Program

Abdelrahman Hamza

Food Security Analyst

United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Yemen Country Office

Abdelrahman is a food security analyst in the Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) unit of the WFP Yemen country office. There, he leads food security monitoring of the general population and oversees various food assistance activities to support strategic decision-making. His goal is to promptly address emergency food needs, improve livelihoods, enhance conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas, and feed people’s dreams of a brighter future.

Aditya Peri

Associate Director, Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement

Boehringer Ingelheim

With experience in impact investments and infrastructure development, Aditya is currently working as an Associate Director at Boehringer Ingelheim within the Sustainability Social team. At Boehringer, Aditya’s primary role includes facilitating investments into high-impact healthcare enterprises from Sub-Saharan Africa and provides technical assistance to early-stage companies through various initiatives. Previously, Aditya has lead several roles in the management of sustainable catalytic funds and has also worked in an advisory capacity to structure innovative and blended finance funds.

Aiko Watabe

Head of Clinical Development Medical Affairs, Oncology & Immunology, Nippon

Boehringer Ingelheim

As Head of Clinical Development Medical Affairs, Oncology & Immunology, Aiko is leading a team that’s passionately committed to advancing cancer and immunology treatments. Day-to-day, her work involves overseeing the creation and execution of clinical development and medical strategy in Japan, closely collaborating with global teams and healthcare professionals to deliver innovative solutions that can improve patient outcomes.

Akinboyede Akinpelu

Project Manager

Doktorconnect

Akinboyede is an IT Project Manager for Doktorconnect – a preventive medicine platform seeking to make healthcare more accessible for Africans and Americans. With experience in delivering IT projects across the healthcare, oil & gas sectors, Akin’s expertise ranges from software development to mission-critical system implementation. Showcasing a strategic mindset and a dedication to cross-functional collaboration, he has cultivated a reputation as a trusted advisor and change agent, driving digital transformation and continuous improvement within organizations. Plus, he is personally committed to giving back, and making our world a safer and a healthier place to live too.

Amalia-Fonk Utomo

Supervisory Board Member

Alzheimer Indonesia

Amalia is Supervisory Board Member at Alzheimer’s Indonesia – a non-profit organization seeking a better quality of life for people in Indonesia living with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. Boasting 25 years’ experience working with global creative advertising agencies such as Ogilvy, DDB and Lowe, as well as establishing two agencies of her own (Juara and NeMu), Amalia leverages her marketing expertise to promote dementia awareness with an emphasis on early detection and proactive management. She also leads Alzheimer’s Disease International’s Accreditation program and performs guest lectures for Hanze College Nursing School, showcasing her dedication to improving lives worldwide and advancing the global movement for longevity and healthy aging.

Amanda Goh

Sustainable Development Manager ASKAN

Boehringer Ingelheim

Amanda is the Sustainable Development Manager for Boehringer Ingelheim across ASEAN, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. As a purposeful creative thinker, she seeks out new opportunities to build meaningful relationships that will help drive innovation forward, towards a brighter future for all.

Amy Liu

Head of Talent Acquisition, Boehringer TCM

Boehringer Ingelheim

Amy is currently leading the Boehringer Ingelheim Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding team for Greater China. She is also that region’s lead for the More Potential employee volunteering program, part of the Sustainable Development for Generations initiative. She harnesses 27 years of HR experience, including time spent in China, the US, and Singapore.

Annette Jung

Impact Finance Lead

Philips

Annette is Impact Finance Lead at Philips, which drives access to quality healthcare for underserved communities through innovative impact finance and transformative partnerships. A founding member of Philips Capital, Annette has used her background in customer, export & project financing at Deutsche Bank and Philips to build social entrepreneur, business and sales partnerships which can deploy and scale innovative health services and solutions. Responsible for shaping and closing the Transform Health Fund for Africa – she has also led the Ashoka Partnership, become a member of Philips Germany’s Supervisory Board, and was invited to join Baraka Impact Finance’s Advisory Board earlier this year. All while starting her own impact finance advisory services – Develop2Impact.

Argho (Arghya) Das

President Director, Indonesia

Boehringer Ingelheim

Argho is the Head of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Indonesia Human Pharma Business Unit, and the regional lead for Sustainable Development for Generations across ASEAN, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand. Along with his team of highly engaged and passionate professionals, he has developed and rolled out several sustainable development programs in the region, impacting the lives of people and animals in underserved communities.

Dr. Arie Ben-Josef

Lecturer

Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

Dr. Ben-Josef is the former Head of Consulting Services at Greentec Capital Partners, investing exclusively in African start-ups and SMEs. Leveraging over 25 years of international experience in development and the start-up ecosystem, with a special focus on healthcare and medical technologies, Dr. Ben-Josef has managed the execution of multi-annual major projects for clients ranging from private corporations to international development agencies, including Germany’s GIZ and France’s AFD. Additionally, he has overseen incubation and investment in several portfolio and publicly traded companies, gaining vast global knowledge and stakeholder familiarity. Since 2018, he has been lecturing at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management teaching entrepreneurship, innovation management, social entrepreneurship impact investments, and guiding MBA students in their master thesis and first steps as entrepreneurs.

Arnaud Mourot

VP, Changemaker Companies

Ashoka

Arnaud leads Ashoka’s Changemaker Companies, a global initiative aimed at empowering companies to tackle global social and environmental issues, by enabling a culture of changemaking. Arnaud launched the operations of Ashoka France, Belgium and Switzerland in 2005 and played an active role in the recognition of the Social Entrepreneurship sector in Europe where they aim not only create short term tangible economic and social results, but also prepare organizations and their teams, to adapt to a fast and increasingly changing world. As former member of the French Olympic wrestling team, he also founded the NGO “Play International” and has contributed to the development of various social businesses in France.

