Our Speakers
Meet our esteemed conference speakers, industry leaders and innovators who will share their insights and expertise to inspire and inform.
Krista Donaldson
Krista Donaldson, PhD, is the Director of Innovation to Impact at Stanford University’s Mussallem Center for Biodesign, where her work focuses on global markets. She also leads the Implementation curriculum and teaching for the East Africa Biodesign program. Prior to joining Biodesign, Krista was the founder and CEO of Equalize Health where she addressed global health inequities through the design and scaling of disruptive medical devices that to date have treated 2M+ patients – mostly children and young people – in 80 countries. Krista holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, master’s degrees in Product Design and Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, also from Stanford.
She has published widely in design, global health, mechanical engineering, and engineering education, and is on the boards of the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, One Breath, and InnoHeza. In addition to her work at Stanford, she works with organizations to promote financing of local medtech innovation in emerging markets.
Adella Ibwe works at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and community impact. A medtech and digital fabrication practitioner, she supports innovators and startups in turning ideas into health-focused solutions through design, prototyping, and practical problem-solving. As Fab Lab Coordinator at Ifakara Innovation Hub in Tanzania, she enables access to tools, mentorship, and expertise, with a passion for advancing inclusive innovation that expands access and improves lives across Africa.
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Adella Ibwe
Dr. Ahmed Osman
Dr. Ahmed Osman is a senior healthcare strategist and public-health diplomat with more than
12 years of leadership experience across government, multilateral and private-sector roles in
Egypt and the wider Middle East and North Africa. Originally trained as a dentist at Mansoura
University, he went on to earn membership in the Royal College of Surgeons (London), a
hospital-management diploma from the University of Lausanne, a finance diploma from
Cambridge University, a master’s degree in healthcare quality and patient safety from Harvard
University and an MBA from ESLSCA University in Cairo.
Ahmed began his public-service career as part of Egypt’s Presidential Leadership Program and
went on to serve as Head of Health Diplomacy in the president’s office. He subsequently held
senior posts in the Ministry of Health and Population, including General Supervisor of the
Universal Health Insurance Project, Deputy General Manager of the Technical Office of the
Egyptian Healthcare Authority and Manager of the central COVID-19 operations unit. In these
roles he oversaw the drafting of Egypt’s universal health-insurance law, managed crisis-response
operations during the pandemic, led health-facility mapping and accreditation, and negotiated
memoranda of understanding with international partners.
Beyond government, Ahmed has advised on health-systems transformation and financing as
Regional Partnerships and Fundraising Manager for Access Health International and as a senior
consultant with IQVIA. His portfolio has included designing universal health-coverage schemes,
strengthening supply chains and digital health platforms, and securing multi-year donor funding
across Africa and the Middle East. Fluent in Arabic, English and French and adept at navigating
complex stakeholder environments, he continues to champion equitable access to quality health
care through innovative policy, strategic partnerships and operational excellence.
Mr. Alex Juma Ismail is an innovative, knowledgeable, and goal-oriented regulatory pharmacist with over 10 years of experience and consistent success in quality and clinical medicinal product dossier assessment, GMP inspections, GCP inspections, regulatory systems strengthening and harmonisation in Africa’s national regulatory agencies as well as regional and continental initiatives.
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Mr. Ismail currently works as a Programme Officer Regulatory Systems Strengthening at AUDA-NEPAD, working under the Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative, specializing in regulatory systems strengthening and harmonization. He is focused on supporting the operationalization of the African Medicines Agency (AMA), particularly in the formation and strengthening of continental technical committees leading medical products regulation in Africa.
He has previously worked for both private pharmaceutical companies and about 6 years in a governmental regulatory body in East and Southern Africa. He was actively engaged and chaired various expert working groups in the regional economic communities’ medicines regulatory harmonization programmes for EAC and SADC where he served as a focal person and a regional technical officer respectively.
He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy, a Master of Science in Clinical Research and a Master of Business Administration. He is a clinical fellow of the Pharm Train 2 program of the Germany’s Federal Agency for Drugs and Medical Devices and a World Health Organization (WHO) Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) Assessor.
Alex Juma
Andrew Gwadiva
Andrew Gwadiva is an investment professional with over a decade of experience in frontier markets. He currently serves as Social Business Lead at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he deploys impact capital to financially sustainable, growth-stage health businesses, supports entrepreneur support organizations, and strengthens ecosystems through strategic partnerships.
Previously, he held senior leadership positions at Verdant Frontiers and GreenTec Capital, specializing in venture growth and strategic capital deployment. He has a proven track record of executing successful exits and fostering collaborative relationships with development finance institutions, founders, investors, corporates and development agencies. As a former founder himself, Andrew brings firsthand entrepreneurial experience to his investment approach, emphasizing financial sustainability while prioritizing strategic capital allocation, scalable growth and long-term value creation.
Emery Karenzi is a Rwandan architect based in Kigali with experience across Africa, Asia, and the United States. His portfolio spans from residential, commercial, memorial, institutional, to the current sector of focus, healthcare.
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His journey in healthcare design began with MASS Design Group, where he contributed to projects like; the 90,000 sqm Samajik Health Science Institute in Bangladesh, the 23,500 sqm New Luanda Military Hospital in Angola, the 450 sqm UNOPS Manicaland Health Center in Zimbabwe, and the 300 sqm Nyaho Urgent Care in Ghana.
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Today, He continues this work at Build Health International, as a lead architect on the 16,000 sqm ACHF Cameroon Children’s Hospital located in Mutengene, Where he continues to strengthen the intersections between architecture and healthcare.
Arch. Emery Karenzi
Ayub Manya
Ayub Manya is a digital health expert. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in health informatics from the University of Oslo in Norway, specialising in health information systems. He obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.Ch.B) from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Science (MSc) in Applied Epidemiology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
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Ayub Manya has spent the most of his professional career at the Kenyan Ministry of Health. He is currently the Director of Health Financing, Digital Health, Policy, and Research at the Ministry. His significant achievements include leading the successful rollout of the District Health Information System (DHIS2) in Kenya and implementing various eHealth systems. He has a keen interest in innovations, specifically the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare.
