KAMPALA – Three Ugandan female-led healthcare startups have been selected to receive funding from the WiNFUND initiative. WiNFUND is a non-profit initiative that supports innovations with real-world impact.
Unveiled at the UN Climate Week 2023 by Reckitt, the startups include Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa’s CHIL AI Lab Group, Peleyta Health, and Mama Ope Medicals, alongside three other African women-led health innovations.
The six homegrown startups were announced as winners of investment and mentorship over a 12-month acceleration period.
According to Reckitt, the startups were selected from a pool of over 300 applications from seven African countries including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and the Middle East.
The selection was based on their potential to create a significant impact in the healthcare sector.
- CHIL AI Lab Group
CHIL AI Lap Group is a woman-led company – co-founded by Ugandan entrepreneur Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa – that uses the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide specialized, affordable, and medically proven chronic disease prevention and management services to women in Africa, Middle East, and Europe, regardless of their location or income.
The team comprises experts in AI, healthcare, and business who are passionate about making a positive impact in women’s lives. They are committed to promoting health equity and creating sustainable healthcare solutions that can be scaled to reach more women.
Recently, the CHIL AI team has been focussed on growing its hub and spoke telemedicine model, which is expected to have a significant impact on the healthcare industry in Africa. This product is aimed at linking the unlinked healthcare ecosystem in Africa to scarce resources like doctors , pharmacies , modern laboratories, among others.
- Peleyta Health
Peleyta Health is a flexible, affordable & convenient fintech helping low income earners prepare for & afford quality healthcare anywhere at all times through a digital healthcare micro savings and lending platform.
- MamaOpe Medicals
MamaOpe Medicals is a device and software company based in Uganda that develops innovative solutions to improve access to quality health care for people in low resource settings.
The other African startup beneficiaries announced include Famasi Africa (Nigeria), Ambulex Solutions (Kenya), and Cape Bio Pharms (South Africa).
WiNFUND takes a unique approach to help female-led health startups make a real-world impact. They combine grassroots movements, tech innovation, and the knowledge of frontline workers.
To fund these projects, they use innovative NFTs (non-fungible tokens) alongside traditional funding routes. This initiative shows how technology and innovation can have a positive effect on society, particularly in the healthcare sector. This sector is crucial for the progress and advancement of any country.
WiNFUND empowers women entrepreneurs by supporting their health startups.
By doing so, they enable these women to tackle complex healthcare issues, create employment opportunities, and make a positive change in their communities.
