Sixteen health business start-ups have received $150,000 cheque from the Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

The initiative, by the Health Entrepreneurship pillar of the Collaborative led by Prof. Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah, initially received 70 applications which were subsequently trimmed down to 30.

The Health Entrepreneurship pillar is one of the three pillars of the Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative.

The pillar aims to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and culture that supports entrepreneurs to create meaningful innovations and employment opportunities in the health sector. Through the interventions, promising entrepreneurs will be nurtured to build resilient health ventures.

Speaking at the cheque presentation ceremony, Prof. Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah was happy the ingenuity exhibited by the businesses will help transform the health sector.

“With the kind of business ideas and the innovation, it gives me absolute confidence that if we applied our minds, and given the needed support, we’ll be able to transform the health ecosystem,” he said.

The principal investigator of the Collaborative, Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo urged the beneficiaries to “grow and be profitable”.

He hinted at an establishment of a Health Innovation Hub at the KNUST to churn out transformative initiatives.

Prof. Owusu-Dabo advised: “Contextualize the things you’re doing. Let it have the appeal of the Ghanaian or the African but let it have a global reach.”

One of the beneficiary groups, Euodia Mobile that won $9,000 was optimistic the fund will help realize their dream.

“This programme has been very helpful. We almost gave up but we still pushed. This money means a lot to us.”