In addition to his experience in Kenya, he has supported several sub-Saharan countries, including Somalia, South Sudan, Botswana, Eritrea, Lesotho, and Uganda, in monitoring, evaluation, and eHealth, either as an independent consultant or in partnership with global partners.
Mr. Bryceson Paul Kibassa is a Public Health Specialist and currently serves as the Manager for Premises Licensing and Compliance – Medical Devices and Diagnostics at the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA), a position he has held since January 2022. He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS). By virtue of this position, he is in charge of among other roles in regulation of quality audit for domestic and overseas medical devices and diagnostics manufacturing facilities.
Mr. Kibassa has over 15 years of regulatory experience at TMDA. He has served as Health Program Coordinator, Planning Manager, and Acting Director for Business Support.For a period between 2016 to 2020 he worked as the District Executive Director (DED) in Local Government, overseeing sectors including health, education, and infrastructure.
Mr Kibassa has actively participated in national, regional and international meetings, workshops and seminars on regulatory forums related to regulation of medical products including making presentations and developing guidelines
Overall, Mr Kibassa has a vast experience in medical products regulation both at managerial and technical aspects .
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Mr. Bryceson Paul Kibassa
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Chikumbutso Walani
Chikumbutso Walani is a Design Studio Engineer and Part-time Lecturer at MUBAS, with an MSc in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Leeds, UK and Bachelors degree hold in electronics and Telecommunications. He leads innovation operations at the university's Design Studio while teaching embedded systems and digital electronics.
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His healthcare innovation experience includes serving as Social Innovation Manager at KUHeS Malaria Alert Centre and leading the "Use of Big Data for Disease Outbreak Prediction" project. He currently supervises cutting-edge student projects including AI-powered crop disease detection and IoT-based predictive network monitoring systems.
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With expertise spanning data science, machine learning, and MedTech innovation, Chikumbutso combines academic excellence with practical industry experience in advancing Africa's healthcare technology landscape.
Deogratias received his Ph.D. from the University of Kent on the Applications of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare in 2020. He previously did his master's in AI at Tianjin University, in China. Deogratias has been researching and practicing machine learning, deep learning, image and voice signal processing which are the core elements of Artificial Intelligence, since 2012. During his time in China, he also worked for GTA, a big data analytic company based in Shenzhen, China as a data scientist. The company recruited him while he was still doing his master’s degree. While in China, Deogratias and his friend, formed a team that became second runners in the international innovation competition for automation and UAV in 2014. In 2019, he was among the 15 AI researchers who received the IEEE Outstanding Young Investigator Research Visit award to Sapienza University, Italy. His research interests are in the application of deep learning, machine learning, data analysis, and including explainable AI systems, super resolution, virtual and augmented reality. He has published several papers in peer-reviewed journals including Nature and IEEE. He has a total of 2653 citations, 11 h-Index and 13 i10-Index. Some of his published work has featured in global media houses including Forbes and the BBC. Deogratias has conducted AI based consultation works for the UNDP, UNICEF, UNU and the Tanzania ministry of health. For the past three years, Dr Deogratias has been leading AI sector lead at Villgro Africa, supporting AI innovations on the continent.
Dr. Deogratias Mzurikwao
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Dick Oranja
Dick Oranja is a high-level healthcare leader with over 25 years of experience in healthcare business development, microfinance, and healthcare startups. Known for building high-performing teams that consistently exceed goals, he played a pivotal role in shaping East and Central Africa’s medical device sector.
As part of the founding team at Crown Healthcare Ltd, now the region’s largest medical device company, Dick helped drive its market leadership. He held several senior leadership roles within the organization, including Head of Sales and Marketing. Dick later co-led the establishment of Trivitron Healthcare Africa (THA) - a joint venture between the IFC-owned private equity firm Investment Funds for Health in Africa (IFHA) and Trivitron Healthcare Public Limited (India) - where, as Cluster Head for East and Central Africa, he oversaw direct office launches in Kenya and Uganda and secured distributor partnerships in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.
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He currently serves as Executive Director of Hatch Technologies, a non-profit emerging from the NEST360 initiative, dedicated to reducing facility-based neonatal mortality by delivering high-quality, innovative medical devices and comprehensive support services to newborn care units across Africa.
Dick holds an MBA from Kenyatta University, a Bachelor's Degree in Arts with a Major in Sociology from Kenyatta University, Diploma in Business Management from the Kenya Institute of Management, and a Certificate in Project Management from AFRALTI. He has also completed the International Finance Corporation’s “Enhancing Consulting Skills” program and ING Bank’s “Marketing Master Class” in Durban, South Africa.”
Dr. Alex Oketch is a transformative leader in healthcare, currently serving as the General Manager for GE HealthCare’s East Africa operations. Renowned for his expertise in health systems management, healthcare financing, and public-private partnerships, Dr. Oketch is at the forefront of advancing healthcare infrastructure and innovation across the region.
Dr. Oketch’s exceptional contributions have earned him prestigious accolades. In December 2024, he was honored with the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) by the President of Kenya for his distinguished service to the nation. Earlier, in October 2023, he was recognized as a Kenya National Hero during Mashujaa Day celebrations in the category of “Scholarship, Professionalism, & Research,” a testament to his impactful work in transforming healthcare systems. Notably, in 2021, he was named one of Kenya’s Top 40 Under 40 by Business Daily, further cementing his reputation as a visionary leader driving progress in Africa’s healthcare sector.
In his current role, Dr. Oketch leads initiatives that addresscritical healthcare challenges through innovation, including designing clinical systems, fostering public-private collaborations, and developing sustainable financing models to ensure long-term healthcare investments. His work bridges the gap between public and private sectors, partnering with global health organizations, academic institutions, and development finance entities to strengthen healthcare systems across Africa.
A passionate advocate for digital healthcare, Dr. Oketch is pioneering technology-driven strategies to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes in the region. His expertise and vision have made him a sought-after consultant for both local and international health sector investors, solidifying his position as a key driver of progress in African healthcare.
