Your network is vital to your professional success. This proves even more true for researcher-entrepreneurs trying to bring innovation to scale. How do you overcome challenges of regulation, silos, resources and more? Build your network. Scientists across Africa must tap into diverse local and global networks to succeed in the biomedical space.

Join Dr. Akanimo Odon, Multi Award Winning Author, Africa Business Strategist, and Career Coach, to explore the importance of networking, through conversations and stories. Dr. Odon will be joined by Founder & CEO of AfriProspect GmbH, ShEquity, Pauline Koelbl, CEO of MYcpdZw Solutions, Dr. Admore Jokwiro, and CEO of Inocul8, Dr. Emmanuel Egbroko as panelists. They will share the importance of networking in their journeys as innovators in low resource markets.

WHEN: Thursday, March 18, 2021

TIME:

• 9-10:30 am EST

• 1-2:30 pm GMT

• 2-3:30 pm WAT

• 3-4:30 pm CAT

• 4-5:30 pm EAT

Advancing Healthcare Innovation in Africa, AHIA, (in partnership with the AfricaBio) is hosting a series of webinars on relevant business and law topics to help African bio-innovators grow in the next step of their journey.

Topic: Intellectual Property Meets SMART Agriculture Webinar

AfricaBio/BIO Africa is organising with the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) a SMART Agriculture webinar. The webinar is taking place on the 25th of February at 10am CAT. The details are listed on the flyer below.

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_raYzwnbqSSuYSpq7sLX0cA

Recirculate presents International Research Communications Webinar:

How can researchers best communicate their work?

Date: February 24th, 2021

Time:

• 11:00-13:00 GMT

• 12:00-14:00 WAT

• 13:00-15:00 CAT

• 14:00-16:00 EAT

RECIRCULATE supports new partnership-based approaches to enable African researchers to grow transformational impact through working with, in and for their communities and developing robust, durable and equitable partnerships with UK researchers.

Emory Vaccine Dinner Club- COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Please join us on February 3rd when we talk about the challenges that the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine rollout is facing and its historical context.

Specifically:

Immunization expert and vaccine historian Dr. Walter Orenstein will set the stage by talking about the historical rollout of another vaccine – Polio -- that was desperately longed for by a frantic public, required a massive logistical effort to accomplish, and suffered through its share of controversies large and small.

and then…

State of Georgia C19 vaccine rollout lead Dr. Lynn Paxton will describe the process, obstacles, and progress to date of Georgia's current SARS-CoV-2 vaccine rollout and her thoughts on our best way forward in the context of the Biden Administration's C19 plan (CliffsNotes version of the Biden plan: "Vaccines don't save people, vaccinations do").

and then…

Internationally known vaccine hesitancy issues expert Dr. Saad Omer will address the roles that organized (anti-vax) and individual (vaccine hesitancy) concerns are playing in the public's response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine rollout.

This is going to be a legendary evening.

Be there or be sidelined by history…

Hope to see you at the Club on Feb 3rd,
-Kimbi

Agenda: (all times Eastern time zone)

5:20pm — Grab a beer or a glass of wine from the fridge and get online

5:30pm — Meeting called to order in the usual way (ear muffs optional)

5:40pm — This is the part where some really excellent science is presented

6:30pm — Q & A

7:00pm — Adjourn, already dreaming of next month's program

Emory’s Rollins School of Pubic Health- Hubert Department of Global Health hosts a discussion on COVID-10 vaccine delivery around the world.

Join via Zoom at

https://zoom.us/j/91396426196... ID: 913 9642 6196

Passcode: 676661

Date and Time:

January 28, 2021

Time Zones:

• 12:00PM EST

• 6:00PM WAT

• 7:00PM CAT

• 8:00PM EAT

Bio Innovator Series:

You have an idea, now what?

It can be overwhelming to know where to start your entrepreneurial journey. Should you start with market research? A business plan? Intellectual property protection?

