Philips, The Innovation Hub announce finalists in healthcare innovation competition

Five finalists have been selected for the Philips Africa and The Innovation Hub’s first partnered competition, the Innovation Fellows Competition. The competition aims to find the next big innovation idea that will help revolutionise the South African health care industry as well as address relevant challenges in healthcare.

The five finalists — who will be awarded R12 000 each — were chosen out of 61 entries received by the competition. They will also receive mentoring and guidance on putting together a winning business pitch and plan for the final.

Senior Vice President and CEO of Philips Africa, JJ Van Dongen, says new innovation will have a substantial impact on healthcare:

New innovations can have a substantial impact on health care service delivery by allowing for better access to care thanks to more affordable products for instance, enabling faster diagnosis of illnesses or more effective treatment of diseases.

Read more: Philips, The Innovation Hub launch competition to find innovators in healthcare

The top five finalists are:

• iMobiMana by Carol Thomas is an IT platform and mobile kiosk that enable easier access to maternal care and highlight care in private and public sectors.
• A low-cost portable and non-invasive ventilator for tackling Asthma in children aged five to 10 years old.
• A low-cost Diabetes management software designed to facilitate remote monitoring and communication between patients and their care givers.
• An app designed to connect healthcare workers even in rural areas with challenging telecommunications conditions.
• A solution providing early identification of hearing loss, which will result in more timely intervention for children.

The final winner will be announced in November and receive a R200 000 research development budget for their idea.

We are inspired by these finalists and are looking forward to providing real healthcare solutions that will make a real difference in people’s lives.