From Vision to Venture: FemSTEM Africa 2026 and the Health Innovation Festival Strengthen Africa’s Health Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
For one week in June, Ghana became a meeting place for hundreds of students, entrepreneurs, mentors and health innovation leaders from across Africa. Through FemSTEM Africa 2026 and the Health Innovation Festival (HIFest), participants came together to learn, share ideas, build new relationships and take the next steps in growing their ventures.
Co-led by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Health Innovation Hub (H2i) at the University of Toronto, under the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, FemSTEM Africa was followed immediately by HIFest, creating a natural progression from entrepreneurial learning and mentorship to pitching, venture development and new collaborations across the continent.
Although hosted as two separate events, many participants experienced them as one continuous week of learning, networking and growth.
Growing a Pan-African Program
Since launching FemSTEM Africa in 2024, H2i has worked with the AHC partners to co-design the program with a different host institution each year. Following successful editions with Social Entrepreneurship Ghana in 2024 and African Leadership University (ALU) in Rwanda in 2025, this year’s program was co-hosted with KNUST in Kumasi, Ghana. Through this rotating model, each partner helps shape the program while building entrepreneurship capacity within its own community.
The 2026 program began with a virtual kickoff in March, followed by three fireside conversations featuring women entrepreneurs and ecosystem leaders from across Africa. The series culminated in a two-day event on June 1 – 2 at KNUST under the theme “From Vision to Venture: Women Leading Health Innovation”.
For the first time, more than 350 senior high school and university students, primarily young women, joined aspiring entrepreneurs, researchers and ecosystem partners in Kumasi, Ghana. The expanded student participation reflected a shared goal of introducing more young women to entrepreneurship and showing them that careers in STEM and health innovation are within reach.
One of the liveliest parts of the program was the mentorship circle breakout sessions. Students and entrepreneurs met in small groups with mentors from H2i, KNUST and partner organizations to discuss entrepreneurship, healthcare innovation, leadership and career pathways. The conversations were energetic and practical, with students and teachers asking thoughtful questions about how to transform ideas into solutions for their own communities.
The event also received national media coverage in Ghana, helping bring greater visibility to women-led innovation and entrepreneurship.
Learning from Those Who Have Been There
The second day focused on helping founders strengthen their ventures.
H2i’s Senior Lead Mentor Professor Paul Santerre led an interactive masterclass on pitching and venture development, sharing practical advice on communicating ideas clearly to investors and partners.
H2i’s Lead Mentor Fraidianie Sévigné, together with local regulatory experts, guided entrepreneurs through commercialization and regulatory considerations before moderating the Pitch Competition.
Leila Khalid, Head of Communications at the AHC Secretariat, delivered a workshop on branding strategy and storytelling.
Beyond the scheduled sessions, mentors spent time reviewing pitch decks, answering questions and offering one-on-one advice. For many founders, these conversations became one of the most valuable parts of the experience.
A Record Year for FemSTEM Africa
This year’s Pitch Competition attracted a record 107 applications from women-led ventures across Africa to apply for the pitch-off event in Ghana.
Six finalists presented their innovations before a judging panel comprising Prof. Ibok Oduro, Dr. Bhavana Singh, Dr. Isaac Tweneboah-Koduah and Prof. Ernest Asamoah.
Haki Labs (Kenya), co-founded by Diana Mulinge, captured first place, receiving CAD $15,000 in cash and CAD $5,000 in legal support from Sustineri Attorneys. The venture is developing an affordable forensic evidence collection kit and digital tracking platform to strengthen sexual assault investigations and improve access to justice for survivors.
“This funding changes that,” said Diana. “The CAD $15,000 will directly accelerate our first production run of our kits and advance our regulatory approval, while the legal support will help us protect our intellectual property and strengthen our business.”
Inzozi Glasses (Rwanda), co-founded by Stecie Niyonzima, earned first runner-up. The venture is developing AI-powered smart glasses that help blind and visually impaired individuals navigate their surroundings more independently.
“This prize allows us to build our first functional prototype, secure further funding and begin market testing, starting in Rwanda and expanding across East Africa,” said Stecie.
StainSmart Innovations (Uganda), founded by Auma Eunice Daka, received second runner-up. Its Low-Cost Automated Slide Stainer (LASS) helps laboratories automate slide staining, reducing turnaround times and improving access to timely diagnosis.
“This support comes at an important time,” Eunice said. “LASS is ready for clinical validation, and we’re taking the next step toward regulatory preparedness.”
This year also introduced the inaugural FemSTEM Africa Ambassador Award, created jointly by H2i and KNUST to recognize a founder from the host institution who will continue promoting women entrepreneurship throughout the coming year.
The first recipient was Rita Asimpah, CTO of Autoease Wheelchair. Along with a CAD $5,000 Professional Service Voucher (PSV), Rita will work with KNUST to encourage more young women to explore health innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Receiving the Ambassador Award is both an honour and a responsibility,” Rita said. “It validates the work we are doing and motivates us to continue showing that young African women can lead ventures that solve real problems.”
Continuing the Momentum at HIFest
Right after FemSTEM Africa concluded, many participants travelled from Kumasi to Accra for the HIFest on June 4 – 6, co-hosted by Ashesi University and KNUST.
Instead of starting over, founders carried the momentum from FemSTEM Africa into another three days of workshops, mentorship, networking and pitching.