Dr. Alex Oketch
Dr Benjamin Djoudalbaye
Dr. Benjamin Djoudalbaye is a dynamic leader in global health, bringing over 24 years of experience at the forefront of Africa’s evolving public health landscape. Since October 2024, he has served as Head of the Interim Secretariat of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) in Kigali, Rwanda, driving the continent’s vision for medical innovation and access. Previously, as Head of Policy and Health Diplomacy at Africa CDC, Dr. Djoudalbaye shaped groundbreaking health initiatives, particularly in infectious disease management and health diplomacy across Africa.
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With a robust educational foundation—a Medical Degree from Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, specialised training in Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology from Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University (France), and a Master’s in Population Studies and Public Health from the University of Ouagadougou—he combines medical expertise with strategic vision. His advanced studies further span HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, epidemiology, and biostatistics.
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Dr. Djoudalbaye’s impact is tangible: as Executive Secretary of the African Union COVID-19 Response Fund (2020–2024), he galvanised continent-wide action to combat the pandemic. He further championed coordination as Acting Regional Director for Africa CDC’s Central Africa Coordination Centre in Libreville, Gabon, and previously steered transformative health programs at the African Union Commission. Notably, he led the African Union’s high-stakes responses to Ebola in West Africa and the DRC, underpinning his reputation as a crisis leader.
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Celebrated for his deft coordination, partnership-building, and resource mobilisation skills, Dr. Djoudalbaye is a driving force in advancing Africa’s health agenda—embedding health diplomacy at the heart of Aspiration 3 of Agenda 2063. Beyond policy and advocacy, he is an accomplished scholar with numerous publications, book chapters, and a book on psychiatry, enriching global health research and practice.
A dedicated Medical Doctor and MSc holder in Healthcare Quality Management with over 10 years of experience in clinical medicine, hospital administration and leading national programs. Dr. Bereket has served as the Quality Director in a prominent hospital in Ethiopia and is currently leading the National Health Innovation Program at the Ministry of Health Ethiopia. He played a key role in developing an Electronic Health Record software now implemented in more than 13 hospitals and over 50 health centers across Ethiopia. Recently, he and his team inaugurated the National Health Innovation Lab of Ethiopia (NILE). Passionate about fostering an enabling environment for innovators and entrepreneurs in the health sector.
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Dr. Bereket Zelalem
Dr. Emily Njuguna
Dr. Emily Njuguna is a pediatrician and global health expert with extensive experience in maternal and newborn health. She currently serves as the Africa Lead for Maternal and Newborn Health at PATH and the elected nutrition lead for the Africa Neonatal Association. A recognized advocate for health innovation, Dr. Njuguna has worked to implement groundbreaking initiatives, including establishing East and Central Africa’s first human milk bank. Beyond her policy and clinical work, she provides strategic advisory in her free time through incubators and accelerators and sits on the board of a Maziwa, a FemTech company focused on transforming breastfeeding through low-cost technologies. With a strong network across the continent, she is passionate about advancing digital health solutions, women’s health, and equitable innovation.
Dr Esther Anyango is the Policy Advocacy Associate for the R&D team, Center for Advocacy and Policy at PATH. She leads some of the team’s activities around local/regional manufacturing of health products, regulatory and clinical trials strengthening in Kenya, Senegal, and across the region of Africa. Esther is a pharmacist by profession registered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board with experience in global health, project management in health, regulatory affairs, clinical research, and clinical pharmacy.
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Esther serves as a member of the clinical trials technical working group of Kenya, is a board member of the African Pharmaceutical Network, and currently pursuing a master’s degree in clinical Trials.
Dr Esther Anyango
Dr. Kenneth Iloka
Dr. Iloka is a distinguished biomedical engineer, academic, and healthcare innovation advocate with over two decades of multidisciplinary experience across clinical engineering, medical education, and strategic health systems planning and development. He is currently a faculty member at Kenyatta University, where he is instrumental in shaping the Biomedical Engineering Program, East Africa Biodesign Program and Invention Education Program. He also leads transformative healthcare infrastructure initiatives, including the development of teaching, children's, and women's hospitals across the region.
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He holds a PhD in Management Information Systems and is a Postdoctoral Global Faculty-in-Training Fellow at Stanford University's Mussallem Centre for Biodesign. His work bridges the gap between academia and industry through projects focused on invention education, frugal innovation for universal health coverage, and 3D printing applications for healthcare sustainability.
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An active contributor to national health initiatives, he has served on the Ministry of Health's Managed Equipment Services Implementation Committee and as a consultant to major projects like the Kisii Cancer Centre and the East Africa Kidney Institute. His mentorship of multidisciplinary student teams resulted in nationally recognized innovations, including a COVID-19 mechanical ventilator.
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Dr. Iloka is a published researcher, seasoned consultant, and committed advocate for accessible healthcare technology in low-resource settings. His collaborative efforts continue to shape Africa’s biomedical engineering landscape.
Dr. Salsawit Tesfaye Yigrem is a physician, global health innovator, and MedTech entrepreneur. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of InnoHeza Ltd., a MedTech startup developing OctoPress, an innovative uterine suction tamponade device to rapidly treat refractory postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Drawing from her clinical background and her fellowship in the East Africa Biodesign Program—affiliated with Stanford Biodesign, UGHE, and Kenyatta University—she leads cross-functional teams in advancing medical technologies designed for low-resource settings. Her work bridges medicine, engineering, and business, with a focus on maternal health, sustainable innovation, and scaling impact across Africa and beyond.
Dr. Salsawit Tesfaye
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I’m a healthcare innovator, CEO & Co-Founder of A-Lite.
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My work spans the intersecting domains of medicine and engineering, with a particular emphasis on the appropriate use of technology to sustainably improve the lives of people at the base of the economic pyramid.
Emmanuel Kamuhire
Eng. Millicent Alooh, HSC, PhD (Cand.) is a distinguished biomedical engineering leader and a dedicated advocate for advancing health technologies in Africa. She serves as the Organizing Secretary of the Association of Medical Engineering of Kenya (AMEK) and co-founder of the Africa Biomedical Engineering Alliance (ABEA), spearheading innovative MedTech solutions across multiple African nations. With over 15 years of expertise in biomedical engineering leadership, policy development, and capacity building, she has played a pivotal role in shaping sustainable health technology management strategies within the continent’s healthcare systems. Honored with numerous awards, including the prestigious Global Health Technology Management Leadership Award by AAMI, she is also a committed champion for gender equity and mentorship in STEM.
