New platform unites to enrich HealthTech ecosystem
By Katrine Anker-Nilssen
The Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), the LaunchLab, Stellenbosch Network and Innovus at Stellenbosch University (SU) recently welcomed a vibrant gathering of innovators at the inaugural Cape HealthTech Connect event at BMRI, Tygerberg campus.
In his opening keynote, Prof Tulio de Oliveira outlined the lessons learned from the pandemic, stressing that merely excelling in science is not enough. “We must change this paradigm. We need to be leaders not only in ideas, but also in production. Collaboration is essential,” he asserted. As the director of Stellenbosch University’s CERI – home to Africa’s largest biomedical and genomics facilities – he emphasised the ethical imperative of enhancing capacity development, highlighting initiatives like the African STARS Fellowship, developed in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. He called for proactive leadership in the development of biological countermeasures – including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
De Oliveira noted the region’s world-class universities, well-governed cities, access to capital, and a robust entrepreneurial spirit, declaring it “the ideal environment for cultivating Africa’s biotech industry.” He urged participants to facilitate the commercialisation of biomedical science and nurture a collaborative ecosystem: “Let’s shift our focus from competition to responsiveness.” He also highlighted that this is not a vision for the future, but that commercialisation of biotech is already happening with LaunchLab CERIBIO. This is the biotech incubator and accelerator in Stellenbosch, advancing ten biotech companies – many of which are already employing dozens of people and have products in the market.
The first panel discussion, moderated by Mandi Swanepoel from Wesgro, tackled the theme, “From Lab to Market in South Africa: Scaling Health Innovations for Africa and the World.” Panellists, including Dominic Nicholas from Immobazyme, Prof Sudesh Sivarasu from the Bioengineering department of University of Cape Town (UCT), Eugene Smit from Stellenbosch Nanofiber Company, and Prof Petro Terblanche from Afrigen, shared their transformative journeys from concept to reality.
Terblanche articulated a clear mission: “We were established not simply to develop a product, but to fulfil a purpose: localising vaccine production. Our motivation stems from the need for affordable, accessible vaccines for low-income countries.” Nicholas resonated with this vision, noting his goal to move drug production to Africa, reflecting, “All drugs in Africa were imported; we wanted to change that. This mission drives us daily, and our greatest asset is our dedicated team.”
Following the panel discussions, attendees were treated to four exciting pitches that showcased groundbreaking innovations. Khaya HealthTech’s Joel Philpott introduced a promising device for sleep apnoea, while Prof Novel Chegou from Stellenbosch University introduced his company, which is working with LaunchLab CERIBIO to bring a biomarker-based point-of-care TB test to the market. Tegan van der Merwe presented PhagoFlux’s innovative test for monitoring cellular health, and Louise Fourie showcased an AI-driven tool from Oncolign designed to personalise oncological treatments.
The second panel, “Global HealthTech Trends and Local Relevance: Are We Keeping Up or Outpacing?” was moderated by Maambele Khosa from CERI and featured insights from Dr Ross Vermeulen of Fluorobiotech, Dirk Wagener of Stone Three, Dr Kirsten Miller-Duys from Hyrax Bio, and Kingstone Nihaka of Plasmigene.
The excitement carried forward with pitches from pioneering researchers and spinouts. John Paul Makumbi from MicroBiome Solutions is developing a single test for the early detection of chronic diseases, while Amohetsoe Shale works on an affordable polycentric prosthetic knee. Vermeulen explores the potential of mRNA vaccines, and Simone Turner from Biocode Technologies has introduced an innovative microclot blood test for detecting hidden vascular damage – potentially benefiting long COVID patients.
In closing, Brandon Paschal who heads up the LaunchLab at SU, energised attendees with a call-to-action: “We are leapfrogging into the future! It’s imperative to showcase the groundbreaking work emerging from Cape Town’s health innovation sector.” With 120 tickets sold and 150 attendees present, it was evident that a strong demand for collaborative HealthTech innovation exists. “Today was about building momentum for our initiatives, and I’m eager to see where this journey leads us,” said Paschal.
Hanli Brink from Stellenbosch Network echoed the event’s success: “This idea was inspired by our previous AgriTech Connect event. It’s exhilarating to gather entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, funders, and healthcare leaders in one space to share knowledge and collaborate. I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.”