Augustine Onoriode

Hospital Administrator and Business Development Manager

Silver Cross Healthcare & Diagnostics Center

Augustine is the Hospital Administrator and Business Development Manager at Silver Cross Healthcare and Diagnostics Center in Abuja. A seasoned healthcare executive with over a decade of experience in business development, administration, and customer service, he currently leads initiatives to enhance market presence and patient volume. Known for his strategic vision and leadership, Augustine has a proven track record of driving revenue growth and fostering long-term client relationships - alongside a master’s degree in environmental management and toxicology, a bachelor’s degree in zoology, and certifications in data analytics and marketing management.

Barbara Namigambo

Co-Founder

Mobiklinic

Barbara is a health technology entrepreneur, as well as Co-Founder and Chief of Operations for Mobiklinic - a fast-growing digital health company in East Africa that uses innovative tools to ease healthcare delivery and empower access. Alongside, Barbara is a strong advocate of women’s health & technology as a key driver to attain health equity. Supporting community health services through her role as a director of the Mobilklinic Foundation, the businesses’ social corporate responsibility arm.

Biganza Papy

CEO

Afia Pharma

Biganza is the CEO of Afia Pharma, a leading online pharmacy in Rwanda. Dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the industry, he combines business strategy, marketing and customer experience expertise with adept stakeholder management. What’s more, with a master’s in business administration and background in computer engineering, Biganza combines technical prowess with strategic acumen to drive company growth and empower accessible healthcare solutions.

Brishan Rowjee

Senior Manager, Equity Investments

Grand Challenges Canada

Brishan is Senior Manager and Equity Investments Lead at Grand Challenges Canada – a non-profit organization aiming to fund health and economic solutions for low-and middle-income countries. An experienced private equity and credit investor with a background in diverse boards and directorial roles, Brishan is responsible for building out the equity investments portfolio, overseeing all areas of impact investments with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Previous roles in South Africa include Old Mutual Private Equity and Leveraged Finance at Absa Capital, while he also holds a Master of Commerce in Corporate Finance and Investments from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Prof. Carmen Pellicer

President

Trilema Group

Carmen is the President and founder of Trilema Group, dedicated to training, innovation and promoting change within the education sector and health institutions. A theologian, educator and writer, Carmen has spent two and a half decades positioning learning as fundamental to development across all aspects of life. With six educational centers throughout Spain, she helps pave the way for better educational practices so anybody can achieve their full potential. Carmen has been recognized within the Ashoka Fellowship of global social entrepreneurs since 2016, and also holds the role of Director for Cuadernos de Pedagogia to help the publication’s future.

Carolyne Kirabo

Founder and CEO

M-Kyala Ventures

Carolyne is the Founder and CEO of M-Kyala Ventures, a specialised strategy and advisory firm supporting organisations in adopting gender-strategic practices and approaches, aiming to increase gender equity and access to opportunities and resources for women and girls. She is also the founder of M-Kyala Capital, a fund for women’s economic advancement that supports women-led enterprises creating impact in health, climate change, circularity, education, agriculture, technology, and financial inclusion. She is a leader in the gender lens investing ecosystem and is passionate about developing sustainable solutions that create economic space for women using innovative finance.

Cavin Odera

Founder & Director

WA-WA Kenya NGO and WA-WA Social Enterprise

Cavin is Founder and Director of WA-WA Kenya NGO and WA-WA Social Enterprise – an organization empowering women through developmental skills training to support equality. As a multi-disciplined facilitator, Cavin brings a range of transformative skills and extensive knowledge of community consulting to provide training to women in less developed areas. This is supported by a platform for accessing job opportunities and financial support, so women can then go on to establish their own businesses and gain independence within the community.

Dr. Chraish Miiro

Head of Research and Data

Mobiklinic

Dr. Miiro is Head of Research and Data for Mobiklinic - a fast-growing digital health company in East Africa that uses innovative tools to ease healthcare delivery and empower access. Combining significant research experience in digital health, community health and pharmacoeconomics, he has also brought his expertise to the international stage as a participant in the WHO Civil Society Engagement Commission.

Dr. Chris Silali

CEO

GenePlus Global Limited

Dr. Silali is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at GenePlus Global Limited, a leading marketer and distributor of animal health products and farm equipment. He has over 15 years’ experience in agribusiness having worked with various top agricultural organizations in Kenya. Dr. Silali is a Bachelor in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Chrisantus Barasa Ongulo

Lead

Gaaspp Kenya

Chrisantus is Leader of the Golden Aged and Albinism Support and Protection Programme (GAASPP) in Kenya, which works with marginalized and vulnerable communities worldwide. Using his extensive background in community social work, Chrisantus focuses on generating champions from victims through a co-created, innovative and skill-based approach to social inclusion and sustainability, centered on a passion for humanity.

Christian Bausch

Associate Director, Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement

Boehringer Ingelheim

Christian is an Associate Director at Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement, an impact investing vehicle dedicated to supporting Social Businesses that provide health solutions to vulnerable communities and their animals. With over six years of experience as a strategy and management consultant, he specializes in open innovation and digital technologies. Christian is keen to connect with fellow impact investors, social entrepreneurs, and anyone ready to address the world's most urgent social challenges.

