Michael Gwarisa
Cimas Health Group has launched the third edition of its national Healthathon competition, inviting innovators, startups and university technology teams to develop digital solutions capable of transforming healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the launch held at the Cimas Health Group headquarters in Borrowdale, Harare, on Wednesday, Chief Executive Officer Mr Vuli Ndlovu said the initiative seeks to harness local innovation to address some of the country’s most pressing healthcare challenges.
The competition will see participating teams compete for prize money totalling US$7,000, with the winning team walking away with US$3,500. The second-placed team will receive US$2,000 while the third-placed team will take home US$1,500.
Registration for Healthathon 3.0 will open on June 22 and close on July 12 under the theme, “Reimagining Healthcare Through Disruptive Innovation.” The programme will culminate in a live Demo Day on August 28 where shortlisted finalists will present their solutions before a panel of judges drawn from Cimas Health Group executives, innovation experts and industry leaders.
Mr Ndlovu said the annual innovation challenge has become an important platform for identifying practical, locally developed technologies that can improve healthcare access, affordability, prevention, wellness, operational efficiency and patient experience.
“As the healthcare industry undergoes rapid technological transformation, innovation remains a critical pillar in shaping the future of healthcare. Through the Healthathon challenge, we are demonstrating our commitment to addressing some of the complex and evolving challenges facing our country’s healthcare sector,” he said.
He noted that Zimbabwe’s healthcare system continues to face challenges including affordability constraints, limited access to services, fragmented data systems, delayed service delivery, low uptake of preventive healthcare and rising healthcare costs.
Unlike previous editions, Healthathon 3.0 will not be divided into specific categories. Instead, participants will be free to identify and tackle any healthcare challenge they consider significant, provided they can demonstrate the relevance and viability of their proposed solution.
Mr Ndlovu said the approach was intended to encourage greater creativity, diversity of ideas and deeper innovation across the healthcare sector.
“There will be no predefined categories, giving participants the freedom to reimagine healthcare from any perspective or angle. We want to see imagination, originality, technical rigour and practical solutions capable of driving meaningful change within Zimbabwe’s healthcare ecosystem,” he said.
Chief Information Officer Mr Foster Akaketwa said participation is open to Zimbabwean innovation hubs, startups, university technology teams and independent product teams committed to improving healthcare through technology.
Each team must comprise between three and five members and is encouraged to bring together individuals with diverse skills and expertise.
According to Mr Akaketwa, applicants will submit entries through an online platform, after which the top 20 teams will be shortlisted. A further selection process will then narrow the field to six finalists who will compete for the top prizes at the grand finale.
“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.
He added that shortlisted participants will undergo an orientation programme covering competition rules, judging criteria, prototype development requirements, intellectual property considerations, data protection requirements and presentation guidelines.
Mr Akaketwa said proposed solutions must directly address challenges within Zimbabwe’s healthcare ecosystem and demonstrate practical relevance to local healthcare needs.
The competition also places a strong emphasis on originality, with participants expected to develop innovative solutions rather than replicate existing platforms without meaningful adaptation or improvement.
Beyond the prize money, Cimas says participants will have an opportunity to pilot their innovations within the organisation, creating a pathway for promising solutions to move from concept to implementation.
Mr Ndlovu said the long-term goal is to establish a structured innovation pipeline capable of producing pilot-ready technologies that can be adopted across the healthcare sector.