Professor Paul Santerre and Fraidianie Sévigné continued mentoring founders throughout the festival, supporting venture development and commercialization discussions while helping entrepreneurs refine their ideas.
Several H2i-supported ventures reached the final round of the Early-Stage Venture Track, including EcoHealth Alerts, SnooCode Red, OneClick-Med and StainSmart Innovations.
For StainSmart, the week ended with another milestone. The venture was named first runner-up in the Early-Stage Venture Track, bringing its total awards from the week to CAD $7,500 in cash prizes and CAD $5,000 in legal support.
For many founders, however, the greatest value came from the conversations between sessions. New friendships were formed, collaborations were discussed, and founders discovered they were tackling similar healthcare challenges in different parts of Africa.
Looking Ahead
By the end of the week, participants left with much more than prize funding. They returned home with practical advice, new mentors, new collaborators and a stronger network than when they arrived.
For some founders, FemSTEM Africa was their first experience pitching on stage. For others, HIFest became an opportunity to test ideas, refine their business models and build connections across the continent. Together, the two programs showed how learning, mentorship and collaboration can continue well beyond a single event.
H2i extends its sincere thanks to KNUST, Ashesi University, the Africa Health Collaborative, the Mastercard Foundation, Sustineri Attorneys, the judges, speakers, mentors, volunteers and every participant whose time and commitment made the week possible.
The momentum continues in 2027, when H2i and AMREF Health Africa will co-host the next FemSTEM Africa in Kenya, bringing the program to another AHC partner institution and welcoming the next generation of women entrepreneurs into the growing AHC community.
Voices from the Participants
“FemSTEM Africa helps young women believe in their abilities, build confidence, develop valuable networks, and demonstrate that achieving what once seemed impossible is within reach.“
Prof. Ibok Oduro
Professor of Postharvest Technology, KNUST & FemSTEM Africa 2026 Pitch Competition Judge
“Having engaged with participants, founders, and students throughout FemSTEM Africa 2026, I strongly believe that programs like this have the power to shape the next generation of women health innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa.”
Dr. Bhavana Singh
Chief Medical Officer, University Health Services, KNUST & FemSTEM Africa 2026 Pitch Competition Judge
“I was impressed by how the ventures addressed real healthcare challenges with practical, market-ready solutions. The founders demonstrated both innovation and strong potential for impact.”
Dr Isaac Tweneboah-Koduah
Lead, Health Entrepreneurship Curriculum, KNUST & FemSTEM Africa 2026 Pitch Competition Judge
“Winning FemSTEM Africa 2026 is more than a prize. It is proof that the problem we are solving is real, urgent, and worth backing.”
Diana Mulinge
Co-founder & CEO, Haki Labs (Kenya) & FemSTEM Africa 2026 Winner
“FemSTEM Africa connect women innovators to each other and to a world of possibilities. They put accomplished women in the same room with emerging founders not to lecture, but to support, motivate, and say, ‘Just go for it.'”
Stecie Niyonzima
Co-founder & CEO, Inzozi Glasses (Rwanda) & FemSTEM Africa 2026 1st Runner-Up
“Beyond the recognition, I connected with mentors, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and ecosystem partners who challenged me to think bigger about the future of LASS.”
Auma Eunice Daka
Founder & CEO, StainSmart Innovations (Uganda), FemSTEM Africa 2026 2nd Runner-Up & HIFest 2026 Early-Stage 1st Runner-Up
“As a Ugandan innovator, I believe stronger networks across the continent will help us scale homegrown health solutions faster and learn from one another’s experiences.”
Agasha Faith Anne Maria
Co-founder and Compliance Lead, PearlOxy (Uganda) & FemSTEM Africa 2026 Finalist
“Many of our healthcare challenges are shared across borders, making collaboration essential. Stronger connections allow us to exchange knowledge, scale proven solutions, and build a more resilient and innovative African health ecosystem together.”
Faith Oluwabusayomi Taiwo
Co-founder, OneClick-Med (Nigeria), FemSTEM Africa 2026 Finalist & HIFest 2026 Early-Stage Finalist
“The most valuable part was learning how to pitch it felt like taking my first steps as an entrepreneur and showed me what to expect as a health innovator, including the willingness to travel and collaborate across borders to solve community problems.”
Hana Birhanehiwot
Founder & CEO, Grow with Me Prostheses (Ethiopia) & FemSTEM Africa 2026 Finalist
“The HIFest is difficult to replicate elsewhere, it brings together people with different perspectives, experiences, and expertise around a common goal of solving important challenges. For founders, the HIFest provides access to mentorship, partnerships, and valuable feedback. For institutions and ecosystem partners, it creates visibility into emerging innovations and opportunities for collaboration. Ultimately, these connections help accelerate innovation and strengthen the broader health innovation ecosystem across Africa.”
Philemon Ondigo
Founder & Tech-Lead, Ecohealth Alerts (Kenya) & HIFest 2026 Early-Stage Finalist
More coverage from FemSTEM Africa 2026 and the Health Innovation Festival
- KNUST Hosts FemSTEM Africa 2026 to Empower the Next Generation of Women Health Innovators (KNUST)
- Women Innovators Shaping Africa’s Health Future: Highlights from FemSTEM Africa 2026 (AHC)
- Health Innovation Festival 2026 Opens in Ghana with a Call for Collaboration, Innovation, and Investment (AHC)
- What Ghana’s Vaccine Ambitions Teach Us About Africa’s Health Sovereignty (AHC)