Christian Boehringer

Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee

Boehringer Ingelheim

Christian Boehringer is the Chairman of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Shareholders' Committee, and has been since 2007. Originally starting his career as a product manager for Boehringer Ingelheim in Great Britain, he then worked for a European pharmaceutical consulting company and in international management at Henkel KGaA, before returning to the family business. Christian Boehringer also holds board positions at Wilhelm Gustav Dyckerhoff Vermögensverwaltung, CLAAS KGaA mbH, and at PHORMS Holding AG.

Christoph Schummer

Global Technical Director

Boehringer Ingelheim

Christoph is a Global Technical Director for Boehringer Ingelheim, helping to make significant strides within the scientific world. Having trained as a pharmacologist and vet, Christoph is dedicated to realizing their mission to improve human and animal health worldwide. He spent a decade at Sanofi as a scientist with a focus on human diabetes research, with another decade at Boehringer Ingelheim emphasizing animal health, and is responsible for cardio-renal therapeutics in pet health. Christoph is also keenly interested in social entrepreneurship, bringing his passion and excitement to the forefront to make positive changes alongside his dedicated team.

César Redondo

Head of Finance and Administration

Boehringer Ingelheim

César is Head of Finance and Administration for Boehringer Ingelheim, helping to set a higher standard of corporate finance operations. Having worked for both P&G and Unilever within LATAM, he understands what’s required to empower businesses to achieve their best and plan accordingly to make the most of every opportunity. He has also been part of the Sustainable Development for Generations Project Team, supporting on a variety of initiatives in both Germany and Colombia. César also currently participates in the Making More Health Executives in Residence Program, working alongside The Human Aspect Foundation in Norway to help realize their goal of redefining mental health and reducing the support gap.

Daniel Nowack

Head of Global Alliance for Social Impact

Schwab Foundation, World Economic Forum

Daniel is Head of the Schwab Foundation’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship in partnership with the World Economic Forum. With 110+ members, representing over 100,000 social entrepreneurs, the Global Alliance is the largest multi-stakeholder coalition for social entrepreneurship, focused on mobilising the private and public sector to support social entrepreneurship and innovation. Before joining the Forum, Daniel was Managing Director at Yunus Social Business (YSB), an impact investing fund for social businesses in Latin America, Africa and India, co-founded by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus. He is also a former CFO to various startups, a founding member of a German faith-based investment club, a mentor for Google Launchpad and Founders Institute as well as a lecturer at TU Munich, University RheinMain and Fresenius University of Applied Sciences. He holds an MBA from the Frankfurt School of Finance and is a Certified Expert in ESG and Impact Investing.

Daniela Kreimer

Change Leader

Ashoka

Daniela is a Change Leader for Ashoka – an organization that identifies and supports world-leading social entrepreneurs to mobilize a global community of changemakers. She was previously Country Director for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay before stepping into the Program Leader role within the global Changemaker Companies team. Her master’s degree in Local Development and background working at the Grameen Creative Lab in Bangladesh, Germany and Colombia to create social business projects and microfinance programs for companies, governments and NGOs around the world gives her a holistic understanding of the positive global impact changemakers can make.

Duccio Piovani

Lead Data Scientist - Early Warning and Forecasting Unit

World Food Program

Duccio is Lead Data Scientist within the Early Warning and Forecasting Unit for the World Food Program (WFP) - bolstering humanitarian crisis responses to save and change lives. Since training in Theoretical Physics at La Sapienza and gaining a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Imperial College London, Duccio has worked as a Data Scientist across academia, startups and international organizations, with a specialization in applying machine learning and data-driven approaches to tackling global challenges, such as food security and sustainability. He has also collaborated with partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft AI for Good, leading cross-functional teams in data science and software engineering to solve meaningful real-world problems and drive positive global change.

Eddine Sarrokh

Innovation and Impact Investment Lead

Philips Foundation

Eddine is the Innovation and Impact Investment Lead for the Philips Foundation, an organization dedicated to reducing healthcare access inequality for underserved communities through meaningful innovation. Drawing on over 23 years of experience in technology development - including Senior Advisor in Innovation & Technology for the UN, and the mind behind the Philips Africa Innovation Hub, he works closely with social entrepreneurs to develop impact investment pipelines. A multidisciplinary member of leading industrial institutions, his focus is on promoting innovation for the underserved, specifically priority health and well-being needs in Africa.

Elleny Mvwenzolo

AFRIKA KOMMT! Fellow, Making More Health

Boehringer Ingelheim

Elleny is a project manager within the sustainability social team for Boehringer Ingelheim, who brings a wealth of experience from the environmental sustainability sector, and a deep understanding of water conservation techniques, sanitation standards and hygiene promotion strategies. A dedicated and experienced professional, her track record includes managing projects and promoting environmental sustainability within diverse teams, Most notably, designing and implementing sustainable solutions to significantly improve the environmental health conditions for communities in Kenya.

Elodie Zamblon

Programme Manager

Frankfurt School of Finance and Management

Elodie has been the Programme Manager at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management since 2022, launching the first online course on green finance dedicated to francophone Africa. Leveraging over eight years of experience in financial inclusion, green finance, and entrepreneurship, Elodie’s time at global multi-specialist asset management firm Candriam and African-centric investor and venture builder GreenTec Capital Partners has equipped her with a wealth of ESG analysis, investment and management knowledge too.

