Zenith Bank has concluded the 2025 edition of its flagship innovation competition, Zecathon 5.0, at the Zenith Tech Fair, investing a total of N140 million in prizes to support startups and tech innovators. The event drew thousands of applicants and was attended by dignitaries including Zenith Bank founder and chairman Jim Ovia CFR and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, highlighting the government’s support for homegrown innovation.

This year’s Zecathon reinforced its reputation as a critical launchpad for startups, featuring a newly introduced Hackathon track. From hundreds of applications, 20 teams of developers and designers participated in a three-day sprint focused on problem-solving and technical execution across key sectors.

Group MD/CEO of Zenith Bank, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, described the initiative as a strategic investment:

“Our mission is to empower innovators with the resources and support they need to build ventures that can solve real challenges and accelerate Africa’s digital and economic growth. Zecathon continues to be the essential platform where bold ideas are transformed into market-ready solutions.”

In the Innovation Hackathon, TrustLoop, a seamless digital KYC and liveness verification solution, won the top prize of N30 million. Finalists Konfam, The Very Hacked Men, Zenith IntelliScore, and ZeraX each received N10 million for their solutions.

The Startup Pitch Competition, showcasing early-stage founders in fintech, edtech, and healthcare, saw Cubbes, an edtech venture, emerge as overall winner with N30 million. Four runners-up—Venille, Sowota, Invopay, and Flow—secured N10 million each.

Fikun Aluko, Head of Tech & Entrepreneurship Programs at Beyond Limits Global, praised the event:

“This edition proved the power of investing in platforms that bring visionary institutions and entrepreneurs together. The teams delivered solutions with real potential to advance digital transformation across the continent.”