The Ifakara Innovation Hub’s Residency Program provides innovators with unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders, enabling learning, knowledge sharing, and product enhancement. By linking startups with global institutions, the program empowers them to leverage existing technologies, refine their solutions, and expedite entry into the market. One of the standout beneficiaries of this initiative is Ifakara Biotech, an in-house startup developing Mama Check, a rapid diagnostic test for the early detection of preeclampsia in pregnant women. Preeclampsia, if left undetected, can lead to severe and life-threatening complications for both mother and child. Mama Check successfully developed its foundational design by identifying specific biomarkers for preeclampsia. However, the product required an additional quantification feature to measure biomarker levels in the blood accurately, helping healthcare providers deliver timely medical intervention.
From October to November 2024, the Mama Check team participated in a two-month residency program at Medical Diagnostech in Cape Town, South Africa. Medical Diagnostech, renowned for its expertise in lateral flow rapid diagnostic tests, provided critical infrastructure, advanced technology, and materials that enabled Mama Check to enhance its efficacy and accuracy. During this program, the team successfully completed laboratory validation of the foundational design, ensuring its quality and reliability. Leveraging Medical Diagnostech’s capabilities, Mama Check underwent testing using real samples from pregnant women, which significantly improved the device's precision. The program also facilitated collaboration with Hemex Health, an organization that supplied essential components, including readers for the quantification feature, while Medical Diagnostech provided key materials for validation testing.
.jpeg)
The residency program was not just about product development; it also served as a significant capacity-building opportunity for the Mama Check team. Over the two months, team members underwent intensive training in advanced diagnostic technologies, boosting their technical expertise and strengthening their ability to drive future innovations. This immersive experience equipped the team with the necessary skills and insights to further refine and scale their product.
By fostering these collaborations, the residency program strengthened relationships with key players like Medical Diagnostech and Hemex Health, both of whom played critical roles in enhancing Mama Check’s development. Such partnerships highlight the power of global collaboration in advancing health technologies and improving lives.
As the host and financier of the residency program, the Ifakara Innovation Hub is proud of the progress Mama Check has achieved and the opportunities unlocked through this exchange. The success of this initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to breaking barriers and supporting innovative solutions that address critical health challenges. By empowering startups to develop and refine transformative technologies, we reaffirm that innovation knows no boundaries—because, for us, the sky is truly the limit.
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.JPG)