Eng. Millicent Alooh, HSC, PhD (Cand.)
Florent holds a degree in Actuarial Science from Strathmore University in Kenya. He began his career in management consulting, where he helped businesses across Africa prepare for investment, raise capital, and develop sound business strategies. Later, at an East African-focused investment fund, he guided companies through their growth journeys. From there, he moved to a family office where he empowered early-stage businesses with capital and strategic insight, fostering their transition from early development to sustained growth. More recently investing with FP Capital in pre-seed to series A startups.
Florent Nduwayezu
Hiroki is a seasoned investment professional with over 10 years of experience, specializing in the healthcare and innovation sectors across Africa. He has overseen two funds—the Africa Healthcare Fund (Fund 1) and the Africa Innovation & Healthcare Fund (Fund 2)—with a combined size of USD 87 million and over 60 portfolio companies.
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He began his career at Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, gaining experience in operations, sales, and corporate planning, and building a solid foundation in financial knowledge. After completing an MBA, Hiroki joined Accenture Japan Ltd., where he contributed to projects such as offshore development for an automotive-related company in emerging Asian markets and the merger of foreign financial institutions.
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Hiroki holds a Bachelor of Arts in Managerial Accounting from Kobe University and an MBA from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Class of 2012).
Hiroki Ishida
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Jamie Arkin is the Business Development and Partnerships Lead at AI Diagnositcs. She is a public health strategist with over a decade of experience driving technology-enabled innovation in the sector across Africa and Asia. She has partnered with INGOs, UN agencies, and bilateral donors to design and launch impactful digital health solutions. Jamie’s work centers on bridging traditional public health approaches with digital tools, leveraging service delivery and impact measurement in low-resource settings. Today, she advises emerging medtech and digital health startups through pivotal growth stages, with a focus on strategic communications, partnerships, and scalable operations. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University.
Jamie Arkin
Kennedy Opondo is a global health leader with extensive experience in scaling neonatal and maternal health innovations across Africa. As Team Lead for Vayu Africa, he drives the expansion and implementation of the Vayu bCPAP System and other neonatal innovations, strengthening respiratory care capacity in hospitals across Kenya, DRC, S. Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, and beyond. He leads regional partnerships, training programs, and advocacy efforts, ensuring sustainability and alignment with Ministries of Health.
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Previously, Kennedy served as Implementation Research Consultant for Vayu Global Health (East Africa), overseeing multi-country feasibility and effectiveness studies on the use of Vayu devices in labor wards, operating theatres, and NICUs. His work has been instrumental in demonstrating the cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and scalability of Vayu’s low-cost technologies in resource-limited settings.
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With a strong background in research design, project management, and stakeholder engagement, Kennedy bridges the gap between innovation and health system integration. He is passionate about evidence-informed implementation that transforms newborn survival outcomes and advances universal health coverage in underserved regions.
Kennedy Opondo
Khatuchi Khasandi
Ms. Khatuchi Khasandi is a consultant with the Lemelson Foundation, where she drives partnerships to strengthen ecosystems for invention-based enterprises and leads the Kenya Innovation Ecosystem Funders Forum (KIEFF), a platform of leading funders advancing collaboration and impact in Kenya’s innovation landscape. She previously served as Director of Invention Education Partnerships at Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, where she expanded its model to Kenya, and as Head of the East Africa Chapter at the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), managing a 150+ member network and spearheading initiatives on gender equality, climate entrepreneurship, and digitalization across Africa.
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Ms. Khasandi holds a Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Kenyatta University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at Kenyatta University and a Global Diploma in Professional Coaching at CDI Africa.
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She also serves on the advisory boards of StartHub Africa and B Lab Africa.
John Andrew Msumba is the Director of the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) Mwanza Campus. He has a distinguished career spanning academia and industry, having been a driving force in bridging the gap between science, engineering, and technology. Before his leadership roles, he dedicated seven years as the Head of Industrial Liaison and Career Guidance at DIT, fostering critical connections between the institute and the industrial sector. His vision continues to inspire progress in science, engineering, and technology, ensuring that research translates into tangible societal and economic benefits.
John Andrew Msumba
Latiff Cherono
With a diverse experience spanning over twenty-five years in the advanced manufacturing sector, Latiff
Cherono is driven to deliver value. He has worked in the United States in the automotive manufacturing as well as electronic manufacturing sector. He has consulted across Africa as a Lean Six Sigma practitioner to manufacturing and service companies.
As a Co-Founder and the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of GBE, Latiff setup and has grown region’s first commercial Electronic Manufacturing Services facility. This facility acts as a catalyst to accelerate the burgeoning electronic hardware innovation ecosystem in East Africa, as well as providing alternate supply chain options to mature markets beyond the continent. To this end, one of the major achievements of Gearbox Europlacer facility thus far, is the manufacturing of Raspberry Pi products for the African market (under license).
Laud Anthony Basing is a Scientist, Engineer, Innovator, and Entrepreneur to expanding access to diagnostics in Africa. He is a lecturer at the Department of Medical Diagnostics, KNUST, and the Founder and CEO of Incas Diagnostics, a Ghanaian biotech company developing and manufacturing affordable diagnostic tools for human and agricultural health. With a background in Microbiology, Public Health, and Biomedical Engineering, his research centers on developing affordable tests for diseases affecting women, adolescents and children, particularly Sexually Transmitted Infections and Neglected Tropical Diseases. With over a decade of international research experience, Laud has developed and commercialized more than 19 diagnostic products across human and agricultural health, including molecular point-of-care tests. He has collaborated widely, including with the University of Liverpool on climate change and health outcomes, the World Health Organization on yaws eradication in Ghana and Papua New Guinea, and Purdue University on mobile-enabled test devices. He currently leads a national study on STIs among Ghanaian youth. Laud has contributed to diagnostics policy and manufacturing through service on working groups for STIs, Skin NTDs, and Diagnostics and Laboratory Support. He also engages in program accreditation with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and the Allied Health Professions Council. He has presented research across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States His achievements include recognition as the first Ghanaian nominated for the Innovation Prize for Africa, a Gates Goalkeeper, and one of Africa’s top 30 health innovators by WHO. He has led teams that developed rapid COVID-19 diagnostics and won WHO’s COVID-19 Hackathon. His leadership has earned awards such as Best Health Startup Founder at Africa Health Excon 2023 and inclusion among the 50 Most Influential Young Ghanaians.