Erin Sternberg

Head of Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation

Erin is a healthcare leader with a strong passion for health equity and a track record of providing a patient/care giver perspective to serve vulnerable communities. She leads the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation with the mission to strengthen communities where employees live and work by improving the health and wellbeing of people and animals. The Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundations fulfills its mission through various programs including the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Grants, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Patient Assistance, Matching Gifts and Skills2Give.

Ese Onemiye

CEO

Silver Cross Healthcare & Diagnostics Center

Ese is the Founder and CEO of Silver Cross Healthcare & Diagnostics Center, specializing in hospital restructuring, due diligence evaluation, strategic planning, and implementation. As well as providing expert advice and assessing the viability of potential investments in healthcare and education in Nigeria, she has also supported clinical research trials and drug development programs across multiple therapeutic areas in the United States. Combining extensive policy and project experience with a deep interest in innovative technology-driven healthcare solutions, Ese is truly passionate about creating opportunities to bridge the gender gap for women in leadership roles and encourage female representation within the healthcare industry in Nigeria.

Fatima Jimanate Umar

SDG Finance Analyst

UNDP Nigeria

Fatima is an SDG Finance Analyst for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria – managing the SDG Impact initiative to mobilize $15 million for growth-stage enterprises. Showcasing a wide skillset that includes sustainable finance, blended finance, policy and advocacy, partnerships, and stakeholder engagement, Fatima has also led identification and assessment of impact-driven women and youth businesses across Africa. Aligning finance with impact to drive sustainable growth and support the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around the world.

Felix Gutsche

Head of Corporate Strategy & Consulting

Boehringer Ingelheim

Felix Gutsche is the Head of Corporate Strategy & Consulting at Boehringer Ingelheim, and has been since April 2023. Originally starting his career as an international trainee for Boehringer Ingelheim 29 years ago, Felix has held a variety of management positions in Germany and abroad since – including; Head of Controlling Italy, CFO Mexico, CFO Germany, Head of Global Business Services, and Country Manager Greater China.

Femi Kayode

Founder and CEO

Farm Alert

Femi is Founder and CEO of Farm Alert – an organization leveraging technology to facilitate better access to affordable animal health in underserved African communities. As a pioneering veterinarian and social entrepreneur, Femi champions both animal health and business growth within Nigeria. By spearheading the adoption of modern technology, Femi has helped animal health inventory needs of various communities be aggregated to allow for streamlined distribution. His efforts have seen him appointed to the Veterinary Council of Nigeria’s governing board at a young age, as well as being recognized as an Ashoka Fellow and Making More Health Fellow.

Harriet Kamashanyu

Founder and Executive Director

Rhythm of Life Uganda

Harriet is the Founder and Executive Director for Rhythm Of Life - Uganda, a local NGO that works to empower commercial female sex workers (CSWs) and their daughters in the red light districts of Kampala, Kabalagala. Through her extensive educational background and leadership experience, including her current studies towards a Master’s degree in International Relations & Diplomatic Studies and her current role as the Coordinating Ambassador for One Young World East Africa, Harriet is passionate about promoting health care, treatment and education accessibility for these women. Supporting them to change their future and realize their dreams, in spite of stigmatization and discrimination.

Ikechukwu Arthur Anoke

Founder and CEO

Zuri Health

Ikechukwu Arthur Anoke is the Founder and CEO of Zuri Health, a multi-award-winning health tech company, dedicated to delivering the best universal healthcare experience on demand. Passionate about healthcare access and women's empowerment, Ikechukwu brings extensive board-level experience across a variety of industries - including becoming Group CEO of MTech Communications PLC at 27, transforming it into Africa's largest music content aggregator while expanding into 17 countries.

Ikpeme Neto

Founder and CEO

Wellahealth

Ikpeme is the Founder and CEO of Wellahealth, one of Africa’s fastest-growing data-driven healthcare companies – powered by its industry-defining malaria insurance product and expansive network of over 2,000 Nigeran health providers. A distinguished internal medicine physician turned health technology entrepreneur, Ikpeme’s career spans four continents, with a track record of creating companies and products that significantly enhance people’s health and wellbeing. A believer in the transformative power of entrepreneurship to drive lasting societal change, he unwinds with a passion for dance, particularly Afro-Latin dancing.

Dr. Ilka Wicke

Global Head of Sustainability Social

Boehringer Ingelheim

Dr. Ilka Wicke is Global Head of Sustainability Social at Boehringer Ingelheim - leading an integral part of the Sustainability Strategy with the ambition to improve the lives of 50 million people in under underserved communities until 2030. Sustainability Social aspires to enhance the wellbeing of humans and animals for sustainable impact and inspire Boehringer Ingelheim employees by connecting them to social initiatives and our partners - such as Making More Health (MMH). This key initiative is centered around long-term social innovation and entrepreneurship in collaboration with Ashoka - like the support of social startups in Sub-Sahara Africa with our partner Villgro Africa, and investments by our Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement Fund (BI SE). BI SE launched under Ilka’s guidance back in 2021, with the objective of helping social startups scale by contributing financial funding and non-financial support to foster innovation in healthcare. Prior to this, Ilka incepted the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF) as a corporate venture capital initiative for investing in early-stage biotech companies - spending more than ten years as a BEVF investment manager, leading several fund investment transactions while serving as a board member in several portfolio companies. Ilka obtained her PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, before spending a year as a postdoctoral fellow at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, US, investigating retroviral gene therapy approaches to stimulate antitumor responses. After joining Boehringer Ingelheim in 1996 as head of an interdisciplinary research laboratory specializing in new drug discovery approaches, she also spent more than 13 years in Boehringer Ingelheim’s Corporate Licensing Division, evaluating, negotiating, and managing several global licensing transactions.