Join Charlie Goetz, Emory Professor of Entrepreneurship, and innovators from Uganda and Ghana to learn what to watch out for as you start your journey. The panel will explore the different stages of entrepreneurism: ‘idea stage’, ‘pre-launch’ stage, and ‘launch’ stage and the pitfalls to avoid in each. 

Register for the webinar:  http://bit.ly/3shynF8

Panelists:

• Maureen Etuket, Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer @Principality MedTech

• Yaw Bediako, Founder, Chief Executive Officer @Yemaachi Biotech

• Moderated by Professor Charles Goetz, Senior Lecturer in Organization & Management and Distinguished Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Emory University

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AHIA (Advancing Healthcare Innovation in Africa) is an interdisciplinary program at Emory University that supports innovators addressing unmet healthcare needs in Africa. Specifically, AHIA advises, educates, and trains African innovators in the business and legal aspects of entrepreneurship. AHIA has operated since 2015 and supported over 35 innovators. 

The Advancing Healthcare Innovation in Africa in partnership with the Africa Bio is hosting a series of webinars on relevant business and law topics to help African bio-innovators grow in the next step of their journey. 

CO-SPONSOR:  BIOAfrica, a program of AfricaBio

Timezones:

• 9:00AM EDT

• 2:00PM GMT

• 3:00PM WAT

• 4:00PM CAT

• 5:00PM EAT

Are you looking to raise capital in Africa? Would you like to nail the fundamentals to access funding in Africa for a future project?

Join the practical Masterclass by 54Sud in Dakar in December.

To train you, we have brought together seasoned entrepreneurs, innovation experts, who master the field and wish to share all their experience with you.

One goal: make your business successful!

Entrepreneurs, investors and thematic specialists present to accompany you during the Masterclass. 100% practical concepts applied to your project during the session and a clear action plan to meet your challenges.

Theme: The fundamentals for successful fundraising in Africa.

***Masterclass given in French.

MIT Hacking Medicine co-founder and Faculty Director, Zen Chu, will describe what we have learned over the past decade with examples and best practices. He also will discuss the role corporations have played in those events and how companies can leverage hackathons for sourcing ideas and identify new technologies relevant to their business.

Healthcare’s tectonic shifts are forcing fundamental business model change to every one of it’s players, both in the United States and globally.  Medical and health technology — for decades derided as the driver of increased health costs — are now the key enabler of new products, re-imagined services and new business models to extend the reach and impact of healthcare. Digital tech and the telemedicine enabled by it have proven that health systems can bend the cost curve and accomplish the “Triple Aim” of increased access, better outcomes and lower costs with:

• New sensors and biometrics

• Connected medical devices

• Companion apps to therapeutics

• Re-designed care delivery models

• New business models

• Digiceuticals + Electroceuticals that compliment or replace traditional pharmaceuticals

Follow this link to register for the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sNgposyISfWYUtN_3xNRGw

Timezones:

• 8:00AM PST

• 11:00AM EST

• 4:00PM GMT 

• 7:00PM EAT

“Despite the healthcare and economic challenges of COVID-19, opportunities exist for new and innovative ways of thinking about production and manufacturing. Many of the most creative responses are driven by youth. The pressure on the global supply chain forced countries and local producers to rethink production of PPE, use 3-D printing and other means of in-country manufacturing for affordable ventilators, and ramp up production of generic pharmaceuticals. The panel will explore the innovative technology coming out of Africa during the pandemic, ways in which business agility has contributed to rethinking global supply chains, and the role of youth in the pandemic response.”

