How Qhala collaborated with RHIPFactory Venture Studio for a pioneering healthcare hackathon in Kenya

Across Africa, millions lack access to quality healthcare due to various challenges, hindering the creation of inclusive healthcare systems. Limited resources, infrastructure gaps, and a shortage of skilled professionals contribute significantly to this critical issue. Recognizing this need, RHIPFactory Venture Studio, a pioneering healthcare innovation hub, partnered with Qhala, a Digital Transformation and Innovation management company, to organize the BuildHealth4 Africa Hackathon.

Qhala brought its expertise in digital innovation management to the forefront of the hackathon. Our primary objective was to leverage our understanding of the African innovation landscape to facilitate the development of impactful solutions that could bridge the gap in inclusive healthcare. We partnered with Safaricom, AWS, Britam, Africa CDC and the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy for this hackathon.

We focused on four key areas:

• Ecosystem Building: We fostered a dynamic ecosystem by promoting the hackathon through strategic social media campaigns and targeted outreach. This resulted in over 900 applications from students, experienced professionals, and healthcare specialists across diverse backgrounds like design, data science, business, and medicine.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Working collaboratively with RHIPFactory, we co-designed the hackathon format. This included defining the theme (“Inclusive Healthcare for Africa”), establishing clear objectives (developing solutions to remove access barriers), and outlining expected outcomes (startup linkages, expert mentorship, post-hackathon support).
• Targeted Selection & Team Formation: Through a rigorous shortlisting process, we selected 30 well-rounded participants with diverse skill sets and backgrounds. This ensured balanced teams of five, each comprising a designer, data scientist, developer, business professional, and medical practitioner.
• Mentorship & Facilitation: We secured the participation of experienced judges and mentors from the healthcare and technology fields. These experts provided invaluable guidance and feedback to the teams throughout the hackathon, ensuring the solutions remained focused, impactful, and relevant.

The Project: Build Health 4 Africa Hackathon

The 48-hour hackathon served as an intensive platform for collaboration and innovation. Teams channeled their expertise and creativity to develop prototypes and demos tackling various healthcare access challenges. The atmosphere was electric, brimming with innovative ideas and a shared purpose of improving healthcare for all Africans.

Qhala’s approach to shortlisting and selection for the BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon was meticulous and designed to ensure a diverse and highly skilled pool of participants.

Pre-Application Stage

• Targeted Outreach: We didn’t rely solely on open applications. By leveraging our existing network and collaborating with RHIPFactory, we conducted targeted outreach to relevant communities. This included healthcare professional associations, tech hubs, universities with strong design and technology programs, and relevant student groups.
• Application Design: The application itself was crafted to gather key information beyond just demographics. We incorporated skill-based questions to assess technical expertise in areas like data science, coding languages, and design software.

Shortlisting Process

Multi-Layered Review: Applications were reviewed by a dedicated Qhala team with expertise in healthcare, technology, and innovation management. This ensured a comprehensive assessment of each applicant’s skills, experience, and potential fit for the hackathon theme and facilitated the creation of well-rounded and balanced teams during the selection phase.

Selection Process

• Diversity & Balance: While technical skills were crucial, we prioritized building diverse teams with a strong balance of expertise. We focused on assembling teams with a medical professional, a designer, a data scientist, a developer, and a business-minded individual.
• Experience & Background: We looked beyond just academic qualifications. Experience working in relevant fields (healthcare, technology, social entrepreneurship) was highly valued. Additionally, geographical diversity was considered to ensure a range of perspectives within the teams.

Through this multi-layered approach, Qhala ensured the BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon brought together a powerhouse of talent. The diverse skill sets and backgrounds within the teams ultimately fueled the creation of innovative and impactful solutions for a healthier Africa.

The BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon was beyond a simple competition. The impact resonated on multiple levels:

• Startup Linkages: Promising ventures gained valuable connections with investors and partners from Qhala’s network, opening doors for potential funding and future collaboration.
• Expert Mentorship: Participants received invaluable insights and guidance from professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors. This mentorship strengthened the viability and potential impact of their solutions.
• Post-Hackathon Support: Winning teams secured access to Qhala’s resources and workshops. These resources provided them with the tools they needed to refine their ideas, including business model development, prototyping assistance, and user testing expertise.
• Strategic Partner Engagement: Collaboration with the Connected Africa Summit 2024 provided industry expertise and pilot testing opportunities. This further fueled the refinement and potential real-world implementation of the winning solutions.

The Build Health 4 Africa Hackathon showcased Qhala’s successful application of innovation management expertise. By fostering a diverse ecosystem, implementing strategic planning, conducting targeted outreach, and facilitating mentorship, we played a crucial role in generating impactful solutions for a healthier Africa. This collaborative effort serves as a model for driving innovation in the healthcare sector across the continent, paving the way for a future where quality healthcare is accessible to all.

#DigitalHealth#Qhala#InnovationManagement#Hackathon#DigitalTransformation#RHIPFactory