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Laud Anthony Basing
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Dr. Lerato Moeti
Dr. Lerato Moeti is a Programme Officer for Medical Device Regulation at the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), working under the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation (AMRH) Programme within the Health and Continental Industrial Development (HCID) Directorate, based in Midrand, South Africa.
Dr. Moeti holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and brings over 11 years of experience in pharmaceutical research, product evaluation, and regulatory affairs. Her career began in industry as a Research and Development Scientist at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company, followed by over 8 years as a Dossier Evaluations Assessor at the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). She later served as a Dossier Evaluations Coordinator under the AMRH Programme, contributing to regional harmonization and capacity-building efforts. Dr. Moeti is deeply committed to strengthening regulatory systems across Africa, with a particular focus on advancing medical device and in vitro diagnostic regulation. In her current role at AUDA-NEPAD, she supports continental policy and technical frameworks aimed at improving access to quality-assured health technologies.
Lorna Omondi is an accomplished professional recognized for her expertise in bridging the gap between human capital and technological innovation to resolve intricate challenges. Currently serving as the Strategic Partnerships Lead for Google Research (ML/AI) Africa, she employs her comprehensive knowledge of strategy, economics, and engineering to foster collaborations between startups, corporations, universities, research institutions, and governmental bodies, facilitating access to cutting-edge research and technology.
Her extensive academic qualifications include a Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, a Master of Philosophy in Management Science and Operations from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from MIT. Since her tenure at Google commenced in 2018, Ms. Omondi has occupied several pivotal leadership roles, such as Head of Operations for the Equipment Supply Chain Team at Google Data Centers, Supply Planning Staff Lead for Google Data Centers, Business Operations Lead for Data Center Energy Land and Infrastructure, and Lead for Energy Strategy. In these capacities, she has successfully directed teams, developed strategic frameworks, overseen substantial operations and budgets, and deployed data-driven methodologies to optimize efficiency and yield significant cost savings. Prior to her employment at Google, Ms. Omondi accrued substantial experience in economic consulting.
Lorna Omondi
Maryanne Muriuki
Maryanne Muriuki is a biomedical engineer and innovation leader with a strong background in manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and education. She has worked across global and local manufacturing ecosystems—including at Johnson & Johnson, Moko Home + Living, and as co-founder of RitePak and Muundo—where she developed and scaled products across diverse markets.
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Maryanne holds both a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (with a focus on Production and Manufacturing Systems) from Stevens Institute of Technology. Her expertise lies at the intersection of product design, manufacturing, and systems thinking, with a focus on building the capabilities needed to scale innovation.
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She currently serves as the Education Program Coordinator at Kenyatta University, where she leads the development of an industry-aligned innovation curriculum through the Invention Education Master’s Program, created in partnership with Rice University. In this role, she focuses on cultivating the next generation of medtech and hardware innovators by bridging the gap between academia and industry.
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Maryanne is passionate about unlocking Africa’s manufacturing potential by strengthening talent pipelines and fostering cross-sector collaboration to support scalable innovation.
Masoud Mnonji is an International Development Executive in the domains of International Health, Innovation, and Education. He currently holds the position of Director at the innovation hub of Ifakara Health Institute. He is presently pursuing an MBA in International Health Management through a collaborative program between the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and the University of Basel, in Switzerland. Masoud earned a Master's degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Dar es Salaam and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Dodoma, both in Tanzania.
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With over a decade of experience in STEM education, research, and innovation commercialization, Masoud plays a pivotal role in nurturing health and technology start-ups focused on medical and livelihood solutions. He currently leads a portfolio exceeding USD 2.8 million in value and has successfully mobilized resource commitments worth USD 1.3 million for 2025–2028, showcasing his strategic impact and forward-thinking leadership.
Since March 2019, Masoud has been instrumental in the Ifakara Innovation Hub program at Ifakara Health Institute, dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship to address healthcare and well-being challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. Under his leadership, the hub has supported the development of successful startups and innovative products ready for clinical trials and validation. Key achievements include the development of physical infrastructure for healthcare and livelihood innovations and the establishment of the Product Development Partnership, a platform providing innovators with essential services and support.
Masoud has directly contributed to improving the technical capabilities of over 180 Tanzanian innovators and entrepreneurs, nurturing more than 15 start-ups. Among these, NovFeed stands out, winning the prestigious USD 1 Million Grand Prize in the 2023 Milken-Motsepe Agritech Innovation Competition as Tanzania's champion. Other innovations supported under his guidance include an inclusive self-diagnostic tool for preeclampsia, 3D printing technology for dental solutions, and a portable bubble CPAP machine aimed at reducing newborn mortality caused by respiratory failure.
Masoud Mnonji
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Maureen Njoroge
Maureen Njoroge is a Senior Analyst at E&K Consulting Firm, with extensive experience delivering over 35 high-impact client engagements across Africa and beyond. Her work spans innovation, investment case development, market research, strategy advisory, policy analysis, and health systems strengthening at the intersection of health, innovation, finance, climate, and energy. She is currently the E&K Project Lead for the Million Lives Collective (MLC) East Africa Regional Hub (EARH). The EARH seeks to maximise
opportunities for sourcing scale-ready innovations, raise awareness within local and regional innovation
ecosystems, connect innovators to demand aggregators and potential supporters/adopters. Her work has
supported global organizations such as Grand Challenges Canada, the Gavi Alliance, Africa CDC, and the African Union, helping to shape both regional and country-level approaches to sustainable healthcare delivery.
Mohamed Dhaouafi is the Founder & CEO of Cure Bionics, a medtech startup developing affordable, locally manufactured bionic prosthetics and rehabilitation solutions for Africa and the Middle East. An electronics engineer and social entrepreneur, he has been recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35, TIME Next Generation Leader, and the Obama Foundation Africa Leader for his work in inclusive innovation and assistive technology.
