Cimas Health Group has launched the third edition of its Healthathon programme, inviting startups, university technology teams, innovation hubs and independent developers to submit technology-driven solutions aimed at addressing challenges within Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector.
Speaking during the announcement of the eligibility and participation guidelines for Cimas Healthathon 3.0, Cimas Health Group Chief Information Officer Mr Foster Akaketwa said the initiative seeks to promote innovation and develop practical solutions capable of transforming healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe.
“Participation in the Cimas Healthathon 3.0 is open to Zimbabwean innovative and solution-driven hubs, mix of startups, and university technology teams as well as independent product teams committed to transforming healthcare delivery in the country through technology and innovation,” said Akaketwa.
The competition is open to teams comprising between three and five members. Participants are encouraged to form multidisciplinary teams with diverse skills and expertise to foster innovation and collaboration.
Applications will be submitted through an online platform, with the top 20 teams shortlisted following an initial screening process. A second round of evaluation will narrow the field to six finalists who will compete for the programme’s top prizes.
Akaketwa said participants would have the freedom to identify healthcare challenges they wish to address, provided they demonstrate the significance of the problem and the viability of their proposed solution.
“Teams are allowed to choose their own problem area, but must show why the problem is material, who it affects, and why their solution is viable,” he said.
The selected teams will undergo an orientation programme covering participation rules, judging criteria, prototype development expectations, intellectual property rights, data protection requirements and Demo Day presentation guidelines.
To qualify, proposed solutions must directly address challenges affecting Zimbabwe’s healthcare system and demonstrate practical relevance to local healthcare needs.
“To qualify for participation, proposed solutions must directly address challenges within the Zimbabwean healthcare ecosystem and demonstrate practical relevance to the local healthcare environment,” Akaketwa said.
He added that teams must possess the technical capability to develop a functional prototype within the stipulated programme period and that originality would be a key consideration during the judging process.
“The challenge also seeks to promote originality and innovation. As such, submitted solutions must be unique and should not merely replicate existing platforms without significant adaptation, improvement, or contextual innovation,” he said.
Akaketwa said the Healthathon was designed to create a platform for innovators to develop solutions that improve healthcare outcomes and strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
“The Cimas Healthathon 3.0 seeks to create a credible, innovative, and impactful platform that nurtures healthcare solutions capable of improving lives and strengthening Zimbabwe’s healthcare system,” he said.
