Allan van der Meulen, the chief executive of Zlto, has been awarded the Best Ally title at the WOMEN IN TECH® Global Africa Awards 2025, an honour that celebrates leaders who go beyond rhetoric to actively create inclusive environments for women in technology.
The award, announced this week, underscores van der Meulen’s reputation as a champion of gender equity in a sector often criticised for its imbalance.
“This award honours individuals of all genders who actively support and advocate for women in technology,” said WOMEN IN TECH ® Global the organisers.
“We’re excited to share that our CEO, Allan van der Meulen, has won the 2025 Best Ally award at the WOMEN IN TECH® Global Africa Awards. This award recognizes leaders who champion women in technology and build truly inclusive spaces,” Zlto wrote in a celebratory statement.
Africa’s voice on the global stage
Van der Meulen will now represent the continent at the Global Women in Tech® Awards in Paris on 14 November, placing him among a select group of leaders redefining technology’s future. For Africa’s startup and innovation community, his recognition signals the growing weight of creative entrepreneurship and inclusion on the global stage.
Zlto, the South African platform he leads, has been lauded for using digital tools to reward young people for positive behaviour, creating pathways into employment and education. The company has become a case study in how African-founded ventures can combine social impact with scalable technology.
At the heart of Zlto’s innovation is a blockchain-powered rewards platform designed to increase youth engagement and track positive behaviour in real time. Through live dashboards, the system encourages actions such as volunteering, studying or acquiring digital skills. The rewards, earned through this ecosystem, can be redeemed at more than 3,000 partner stores, turning recognition into tangible value and creating an incentive loop that links purpose to opportunity.
Beyond titles: a call to action
The Best Ally category is designed to highlight that diversity in tech is not just a women’s issue, but a collective responsibility. By naming van der Meulen among the winners, the judges acknowledged his visible commitment to reshaping the culture of Africa’s innovation ecosystem.
His award comes at a moment when Africa’s tech sector is expanding at a pace. According to the African Development Bank, the digital economy could contribute $712 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2050. Yet women remain underrepresented, both in leadership and technical roles. Van der Meulen’s recognition is therefore both symbolic and practical, a reminder that progress requires allies who open doors, build platforms and share power.
For Africa’s entrepreneurs, van der Meulen’s journey offers a blueprint for building ventures that are commercially viable, socially relevant and globally competitive. His success at the Women in Tech® Awards is less about personal acclaim than about setting a standard for leadership: one where inclusion is seen as a driver of innovation rather than an afterthought.
As the Paris finals approach, Allan van der Meulen carries with him not only the pride of his company and community but also the aspirations of a continent striving to prove that its creative entrepreneurs can lead with both impact and empathy.