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Mohamed Dhaouafi
Mr. Roneek Vora
Mr. Roneek Vora is an accomplished industrialist and leader in medical device manufacturing, driving Revital Healthcare (EPZ) Ltd. and Revital Pharma Ltd. towards becoming Africa's primary hub for medical disposables. His strategic focus on self-reliance has led to unprecedented milestones, including the export of vaccine syringes from Africa to India. A founding member of Kenya’s End Malaria Council & Fund, he supports national healthcare initiatives to combat malaria and enhance public health.
Mr. Roneek’s expertise spans across management, innovation, and logistics, enabling him to support various governments, NGOs, and healthcare organizations in over 44 countries. He also advises the Business School Dean at City University of Seattle, contributing a forward-thinking approach to industry and education. A graduate of San Jose State University, Mr. Roneek’s commitment to global health and local manufacturing has positioned him as a visionary in healthcare manufacturing across Africa.
Naom Monari is a social health innovator and founder of Bena Care a highly impactful and award-winning social enterprise in Kenya. Witnessing system gaps in healthcare while a student nurse, Naom has founded and has scaled Bena Care from a one-person initiative to a movement of over 3,000 healthcare workers. Her work has provided lifesaving care to thousands of patients and and driven community level social transformation. Naom has been awarded prestigious awards and global fellowships such as Global citizen waislitz award, westerwelle young founder of the year, Echoing Green, Global good fund, Stanford seed and Johnson and Johnson frontline health worker fund.
Her work is supported by development partners such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Madiro, Villgro Africa, IDRC and Village capital. She collaborates with county governments and academia for research and innovation.
She is currently building a blueprint for decentralizing healthcare in Africa – to make high quality care accessible to underserved populations across the continent.
Naom Monari
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Natnael Shimelash
Natnael Shimelash is the Head of the East African Biodesign Program and a faculty member at the School of Medicine, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE). He guides multidisciplinary teams through a contextualized Biodesign innovation process to develop need-driven health technologies tailored for low-income settings. In this role, he also drives strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening the region’s MedTech ecosystem.
Shimelash’s work bridges innovation and global health, with a research focus on neglected tropical diseases and community-based health care delivery. A physician by training, he holds a Bachelor of Medicine from Addis Ababa University, a Master’s in Global Health Delivery with a specialization in One Health from UGHE, and a Biodesign Global Faculty-in-Training Fellowship from Stanford University.
Paul Kahara is a seasoned healthcare quality assurance specialist, innovator and advocate for regulation and standardization, with over 10 years of expertise in quality management systems for healthcare organizations.
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He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science from the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), and is duly licensed by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians & Technologists Board (KMLTTB). He is currently advancing his academic credentials with a Master’s degree in Health Systems Management at the Kenya Methodist University (KEMU).
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As Lead Consultant at Ranqual Consulting Group (RCG), Paul spearheads training and consultancy in Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). As an innovator, he is pioneering the development of a software for quality management systems, an electronic platform simplifying the creation, operationalization, and monitoring of healthcare quality management framework. In addition, he is overseeing the development of quality control panels using locally available raw materials. This innovation is poised to significantly elevate diagnostic precision and ensure reliable testing across medical, veterinary, and calibration laboratories, as well as other healthcare institutions.
Paul Kahara, MLS
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Paul Loomis is the Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder of BrainCapture. He was formerly Managing Director of the Middle East and Africa for The Business Year, a firm that publishes emerging market investment resources. He has lived and worked in the Middle East and Africa for over a decade. He holds an MBA from Copenhagen Business School and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He currently lives in Nairobi.
Paul Loomis
Prof. Dinar Kale specialises in innovation management within healthcare technology industries, with extensive research on industrial innovation, health industry policy linkages, and healthcare access in the Global South. He is currently a director of the Centre for Innovation, Knowledge, and Development (IKD), an inter-faculty research centre focused on interdisciplinary international development and innovation at the Open University. Prof. Kale has researched and published widely on issues influencing innovation and development in healthcare industries based in low- and middle-income countries. Over the years, he has published in leading journals within Business Studies (BS), Development Studies (DS), and Innovation Studies (IS), including the British Journal of Management, Research Policy, World Development, Industrial and Corporate Change, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Innovation and Development, and Technology Analysis and Strategic Management
Prof. Dinar Kale
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Dr Jeremmy Okonjo
Dr Jeremmy Okonjo is a legal, policy and governance expert with legal practice, consulting, research and teaching experience in the nexus between international economic law, environmental governance, innovation and the digital economy. He has worked with governments, private the sector, civil society, and international development partners in promoting good governance and equitable socio-economic development. Dr Okonjo is the Principal Consultant at Transnational Legal Ltd (UK), and an Assistant Professor of International Economic Law at the University of Warwick (UK). He holds a PhD Law degree from the University of Kent (UK), a Master of Laws degree from University College London (UK), and also Master of Laws and Bachelor of Laws Degrees from the University of Nairobi (Kenya). He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.
Prof Nazir Ismail is the Head of the Department for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Wits University and NHLS' Charlotte Maxeke Academic Complex in Johannesburg, South Africa. He formerly led the diagnostics team at the WHO’s Global Tuberculosis (TB) Programme in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was responsible for developing global policies, norms and standards for TB diagnosis and laboratory strengthening. Previously, he headed the Centre for Tuberculosis at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, responsible for the surveillance of TB and drug-resistant TB in the country, as well as specialised reference-level laboratory services for South Africa. He is a medical doctor by training and specialized in microbiological pathology. His experience covers diagnostics, epidemiology, public health responses, and transmission.
Prof Nazir Ismail
Raphael K Kayambankadzanja, is a Senior Program Officer, Market Dynamics at PATH. He serves both technical roles and a leadership role as the Country Representative for PATH in Malawi. His portfolio within Market Dynamics has focused on Access to Medical Devices and medical oxygen, where he has championed national research, policy development, and operational improvement in management of medical devices and medical oxygen. He has a nursing background, with a Master of Science in Epidemiology all obtain from university of Malawi.