Panelists:

• Clare Akamanzi, CEO, Rwanda Development Board & CAS Leadership Council

• Seyram Avle, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Okendo Lewis Gayle, Founder & Chairman, Harambeans

• Moderated by Professor Demba Ba, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Bioengineering, Harvard University

Register for the webinar: https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Cy_a3e4tR1KuEjK6TDUm4g

This webinar will be livestreamed on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/HarvardAfricanStudies/live_videos/

Sponsored by Harvard Center for African Studies & Africa CDC

Timezones:

7:00AM PDT 
10:00AM EDT 
4:00PM WAT
5:00PM CAT 
6:00PM EAT 

There is simply no other event in Africa like HISA2020. This event joins the dots between innovation and practicality, presenting the latest healthcare technologies and showcasing their practical application and integration into existing healthcare infrastructure.

Each year the who’s who of Africa’s healthcare and technology communities gather for two days of networking, lively intellectual exchange and exploration to see what’s new, what’s cutting edge and what will shape the future of healthcare.

Moved to a digital format.

Accelere ’O Madagasikara (AOM) is a business acceleration and incubation program in Madagascar set up by the Hackoragna Co-operative Platform and implemented by Cabinet ProMada. This is a program carried out in collaboration with the American firm “Entrepreneur Ready” based in Florida, USA.

For the pilot project of the accelerator range, a cohort of 50 places will be open to entrepreneurs and businesses residing in Madagascar, formally constituted and have achieved at least an annual turnover of 30 million ariary.

This webinar will be held on November 18 at 10:00 am EST (Washington DC) / 4:00 pm CET (Paris) / 6:00 pm EAT (Antananarivo) If you would like to learn more about Accelere ‘O Madagasikara, we will be happy to introduce you to the project and share our vision of entrepreneurship in the era of COVID-19.

A High-Level Panel, made up of experts and specialists in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship at national and international level, will share their experience and ideas.

Panelists:

• Pam Hoelzle, CEO of Entrepreneur Ready, is an entrepreneur, educator, practitioner who came out of a company sold for $ 18 million, she taught entrepreneurship at the MBA level, developed a step by step program, based on performance and risk reduction to increase the success of entrepreneurs at the start of their careers and coached, consulted tens of thousands of entrepreneurs internationally.

• Davida Rakotomalala, CEO of PRO MADA, is an expert in business development and social activities. He is a member of several international associations of experts, including the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), which brings together experts in the field of entrepreneurship around the world. He has good relations with several business leaders, government and industry leaders, officials of public institutions and private sector development associations. Among his achievements, he has carried out, among others, the design and analysis, planning and execution and advising on business and commercial strategies., he also analytically developed new market channels and established dashboards allowing decision-makers and business leaders to take good lower risk decisions.

• Harinjaka Ratozamanana, Co-founder of the Hackoragna Cooperative platform, is an international consultant, TED Fellow, recognized as a young global leader who has demonstrated achievement and potential, especially to improve the lives of young people in his communities. He was successively one of the co-founders and former CEO of the Habaka-Madagascar Technology Innovation Hub, in charge of private sector development and digital development in government to better prepare for the fourth industrial revolution in Madagascar.

Moderator

Adrienne  Rabemanantsoa – Crispin is the CEO and co-founder of AIR Communication, a company specialized in translation and interpretation, founded in 2015 and the President and Co-Founder of the Hackoragna cooperative. She has a three-year degree i English for Specific Purposes and a Master 2 in Journalism an Communication for Development. In 2016, she was selected as one of the Young African Leaders (YALI), known as Mandela Washington Fellows and trained in Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Notre Dame, USA.

Institutions of higher education in Africa have acknowledged even prior to the pandemic that increased access to virtual learning is necessary to bring down costs and expand access to education. COVID-19 accelerated that need as institutions were forced to go digital, but concerns have come up around access to data and personal devices. Likewise, universities must grapple with how to create engaging digital content, project- and team-based learning, and learning assessments in a virtual environment. The panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities for universities in Africa to move digital and what role the private sector and government have in helping to meet these challenges.

