Innovate For Life announces three winning startups

The Innovate For Life campaign held by AMREF Health Africa in partnership with Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Nailab has found three winning SMEs.

The programme called for SMEs offering unique solutions to address the issue of maternal mortality and infant loss (in Africa and also across the globe). It received 117 applications which were narrowed down to just 15 — these company founders then attended a two-day hackathon.

It’s from this hackathon these winners emerged:

• HelpMum — A social SME that focuses on preventative measures, using mobile technology to reduce infant mortality.
• Chanjo Plus — A mobile service which offers a platform for users to manage their vaccinations by tracking their history, among other factors.
• Wekebere — A self-diagnostic device which keeps track of the condition of unborn children.

These SMEs and their founders presented their solutions at the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) and will go on to be a part of an acceleration programme in their countries of operation.

The Innovate For Life campaign saw top health startups battle it out

The winners participating in the accelerator through the guidance of Nialab will be paired with mentors and receive training and coaching on business support services. Consequently, the winners have the opportunity to roll out their products under AMREF Health Africa’s leadership.

The winners will also be granted access to seed capital of KES300 000 (R36775.78).

Due to the quality of innovative ideas developed at the hackathon, two more startups, Pregmum and Afya were selected and will be receiving support from Nailab through acceleration.

These additional startups will work alongside Nailab, refining their products and testing so that it’s adequately prepared to go to market.