Raphael K Kayambankadzanja
Robert Miros is a prolific inventor with over 40 patents to his credit. A graduate from Stanford University in both product design engineering and international relations, Mr. Miros has been a leader and an entrepreneur in global medical product design for the past 30 years. He founded 3rd Stone Design, Inc. 20 years ago as a design and engineering company with a unique focus on global health technology development. Clients of 3rd Stone include major research universities such as Duke and Stanford, international non-profits including the Gates Foundation, and venture-funded start-ups seeking to create new businesses.
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Mr. Miros is a serial entrepreneur with four companies started and one successful, multi-million dollar exit in 2017, selling a consumer product company to a publicly listed corporation. Under his direction, no fewer than 12 products have received FDA clearance.
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To commercialize the products that his firm designs, Miros founded Hadleigh Health Technologies, LLC, in 2015 to manufacture and market medical devices. HHT is responsible for the creation and commercialization of multiple medical devices used in the treatment of neonatal and maternal illness in global settings, including the Pumani bubble CPAP, which has been recognized by the Million Lives Collective for its health impacts on over a million babies. Mr. Miros is also the Chair of the Board for Hatch Technologies, a medical device solutions provider focused on distributing lifesaving medical technologies throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
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Robert Miros has served as a lecturer and guest faculty at Stanford and Brown Universities in design engineering and entrepreneurship. On the weekends, you can find him on two wheels pedalling out a perfect 88 revolutions per minute or perfecting his mixologist skills.
Robert Miros
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Rowena Luk is the Managing Partner of Africa Health Ventures, an emerging markets venture fund investing in technologies that will dramatically improve access and quality of health for the next billion. She is a founder, entrepreneur, and software engineer with experience scaling healthcare innovations in 40 countries across Africa. Previously, Rowena was a Director at Madiro, an impact fund investing in healthcare in Africa; CSO at Dimagi, a social enterprise deploying digital health to 130 countries; a podcaster; and founder of a telemedicine social enterprise in West Africa. She lives with her family in South Africa.
Rowena Luk
Sewu-Steve Tawia is a thought leader with over 25 years of experience in angel investing, venture capital, private markets funds and fund of funds, impact investing, development & blended finance and strategy consulting in Europe, UK, Africa and more and more in the Middle East. He is a fervent advocate of the Africa Opportunity as he has invested, coached or supported startups and SMEs across Africa in the Agribusiness, Climate/Renewable Energy, Fintech, EdTech, Deeptech, Biotech, Medtech and Assistive Technologies sectors in Africa.
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He is the Founder & Managing Partner of Jaza Rift, a healthcare investment, advisory & research platform backing innovative and resilient healthtech and health assets across Africa. Through Asime Partners, an alternative investment firm, he’s a strategic advisor to asset allocators (pension funds, fund of funds, sovereign wealth, family offices, corporate VCs) and fund managers, including executive training. He equally advises various firms such as Khuwaylid Capital, the only Islamic impact investment fund in Africa, as an investment committee member or NED on alternative investments, asset allocation, impact investing and risk management. He holds various board roles, including as judge at the UK Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize. He’s also an angel investor at Asime Ventures.
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A English-French-German multilingual, Sewu-Steve is an alumnus of London Business School (UK), Audencia Business School (France), and has an executive leadership certificate in social entrepreneurship (EPSE) from Stanford GSB (USA). He holds a number of professional charters, including CDFP (Digital Finance), CAIA (Alternative Investments), CIFE (Islamic Finance), Prince 2 (Project Management), ANDE Investment Management Trainer and Toastmasters (public speaking). He’s a speaker/MC, podcast host, coach and mentor to various local and international organisations and startups. He is also a JKA Karate Shotokan (4th Dan) instructor.
Sewu-Steve Tawia
Shellan Omondi is a Regulatory Officer at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) of Kenya, specializing in the evaluation of medical devices, IVDs, and pharmaceuticals, with a focus on driving compliance and Quality in Healthcare.
Shellan Omondi
Shona Mcdonald is the Executive Director of Shonaquip PTY LTD and founder of Uhambo Foundation NPO/PBO and Champions of Change Trust NPO/ PBO. Trading as ShonaquipSE, they are South Africa’s first Hybrid Social Enterprise and Africa’s only ISO 13485 certified wheelchair manufacturer and testing facility.
Shona is a founding director on the Board of International Society Wheelchair Professionals and represents the private sector on the board of ATScale a United Nations platform that is accelerating Assistive Technology provision Globally.
As a disability activist focused on system change since 1982 Shona was part of the team that wrote
South Africa’s Disability Right Policy, the Inclusive Education Green Paper. She was involved in the
writing of the first WHO Wheelchair Guidelines in 2006 and her team have worked together with
WHO on the development of recently published Wheelchair Provision Guidelines 2023. They consult
on the WHO Wheelchair Standards and are the Technical Advisors for CHAI and UNICEF’s Advancing Nutrition programs.
Her life’s work, and company’s origin was inspired by her daughter, Shelly, who was born with
cerebral palsy. Her family experienced first-hand how difficult it was to find appropriate assistive
devices and support services. When Shona, together with a Biomedical Engineering technician at
UCT built her first paediatric posture support wheelchair in 1984 she quickly realised that
wheelchairs were about more than transport and more than ensuring that children did not develop
secondary health complications; wheelchairs were about independence, dignity, access to choose,
school, social inclusion, justice and human rights.
She holds Schwab, Ashoka, Paul Harris, CASMI and RESNA Fellowships
Shona and her team believe that with an appropriate assistive device, knowledge to make informed
choices and agency to action them, a family of a child with a disability will never need to experience
their child as less valued.
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Shona Mcdonald
Chia-San (Susan) Lin
Susan Lin is a public health specialist and pharmacist with extensive experience in advancing equitable access to health innovations across diverse health systems. As Regional Policy Lead for Health Research and Development at PATH, Susan drives policy initiatives that strengthen research ecosystems, regulatory frameworks, and innovation pathways to ensure that life-saving health technologies reach the communities that need them most.
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With a background spanning clinical practice, policy development, and leadership roles, Susan brings a systems-level perspective to transforming how innovations move from concept to community impact. She is passionate about bridging the gap between scientific progress and real-world implementation, working with stakeholders across sectors to promote resilient, equitable health systems.