Register for the webinar: https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Cy_a3e4tR1KuEjK6TDUm4g

This webinar will be livestreamed on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/HarvardAfricanStudies/live_videos/

• Atieno Adala, Director, Center for Excellence Learning & Teaching, United States International University (Nairobi, Kenya)

• Himdat Bayusuf, Co-Task Team Leader Africa Centers of Excellence Higher Education Project, World Bank (Washington DC)

• Mahmoud Triki, President and Founder, South Mediterranean University (Tunis, Tunisia)

• Zeblon Vilakazi ,Vice Chancellor Designate, University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa)

• Moderated by Professor Wafaie Fawzi, Interim Oppenheimer Faculty Director, Harvard Center for African Studies & Richard Saltonstall Professor of Population Sciences Professor of Nutrition, Epidemiology, and Global Health, Harvard University

--

The Harvard University Center for African Studies in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is hosting a series of webinars on the topic of COVID-19 and Africa. Held each Wednesday for one hour from 10am EST, CAS’ Africa and COVID-19 Webinar Series will bring together the private sector, policy makers, academics, and practitioners for a series of conversations across health, technology, and economy, among others. Please check  our COVID-19 Resources page for upcoming webinars and recordings of previous webinars. Join our weekly newsletter to receive updated information.

Timezones:

7:00AM PDT 
10:00AM EDT 
4:00PM WAT
5:00PM CAT 
6:00PM EAT 

Webinar Schedule:

• December 2nd - The Impact for Women

• December 9th - Youth & Closing the Innovation Gap

An exploration into to the impact of the coronavirus on the African continent and Africans.

Hosted by Case Western University.

COVID-19 affected countries around the world in different magnitudes but all had to rapidly put in place a response which impacted health service delivery to an extent unlike any before in such a short period of time.

This unprecedented situation calls for the health service community to come together to support each other through this pandemic, to share and discuss experiences, challenges, insights and solutions. This virtual forum for hospital and healthcare leaders is an opportunity for us to debrief and discuss learnings from the crisis, address key questions on strategies for the new normal, and explore how health services are transforming for the future.

Join us online on 4-5 November 2020. With the postponement of the 44th IHF World Hospital Congress in Barcelona to 2021, this forum will serve as a pitstop to our annual conference and an opportunity to interact with the international community. We may be socially distant but we can still be virtually connected.

KEY TOPICS

The virtual forum will reflect on and tackle topics including:

• Role of leadership in times of crisis

• Human resource management

• Deploying digital solutions

• Enhancing organizational agility

• Maintaining quality when facing chaos

• Different dimensions of collaboration

• Resuming non-COVID activities

• Hospital financing

• Hospitals of the new normal

• Healthcare delivery and access

• Supply, logistics, and infrastructure

• Adapting buildings and equipment for the future

• How hospitals should evolve from the perspective of patients and the community

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

• Hospital and healthcare leaders, C-level executives and decision makers

• Hospital and healthcare senior managers

• Health service providers, professionals

• Members of national and international healthcare organizations

The eighth edition of the Angel Fair Africa event, which brings together investors, accelerators and emerging businesses from the African continent with the aim of doing deals, will take place online on November 5. Chanzo Capital has partnered with Africa.com to make the event virtual. The theme of this year’s event is “doing deals in a virtual environment“. This year’s event will bring investors, entrepreneurs and ecosystem players unto the virtual platform to do deals, network and share experiences.

Sign up here! https://virtualconferenceafrica.com/nov-5th-angel-fair-africa/

The Re:solve Challenge invites SMEs, teams or individual entrepreneurs to co-create bold and innovative solutions with a focus on areas such as transport, hygiene, food security, education, medical care, retail and micro-enterprises. Entrants with the most viable solutions will have the opportunity to prototype their idea with a grant of up to R20,000 and also opportunities to pilot test their business ideas before launching into the market. Partnered with industry mentors, the Challenge will also expose the entrants to perspectives and networks that could help them to shape their ideas.