Immanual Momanyi

Advisory Lead

Villgro Africa

Immanuel is an Advisory Lead at Villgro Africa, responsible for over 20 healthcare projects in Sub-Saharan Africa with businesses, investors and development partners. Sharing insights gained through engagements with over 50 healthcare stakeholders - from governments to private healthcare players and development partners, his work has included advising on African market dynamics and helping clients understand the human impact potential of their innovations. Additionally, he empowers pipeline growth, investment analysis and post-investment support for Villgro Africa's portfolio companies.

Dr. Ioana Abbas

Senior Manager Engagement & Collaboration

Boehringer Ingelheim

Ioana is a pharmacist with a PhD in Chemistry, bringing a unique blend of scientific expertise and account management experience to the Making More Health team. She joined Making More Health driven by her passion for social impact and a strong commitment to improving global health. Her enthusiasm for building meaningful partnerships supports Making More Health’s mission of creating positive, lasting change in underserved communities.

Jacqkline Perry

Clinical Director

Kenusa Medical

Jacqkline has over 20 years of nursing experience, beginning her career as a certified nurse assistant and then onto a licensed practical nurse, before earning her BS in Nursing. She believes in building a long-lasting and trusting relationship with patients and their families. Jacqkline is the Clinical Director at Kenusa Medical, a Kenya-based social enterprise that builds and operates dialysis centers, with the goal of improving the quality of life for kidney patients by helping to increase access to renal care in East Africa.

Jana op den Winkel

Program Lead

Bayer Foundation

Jana is a Program Lead for the Bayer Foundation – leading their social innovation portfolio with a specific focus on women’s empowerment to reduce global inequality. Under her lead, the Foundation’s signature program “Bayer Foundation Women Empowerment Award” grew to reaching 15 powerful female entrepreneurs from Asia, Africa and Latin America each year, with targeted financial and non-financial support. Jana also leads the Bayer Foundation’s digital communications outreach, making full use of her background in PR and Communication Studies to boost awareness of the positive impact being made.

Janet Mbugua

Host

Media Personality, Gender Equality Advocate & Founder of Inua Dada Foundation

Janet is a renowned Kenyan media personality, award-winning emcee, and social issues advocate. She founded Inua Dada, an organization dedicated to empowering girls and promoting menstrual health and youth advocacy. Through initiatives like Generation Parliament, she mentors young social impact leaders. With 1.3 million Instagram followers, Janet raises awareness about human rights, social justice, leadership and inclusivity. She resides in Nairobi with her two sons and two dogs.

Javier Lozano

Co-founder and CEO

Clínicas del Azúcar

Javier is Co-founder and CEO of Clinicas del Azucar – who are improving access to affordable diabetes care in Mexico through a “one-stop-shop” approach. As the son of a Type-II diabetic mother, he witnessed the inconvenience and inequality in access to specialized care first-hand. This led him to co-found Clinicas del Azucar in 2010, revolutionizing the delivery of diabetes care to middle and low-income individuals in Mexico by leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to enhance patient outcomes and accessibility. Along with his MBA from MIT Sloan, Javier is an Echoing Green, Ashoke and Schwab Fellow, and has been recognized as one of the top 10 innovators in Mexico by the MIT Technology Review, serving as a member of the Global Agenda Councils on ‘The Future of the Health Sector’ and ‘Future of Behavioral Science’ at the World Economic Forum.

Jemimah Wanjiku

Director

DigiCow Africa Ltd

Jemimah is a Director and People Manager at DigiCow Africa Ltd, overseeing talent acquisition and operational efficiency. With 10 years of experience, she has grown the team to over 200 permanent employees and commission based Digital Farmer Assistants across 26 Kenyan counties, ensuring seamless operations and innovation in agriculture.

Jeremy Keeley

Executive Coach

Imperial College Business School

Jeremy is a facilitator and executive coach with particular expertise in leadership development, collaborative change, and team building. He has been supporting teams and individual leaders at Boehringer Ingelheim since 2012. He has found particular joy and meaning in his role as facilitator and coach on the Making More Health Leadership Insights Weeks in Kenya and India, and in supporting Executive In Residence participants and Bag2Future teams. Working across a wide spectrum of sectors with his clients, with a focus on building self-sufficiency and genuine resilience in individuals, teams, organizations, and communities.

Prof. Jim Berry

Associate Professor of Economics, Terry College of Business

University of Georgia

Jim is an Associate Professor of Economics at Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, helping further research into poverty alleviation in less-developed countries. Jim uses rigorous methods to evaluate social programs and inform policy on a holistic level to maximize impact, with a specific focus on improving health and education. Having also held the same position at the University of Delaware and Cornell University, he is dedicated to teaching development economics, the economics of education, and sustainable development to ensure future generations can benefit from economic insights that’ll help a brighter world flourish.

Jimmy Westerheim

Founder

The Human Aspect

Jimmy is the Founder of The Human Aspect – an organization seeking to redefine how mental health is seen and reducing the support gap. He has blended his lived experience of facing bullying, severe injury, grief and being a next of kin with his professional background as a sports coach, personal advisor and operations manager to take a truly empathetic approach to wellbeing. By interviewing over 1000 people, Jimmy’s organization has formed “The Life Experience Library” to show people that they’re never alone in their experiences. Following a back injury at 27, Jimmy reflected on his deeper purpose which led him to spend 2 years in the field with Doctors Without Borders before starting The Human Aspect in 2016 to tackle the global mental health crisis from a fresh perspective.