Founder and CEO of Innovative Ortho Medical; Africa’s first fully integrated orthopaedic implants manufacturer. A veteran in healthcare with over 15 years’ experience spanning hospital management and executives roles MedTech multinationals. Harvard scholar and a fellow of Global surgery with UCT.
Tau Tsibela
Timothy Mwanje Kintu is a medical doctor and early career researcher with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Mbarara University of Science and Technology, where he graduated with First Class Equivalent honors in 2023. He has clinical experience as a House Officer at Mulago National Specialized Hospital and is current an East Africa Biodesign fellow with the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. Timothy’s research focuses on HIV, and the application of machine learning in healthcare. With over 15 publications in peer-reviewed journals spanning infectious diseases, and health technology, Timothy is dedicated to leveraging data-driven approaches and technology to improve healthcare outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.
Timothy Mwanje Kintu
Wambui is a passionate advocate for the development of homegrown African innovations, especially in the medtech space. She is currently CEO of MEDevice Africa, where she leads design, development, manufacturing and market entry efforts for medical technology, with a vision to provide 10 million medical devices to African hospitals by 2040! Wambui was previously Villgro Africa’s CTO and provided strategic, technical, and business support to African medtech startups. She is a member of the Global Health Advisory Council, which explores the impact of behavioural science applications in healthcare, and a 2021 AVPA Africa-Asia Impact Investing Fellow. Wambui led development of a ventilator winning the 2021 Kenya American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Innovator Showcase award.
Wambui is an inventor and patent-holder, as well as a serial entrepreneur who has founded several companies in the U.S and Kenya. Her experience in technology leadership includes ten years at St. Jude Medical (now Abbott) Cardiac Rhythm Management Division. She holds Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Systems Engineering degrees from Stanford University.
Eng. Wambui Gachiengo Nyabero
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Washinton Dinga
Washington Dinga is a seasoned commercial leader with over 14 years of experience in sales, business development, and strategic partnerships within the healthcare and medical device sectors. ​ He has a proven track record of driving business growth, expanding markets across East and West Africa, and securing high-impact funding partnerships with organizations like Novartis and Kenya Red Cross. ​ Washington excels in stakeholder engagement, government relations, and data-driven decision-making, leveraging insights to optimize operations and deliver impactful healthcare solutions in resource-constrained settings. ​ Known for his adaptability and resilience, he has successfully led high-performing teams, cultivated strategic accounts, and implemented innovative health models that enhance access to care. Washington holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nairobi and is pursuing an Executive MBA at the Quantic School of Business and Technology. ​ His achievements include multiple professional awards, such as the Star of Excellence from Medtronic and performance-based Awards from GSK Pharmaceutical Kenya. ​
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Prior to joining Neopenda, Washington worked at Medtronic Labs – a startup social enterprise in different roles in program management, business development and operations.
Wilfred is the co-founder & CEO at Villgro Africa, a leading healthcare incubator in East Africa. He holds an MBA from the University of Milan and a BSc. in Computer Science from Egerton University in Kenya. He is well plugged into the African entrepreneurial ecosystem having worked at Africa Venture Capital Association early in his career. He’s also an Angel Investor and a Transaction Advisor. He brings in a diverse set of experiences having lived and worked in the Middle East, India and East Africa. He ventured into social enterprise business incubation a decade ago while doing a fellowship at Villgro in India in 2013 after which he took up the challenge of scaling Villgro to Africa. He currently serves on the investment committees of two Africa focused impact funds, Kazana Fund and Jaza Rift Ventures and has been nominated to serve on the AI for Global Health Advisory Group set up by Duke University's Innovations in Health Program. He was feted as one of Africa's Most Respected CEOs in 2022 by the Business Executive Magazine.
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Wilfred Njagi
Eng. Williams Baah
Eng. Williams Baah is a dynamic innovation leader driving technology-based solution across
Africa’s most underserved communities. With over 12 years of hands-on experience delivering
engineering projects across the continent, he is widely recognized for turning bold ideas into
impactful, scalable realities.
For the past five years, Williams has been a key force behind Africa’s growing invention education
movement, empowering young innovators to design, prototype, and launch solutions that
directly address local challenges. His work with universities across Africa and beyond hasresulted
in the launch of low-cost medical technologies and grassroots innovation programs that are
transforming healthcare access, particularly in neonatal and maternal health.
As the Invention Education (IvE) Africa Lead at Rice University, USA, Williams leads a growing
network of university design studios that serve as incubators for student-led innovation. Under
his guidance, these studios have become hubs for creativity, entrepreneurship, and social impact,
fostering a generation of problem-solvers who are reimagining what’s possible with limited
resources.
From mentoring hundreds of students to curating continent-wide innovation-focused programs,
Williams has built a career rooted in action, equity, and impact. He continues to champion
Africa’s innovation ecosystem, not through theory, but by enabling tangible change, one
invention at a time.
Winnie Kibiru is the MedTech Lead at Villgro Africa, where she champions innovation and ecosystem growth across the continent’s healthcare landscape. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nairobi and is certified as an ISO 13485 internal auditor.
At Villgro Africa, Winnie leads initiatives that support early-stage MedTech startups, helping them navigate clinical trial frameworks, regulatory approvals, market entry strategies, and funding pathways. She plays a key role in due diligence, investment advisory, and portfolio management, ensuring that MedTech solutions are both impactful and compliant with international standards.
Beyond her day-to-day role, Winnie is deeply engaged in capacity building for MedTech entrepreneurs and advancing cross-border collaboration within the African innovation ecosystem. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Transforming Africa MedTech Conference 2025, where she helps shape the future of Africa’s MedTech narrative.
Her career is driven by a simple but powerful goal: to see African-developed health technologies move beyond prototypes, to scale, sustainability, and life-saving impact.
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Winnie Kibiru
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Dr. Mambidzeni Madzivire is a Zimbabwean entrepreneur, angel investor and start-up advisor, currently based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is the founder and CEO of Haralago, holding a PhD. in Biomedical Engineering from Mayo Clinic, and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, with an emphasis on human-centered design.