“Cape Town is an innovative and design-led city, and this project aims to tap into the deep well of creativity in our city in particular– the goal is to unlock new products and solutions that can help in the fight against COVID-19 as well as unearth ideas that can become new tangible products and services post-COVID. As the first African city to be designated a UNESCO City of Design within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), through initiatives like this Challenge we can be at the forefront of innovative solutions in a time of crisis. Through the Re:solve Challenge we are providing a platform for bright ideas from Capetonians, including a few wild card spaces reserved for other provinces,  to reach their potential,” says Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management within the City of Cape Town.

To help get the big ideas off the ground, each entrepreneur or team of entrepreneurs will be mentored and guided through a series of Product Development rounds. A multi-skilled team of business consultants, design-thinking facilitators, product developers, and creative experts will help to shape and co-create the solutions alongside the entrepreneur/teams. Facilitated by dY/dX, the Challenge’s industry sponsors also include Uber, Red & Yellow and Smollan.

“The project brings together a multi-skilled team led by the Craft and Design Institute, which has a long track record of success in unlocking the potential of local entrepreneurs and using a design-led approach to surface viable new products that can be commercialised,” adds Alderman Vos.

According to Erica Elk, Croup CEO at the CDI, the project is perfectly timed and much needed to solve some of the biggest challenges faced in South Africa today.

“We have seen the deep and devasting impact of COVID-19 on our society and it has laid bare many of the biggest issues we face as a country. South Africans have stood up bravely and resiliently to flatten the curve over the past months, but we face a stark reality of needing to rebuild our economy and to find new ways to approach many of our systemic challenges. This Re:solve Challenge is about tapping into the resolve of our people, about re-looking at old ways of doing things through a new lens, and ultimately bringing to the forefront the very best ideas through innovative products and services. There is no better place to start than with the ingenuity of South Africans.”

Source: https://africa.com/cape-town-launches-innovation-challenge-for-entrepreneurs-to-shape-the-new-normal/

Youth & Closing the Innovation Gap- Despite the healthcare and economic challenges of COVID-19, opportunities exist for new and innovative ways of thinking about production and manufacturing. Many of the most creative responses are driven by youth. The pressure on the global supply chain forced countries and local producers to rethink production of PPE, use 3-D printing and other means of in-country manufacturing for affordable ventilators, and ramp up production of generic pharmaceuticals. The panel will explore the innovative technology coming out of Africa during the pandemic, ways in which business agility has contributed to rethinking global supply chains, and the role of youth in the pandemic response.

Date: Monday, November 2, 2020, 12:00pm to 12:45pm

Location: 

Virtual Event - Details Below

COVID-19: Reflections and Updates with Drs. Anthony Fauci, Jim Yong Kim, George Q. Daley, and Paul Farmer.

ORGANIZER: Harvard Medical School - Global Health and Social Medicin

Current State and Priorities

On February 14, Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was reported in Egypt. By August, Africa surpassed more than 1 million diagnosed cases of COVID-19. Wide disparities exist in the scale of and response to the outbreak: more than half of reported cases are in South Africa, while Tanzania has controversially declared their country free of cases in June. Across the continent, initial optimism about a lower mortality rate (compared to that seen in Europe and the Americas) of around 2 percent has been tempered by reports of increased natural cause deaths, raising the possibility that neglect of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious and endemic diseases is having adverse health outcomes. The panel will explore i) the current state of the pandemic across Africa; ii) the disparity between countries like South Africa and Tanzania in their responses to COVID-19; and iii) lessons learned since detection of the first case in February as well as what is still unknown about the virus’ spread on the continent.

COVID-19 has created challenges for African countries, but not necessarily in the ways that early observers expected. The continent appears to be weathering the pandemic in terms of broad health outcomes, but the challenges of adequate health infrastructures in most African countries remain. To kick off a new Lauder Africa Fall seminar series, we'll talk with a panel of experts to help us more deeply understand how health systems are responding and adapting to the challenges of COVID and learn about persistent systemic issues in the sector still needing to be solved.