Julian Kuehnert

Research Scientist

IBM

Julian is a research scientist with IBM research in Nairobi, Kenya. Holding a PhD in geophysics, he is part of a global Climate and Sustainability team, using AI and hybrid cloud to develop scalable technologies with geospatial and climate applications. He is currently leading technical discussions with the Kenyan government, in support of the National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign, creating a digital platform based on IBM's geospatial foundation models.

Julie Mackey

Investor Relations Associate

VC4A

Julie holds a Master’s degree (MSc) in Sustainable Finance and Investments from Utrecht University. At VC4A, Julie has managed an investor network of over 1,200 investors and contributed to key initiatives, including the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit, She Wins Africa, and the VC4A Venture Showcase, supporting startups in emerging markets.

Dr. Justine Rochon

SVP Global Biostatistics and Data Sciences

Boehringer Ingelheim

Dr. Rochon is an SVP and Head of Global Biostatistics and Data Sciences at Boehringer Ingelheim. A psychologist and biostatistician with over 20 years’ experience, she has transformed her department into an agile data science organization spanning 4 countries. She holds MIT Sloan Executive Certification in Management & Leadership, and also in Social Intrapreneurship for Innovation and Health. She advises various boards, lectures at universities, and mentors rising leaders. Justine is passionate about meaningful change for a healthier world; her motto is the old African proverb, “If you want to go fast go alone; If you want to go far go together.”

Katja Faier

Project Assistant, Sustainability Social

Boehringer Ingelheim

Katja Faier is a Project Assistant for Boehringer Ingelheim, with a passion for bringing experts together to collaborate and co-create for social impact. She possesses over a decade of experience in marketing and innovation, which she brought to the Boehringer Ingelheim team back in 2021, working to enhance capabilities within employee volunteering engagement and education topics around sustainability, social innovation and changemaking. As a project manager, facilitator and resilience trainer, she aims to move the world forward, enabling others and contributing to a more social, sustainable and resilient society.

Lakshmi Iyer

Director, Digital Innovations in Agriculture

Grameen Foundation

Lakshmi is the Director of Innovations in Agriculture at Grameen Foundation – a global nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty in our lifetime by investing in the power of women. Bringing over 18 years of experience to the table working with, and for, smallholder farmers and their communities, Lakshmi believes context is everything. Especially when it comes to rural women and the complexities they face with agriculture as their livelihood.

Laura Herman

Partner

Dalberg

Laura is a Partner at Dalberg’s New York office, and a board member for the US Pharmacopoeia, working to advance the quality of medicines worldwide. Bringing over 20 years of experience in Global Health, Gender Equity and Inclusive Business, she works with organizations across the social sector spectrum – including internationally renowned health clients, corporations, private foundations, bilaterals, multilaterals and NGOs. Named one of the “50 Most Influential Social Innovators” and one of the “Women Super Achievers” by the World Sustainability Congress in 2018 and 2019 – today she focuses on strategy, stakeholder engagement, new market entry, advocacy and collaborative approaches to social change.

Lavinah Wanjiku

Managing Director

SOLASA

Lavinah is Managing Director for the Solwodi Ladies Sports Association (SOLASA), which uses football and other sports to provide comprehensive rehabilitation and empowerment services for girls and young women in Kenya. With a Diploma in General Business Administration and an Associate’s Degree in Customer Care and Service Provision, Lavinah first joined SOLASA as a Finance Administrator. However, she stepped up to look after the organization after their Executive Director passed away – using her strong interpersonal skills, hospitality industry and community development experience to steer a path forwards.

Dr. Lavri Labi

Principal

Horn & Company GmbH

Dr. Labi, is an accomplished data scientist whose journey in data science began with research on disease detection by modeling ion mobility spectrometry data at the Chair of Knowledge-Based Systems (University of Hagen). He holds a doctorate in Statistics & Econometrics from the University of Rostock and a Master's in Data Science from Dortmund University of Technology. Currently, as Principal (Data Science) at Horn & Company in Dusseldorf, he advises on digital transformation, automation, and analytics, with a focus on AI and machine learning techniques. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Labi has worked with prominent organizations such as KPMG Global Service Center GmbH and Sparkasse Rating und Risikosysteme GmbH. Beyond his corporate roles, he is deeply committed to fostering technological innovation in emerging markets. As the co-founder of Revolution Analytics Ltd in Nairobi, Kenya, established in 2018, he focuses on delivering global solutions while empowering local talent by providing skills modeled after advanced economies.

Malte Pielhau

Director, HR Transformation Practice

EY

Through a passion for people, Malte drives large-scale transformations to shape effective people strategies, customer-centric HR organizations and customer-centric service delivery. He is an advocate of adapting a mindset and way of working that is required for environments of constant change.

Manuela Pastore

Associate Director, Community Activation

Boehringer Ingelheim

Manuela has been actively involved in our Making More Health initiative for more than a decade. She is deeply committed to addressing global health challenges and improving access to healthcare in underserved communities. Manuela actively engages with local communities, understanding their unique needs and developing sustainable systemic solutions to meet them.

Mara Puacz

Head of Growth

Tech To The Rescue

Mara is Head of Growth at Tech To The Rescue, a global organization tackling pressing global issues by connecting tech companies with nonprofits. With over a decade of experience in impact, education and retail across five countries, Mara champions female leadership and impactful change – while drawing on her life experience as a mother of three to inspire action and co-creation across the technology and impact sectors, driving a better future for all.

