Five African women entrepreneurs have been recognised among 15 global winners of the Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2026, highlighting the continent’s growing role in developing practical solutions to some of the world’s biggest health and food security challenges.
Selected from 1,172 applicants across Africa and the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America, the winners were chosen following a rigorous selection process that assessed innovation, vision, impact potential and commitment to improving communities. The award is delivered by Bayer Foundation in partnership with the Impact Hub Network.
African entrepreneurs building solutions for local and global challenges
Among the African winners is Dr. Alice Muhuhu of Aurora Health Systems in Kenya, whose company is transforming access to cardiac care through artificial intelligence. Inspired by her experience working in public hospitals and the personal loss of a loved one to cardiovascular disease, Muhuhu developed portable AI-powered ECG devices that bring real-time heart diagnostics closer to patients. Designed for healthcare facilities with limited electricity, internet connectivity and specialist staff, the portable system provides six-lead ECG acquisition and can detect more than 50 cardiac conditions without relying on cloud-based systems. The innovation enables frontline healthcare workers to make faster and more accurate clinical decisions while also addressing a major global health challenge, as less than one percent of ECG datasets represent African populations. By generating locally representative data, Aurora Health Systems is improving diagnostic accuracy and contributing valuable data for global cardiovascular research.
From Ethiopia, Beamlak Alemayehu is being recognised for Medanit Digital Health, the country’s first integrated multi-channel digital healthcare access platform. Drawing from her experience as a clinical nurse, social worker and entrepreneur, Alemayehu established Medanit after witnessing how difficult it was for many patients to access basic healthcare services. The platform connects patients with doctors, medicines and mental health services through a mobile application, website and a low-bandwidth call centre using the national healthcare short code 6636. This allows both smartphone and non-smartphone users to access care regardless of internet availability. Medanit combines telemedicine, doctor appointment booking, medication delivery, healthcare navigation and mental health support within one patient-centred platform. The company is also developing AI-powered patient triage technology that helps guide patients according to their symptoms and clinical urgency while generating real-time health data that supports healthcare planning, medicine availability and better decision making across Ethiopia’s healthcare system.
Nigeria has two winners. Funmilayo Ishola, founder of Dehydrator Hub Agrifood Technology Limited, is tackling one of the country’s biggest agricultural challenges by reducing food loss and improving food processing. Inspired by childhood experiences in Boundary Market in Lagos where fresh produce frequently spoiled before reaching consumers, Ishola built a business that converts perishable fruits, vegetables, legumes and tubers into shelf-stable, high-value food ingredients using hybrid solar-powered dehydration technology. Her Processing-as-a-Service model removes the need for small agricultural businesses, particularly women-led enterprises, to purchase expensive processing equipment. Beyond food preservation, Dehydrator Hub provides vocational training, regulatory compliance support and market access, helping businesses meet NAFDAC and FDA standards while entering stronger regional and international value chains. The company is now working towards establishing processing hubs across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria, creating a stronger food manufacturing ecosystem while reducing food waste and increasing farmers’ incomes.
Also recognised from Nigeria is Omowunmi Christine Emmanuel-Ogah, founder of ExCare Health, whose integrated primary healthcare model is improving access to essential medical services within communities. Inspired by a family emergency in which her aunt nearly died because critical medication could not be found in time, Emmanuel-Ogah transformed what began as a retail pharmacy into a broader healthcare network that combines pharmacy services, diagnostics and immunisation under one model. The need for this approach became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic and the EndSARS protests when many Nigerians could not access hospitals. Today, ExCare Health operates five pharmacies, two diagnostic laboratories and an accredited immunisation centre. Through its Vaxreach programme, the company also trains and supports independent community pharmacies to provide vaccination services, strengthening primary healthcare delivery in underserved communities across Nigeria.
Representing Morocco, Sokayna Bellam, co-founder of Jodoor, is helping farmers produce more food using fewer natural resources through locally adapted hydroponic farming systems. The company focuses on producing high-value leafy vegetables and aromatic herbs including basil, chives and dill using significantly less water and land than conventional agriculture. Beyond introducing hydroponic technology, Jodoor provides farmers with technical expertise, operational support and market access while developing climate-resilient agricultural assets that attract investment into the sector. Designed specifically for arid and climate-stressed regions across Africa and the Middle East, the company’s model improves food production, creates stable rural employment and places particular emphasis on expanding opportunities for women through skills development and dignified agricultural work.
Global support to scale impact
The five African entrepreneurs are among 15 women recognised globally for building scalable businesses that address urgent health and food security needs. Alongside winners from Asia Pacific and Latin America, they will participate in the Bayer Foundation’s six-month Accelerator Programme designed to strengthen investor readiness and accelerate business growth. The programme includes a €25,000 cash award, personalised mentorship from industry leaders, access to international networks and a sponsored trip to Amsterdam for the award ceremony taking place from 26 to 30 October.
The initiative is delivered through a partnership between Bayer Foundation and the Impact Hub Network. Impact Hub Network is a global organisation that supports impact-driven entrepreneurs through mentorship, workshops, events and business development programmes. By connecting entrepreneurs across different regions, the network helps founders strengthen their businesses, develop practical solutions to social challenges and scale their impact through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Bayer Foundation supports science and social innovation with the goal of achieving “Health for all” and “Hunger for none.” Through its social innovation programmes, the foundation provides financial and non-financial support to enterprises working in health, nutrition and environmental sustainability. It also focuses on empowering women entrepreneurs, building sustainable business models, encouraging cross-sector collaboration and exploring innovative financing approaches that enable social enterprises to grow and create lasting impact.
By bringing together financial support, technical expertise and global networks, the Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award is helping women-led businesses develop solutions that improve healthcare, strengthen food security and create more resilient communities around the world.
