from African bases. Organizers framed the program as a response to persistent funding gaps and operational barriers that often limit how quickly African innovations can expand beyond their home markets. By pairing cash grants with ecosystem access, Verto aims to convert promising prototypes into globally competitive businesses.
Spotlight on Winning Startups
Nigerian fintech Dingpay secured the top prize of $10,000 with its offline-first digital wallet, which unifies cards, IDs, tickets, and payments inside a single experience. The solution is built to function reliably even in low-connectivity environments, a reality for many users across African markets. By bridging physical and digital credentials, Dingpay is positioning itself as an infrastructure layer for everyday transactions and identity verification.
AquaTrack, which took second place with a $3,000 award, applies artificial intelligence to help fish farmers monitor and optimize their operations. Its technology is designed to track key variables, reduce waste, and improve yields, addressing operational inefficiencies that have long constrained aquaculture growth on the continent. The third-place winner, Growwr, received $2,000 for its AI-driven hiring and workforce management platform focused on African tech talent, aiming to match skilled professionals with regional and international opportunities.
Beyond Cash: Infrastructure and Global Access
While the prize money is modest at this early stage, Verto has emphasized that the real upside lies in the financial and operational rails made available to participating startups. Through its cross-border payments infrastructure, the company plans to help founders move funds efficiently, pay international partners, and integrate with suppliers around the world. The award program also offers exposure to Verto’s network of ecosystem partners, investors, and corporate stakeholders, giving winners a route to scale that goes beyond traditional grant competitions.
Strengthening Africa’s Role in Global Trade
Verto positions the award as part of a broader thesis that African startups can play a larger role in global trade if given the right tools and connections. Company executives highlight how financial infrastructure, regulatory navigation, and trusted payment flows remain critical bottlenecks for founders who are otherwise ready to compete internationally. By lowering friction around cross-border transactions, the platform hopes to accelerate the number of African companies that can sell into, and source from, multiple markets.
Verto CEO Ola Oyetayo described the inaugural cohort as evidence of Africa’s “innovation, resilience, and global ambition,” pointing to the range of sectors represented across fintech, agrotech, and talent platforms. The company says it plans to build on this first edition of the Verto Award by remaining an active partner to winners as they refine products and pursue expansion. As Dingpay, AquaTrack, and Growwr move to capitalize on their new backing, their progress will serve as an early test of how targeted awards, coupled with cross-border infrastructure, can translate local ingenuity into global businesses.