Marc Hasson

Head of Emerging Markets Human Pharma

Boehringer Ingelheim

Marc is Head of Emerging Markets for Human Pharma within Boehringer Ingelheim – keeping a finger on the pulse of progress to stay at the forefront of improving healthcare for all. Holding a Master of Business Administration and Finance from ESSEC Business School, as well as speaking 5 languages, Marc has spent over a decade working within a variety Boehringer Ingelheim regions to enhance their capabilities. He brings with him both Finance and Business leadership experience from his time at Sanofi-Aventis in Latin America and the US, giving him valuable insights from across the world. Marc is committed to social responsibility and D&I initiatives, serving as a board member of Instituto Semear in Brazil, an NGO supporting university education for students coming from low-income families.

Maria Clara Pinheiro

New Longevity Co-Leader

Ashoka

Maria Clara co-leads Ashoka’s New Longevity, aimed at harnessing the potential of older generations to drive positive societal change. Over the last 20 years, she has held leadership roles in Brazil, India, and the United States, supporting social innovators, building entrepreneurial teams, and leading global programs and partnerships for Ashoka. She conducted a research study on how social innovators are transforming systems to foster a culture of wellbeing for all. She also recently served on an advisory board for a report on six emerging global trends in health equity, produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Dalberg.

Maria Tereno

Chief Sustainability and Culture Officer

Boehringer Ingelheim

Maria is Chief Sustainability and Culture Officer at Boehringer Ingelheim, leading the organization’s sustainability and culture efforts globally while leveraging her substantial pharmaceutical experience within various leadership roles across strategy and marketing – both central to the company strategy. Born in Brazil and educated in Canada, Maria now lives in Germany with her family and is fluent on five languages.

Mariana Camarillo

Sustainable Development for Generations Manager

Boehringer Ingelheim

Mariana is the Sustainable Development for Generations Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim. With a Bachelor’s in Communications & Public Relations and a Diploma in Corporate Reputation, Mariana joined Boehringer Ingelheim in 2019 as Corporate Communications Leader, before being selected as Champion of the company's sustainability strategy in 2021.

Maryam Bello

Co-Founder

Parkers Mobile Clinic

Maryam is CEO of ITIS 4 Development and a visionary Co-Founder of Parkers Mobile Clinic - a groundbreaking initiative that utilizes telemedicine and AI technology during climate-induced disasters to provide resilient healthcare for over 100,000 underserved and displaced people. A UN Global Compact Ambassador and Technovation Youth Representative at COP27, Maryam’s contributions have been widely recognised internationally. But whether representing Nigeria at the African Youth Climate Assembly, a UNDP Youth4Climate Sparking Solutions Finalist and beyond, her ultimate goal as a global influencer is always to empower youth, advocating for sustainability and catalyzing change through disruptive technologies.

María Fernanda Calderón

Partnership Manager

Ashoka

María Fernanda, a Summa Cum Laude graduate in International Tourism from Universidad de Monterrey, leads Strategic Partnerships at Ashoka Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. With experience in innovative projects from the Hult Prize and Accor's Take Off! Challenge, she specializes in fostering cross-sector collaborations, driving social impact through innovative partnerships and proposal development.

Megan Mukuria

Founder and CEO

ZanaAfrica Group

Megan is the Founder and CEO of ZanaAfrica Group, a social enterprise working to promote and scale-up African-led innovation. She is an Ashoka fellow, Making More Health fellow, and Harvard alumni, bringing 23 years of senior-level leadership in Kenya for leading system change start-ups focused on women and communities. As the youngest President of a Rotary Club in Kenya, Megan sowed the seeds for ZanaAfrica with several global firsts, including a National Sanitary Pads Campaign in 2006, entrenching sanitary pad provisions into Kenya's budget for school girls in 2008, the first Menstrual Hygiene Policy in 2013 and expanded access to primary healthcare services. Today, her and her team serve over 200,000 customers annually with a national reach.

Michael Hermann

Chief Representative

The Federation for Associations connected to the International Humana People to People Movement (Switzerland), Yunnan Representative Office

Michael is Chief Representative for The Federation for Associations, connected to The International Humana People to People Movement – a non-political, non-religious and non-profit organization working alongside disadvantaged communities to build capacity for sustainable development. Since the start in 2005, Michael has developed Humana People to People’s work in China to support rural communities with HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria health education, poverty alleviation, scientific parenting and early childhood education. This work also extends into sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation and urban climate change education to ensure communities understand the challenges ahead and can thrive in the future. In recognition of Michael’s efforts, he was awarded the Yunnan Government Friendship Award in 2012.

Michael Seo

Founder

ReaMedica Healthcare Kenya Ltd

Michael is the Founder of ReaMedica Healthcare, a value-based health service organization delivering child and maternal health, education and ultrasound services to impoverished communities in partnership with low-resource health providers. Under Michael’s leadership, Nairobi-based ReaMedica became the first in Kenya to fully embrace a nurse/midwife-led task-shifting model of maternal and childcare – becoming a Johnson & Johnson Accelerator grantee for innovation in health services delivery. Prior to his work in Africa, Michael was also part of the Health Community Team at the World Economic Forum.

