The third edition of the prestigious Art of Technology (AOT) Awards held recently at the Landmark Event Centre where the outstanding contributions of startups, ecosystem builders, and policymakers who have raised the bar in the creative and tech ecosystem were celebrated.
Tubosun Alake, Honourable Commissioner for the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (MIST), Lagos State, set the tone for the evening in his welcome address, where he stressed the state’s commitment to creating and promoting an enabling environment for startups and innovators. “Our startups and innovators are the architects of a brighter future, and events like the AOT Awards ensure that their efforts do not go unnoticed. Tonight, we celebrate the creativity and vision that drive our ecosystem forward.”
Victor Afolabi, Curator of AOT Lagos and Founder of the Eko Innovation Centre, in his speech, spoke on the essence of the awards. “The Nigerian creative and tech ecosystem is one of the most vibrant in the world, yet it is also one of the most underappreciated,” Afolabi remarked.
“Through the AOT Awards, we aim to change that narrative. Tonight, we honour the trailblazers, the risk-takers, and the visionaries who have dared to dream and have worked tirelessly to turn those dreams into reality.”
The evening’s highlight was the presentation of awards across various categories, recognizing excellence in startup innovation, social impact, technology leadership, and more. For the Startup of the Year Award, Omniretail was recognized for its contributions to the retail sector, leveraging technology to revolutionize supply chain management and consumer experiences.
Best Customer Service Startup Award was won by PiggyVest for its exceptional customer-centric approach; Pocket Lawyers carted the Social Innovation Award; EarlyBean stood out in its category to clinch Technology Innovation of the Year Award; while Ventures Platform beat all comers to emerge Local Investor of the Year Award.
Others are Technology Personality of the Year Award won by Babajide Duroshola; Founder Institute Lagos clinched the Incubator/Accelerator Program of the Year Award; Atinuke Idowu’s contributions to technology and her advocacy for greater inclusion of women in tech earned her the Women in Tech Award and Oluwanifemi Kolawole was recognized for her excellence in tech journalism with the Tech Journalist of the Year Award.
Similarly, Lihon Energy’s innovative solutions in renewable energy and sustainability earned it the Cleantech Innovation Award; G Mind AI was celebrated for its advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning, driving innovation across industries with the AI/ML Excellence Award and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria received the Robotics and Automation Excellence Award for its pioneering efforts in robotics and automation, showcasing the potential of homegrown talent and solutions.
As is customary with the AOT Awards, three startups were awarded a total of five million naira from Collaborate Lagos—a dynamic platform designed to bridge the gap between investors, startups, and industry stakeholders. Collaborate Lagos serves as a centralized hub where innovative ideas connect with strategic capital and expertise. It empowers entrepreneurs by providing direct access to the resources they need to scale their businesses while offering investors a curated selection of high-potential opportunities. Winners are selected through an extensive and rigorous vetting process, resulting in the top three startups emerging victorious.
For this year, Dynalimb emerged in first position and was presented with 2.5 million naira. My Food Angels secured the second position, receiving the sum of 1.5 million naira, while Afrilang came third, winning the sum of 1 million naira. The winners were celebrated and presented with their rewards during the AOT Awards ceremony.