Moyosore Terebo

Co-Founder

Ren Healthcare

Moyo is a patented mechanical engineer, drawing on 16 years of experience within a wide range of industries. An alumnus of Texas Tech University and The University of Ilorin, his current focus is on the development of sustainable and scalable companies and partnerships in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Médard Schoenmaeckers

SVP, Global Head of Corporate Affairs

Boehringer Ingelheim

Médard Schoenmaeckers leads the global Corporate Affairs division at Boehringer Ingelheim, a research-based leader in human pharma and animal health, active in over 70 markets. From the company’s headquarters in Ingelheim in Germany, he is responsible for global communications, government affairs & public policy and the corporate brand. Prior to joining Boehringer Ingelheim at the start of 2020, Médard spent 25 years in banking and life sciences. He was Head of Communications at HSBC, based in London, and worked in executive leadership roles at Credit Suisse and Syngenta, both in Switzerland, and Royal DSM in the Netherlands. He started his career in banking with ABN Amro Bank in Amsterdam and London, before switching to the world of communications in 2001, when he joined Hill & Knowlton in Amsterdam.Médard holds an MBA and a Master’s degree in business economics from Nyenrode University.

Naom Monari

Founder and CEO

Bena Care

Naom is the founder and CEO of Bena Care, a social initiative that delivers affordable home-based nursing and in-home therapy for chronically ill patients of middle to low-income families. A leader committed to social justice; Noam’s transformative journey began in 2017 while working as a student nurse – inspired to redefine healthcare accessibility in Kenya by building a movement among thousands of healthcare workers. Today, Bena Care’s impact reverberates across communities by continuing to significantly reduce healthcare costs for thousands of families.

Naomi Kiptoo

Corporate Internal Auditor

Boehringer Ingelheim

Naomi is a Corporate Internal Auditor with Boehringer Ingelheim, where she has made active contributions to employee engagement over the past year. She has extensive experience working on sustainability projects within vulnerable communities and is deeply passionate about creating a positive social impact.

Norah Magero

Founder and CEO

Drop Access Ltd

Norah is the Founder and CEO of Drop Access Ltd – creators of the VacciBox; a portable solar refrigerator used to store and transport healthcare products in rural and off-grid areas. Locally designed and manufactured, the VacciBox has stored, transported and issued over half a million vaccines and medicines for humans and animals across rural communities in Kenya & Tanzania. A multi-award-winning mechanical engineer and renewable energy expert, Norah is the first Kenyan and second woman globally to win the Africa Prize from the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineers, and was also publicly commended by former President of Kenya, H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, and USAID Administrator, Samantha Powers.

Nélia Pereira

Founder and CEO

Medsquare

With over 10 years of experience in this field, including in Guinea-Bissau, Nélia, founder of Medsquare, is dedicated to improving healthcare and promoting health equity. Her focus on enhancing community health services and disease prevention continues as she leads Medsquare in Portugal, delivering innovative healthcare solutions locally and globally.

Dr. Ola Brown

Founding Partner

HealthCap Africa

Dr. Ola Brown is the Founding Partner of Healthcare Capital Africa, also known as ‘HealthCap’. A pan-Africa investment company, which specializes in early-stage investments – currently totalling almost 30 startups across the healthtech and fintech sectors, alongside investments and operations in larger healthcare, clean energy and clean water infrastructure projects. Collectively, these startups are valued at over $700 million, and have created almost 1,000 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect job opportunities. Before HealthCap, Ola founded a tech-enabled urgent care services marketplace called Flying Doctors Nigeria and co-founded Greentree Investment Company – which provides growth capital to some of Africa’s most exciting tech start-ups.

Oliver Habumugisha

Director

HealthTech Hub Africa at JHPIEGO

As Director of HealthTech Hub Africa at JHPIEGO, Oliver is dedicated to accelerating the development and implementation of health-tech innovations within the public health sector. His expertise and commitment highlights his pivotal role in bridging the gap between advanced technology and tangible solutions for pressing healthcare challenges. With over a decade of experience, Olivier has supported tech-enabled startups and scale-ups across the Pan-African innovation ecosystem. His work has not only addressed policy topics but facilitated the growth of emerging enterprises, as well as improving the innovation ecosystem in general.

Oluchukwu Ughagwu

Program Officer

Parkers Mobile Clinic

Oluchukwu is a pharmacist and software engineer, with a deep passion for improving healthcare accessibility and quality in Africa. He is currently the Program Officer for Parkers Mobile Clinic, where he manages and coordinates a range of health programs, ensuring that they run efficiently and meet the needs of the community. He is committed to bridging the gap between traditional healthcare services and modern technological advancements, leveraging his background in both fields to drive meaningful change.

Paul Nyandika

Associate Director, Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement

Boehringer Ingelheim

As Associate Director at Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement (BI SE), Paul works closely with social enterprises, creating impact within the healthcare space to underserved communities and supporting them through financial and non-financial investments. Previously, he was the Investment Manager for Africa at Heifer Impact Capital, where he facilitated market-based enterprise development for social enterprises across Africa. Paul has also worked with other investment firms, focusing on small and medium enterprises and providing post-investment technical assistance.

Peter Bencsik

Sustainable Development and Innovation Manager, RCV

Boehringer Ingelheim

Peter is Sustainable Development and Innovation Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim’s Regional Center Vienna (RCV) – driving European collaboration in addressing healthcare challenges. His passion for leveraging technology to drive sustainable healthcare solutions and improving health equity has flowed through his roles as Business Unit Manager for Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt and Product Manager at GE Healthcare, displaying a commitment to bridging the gap between medical knowledge and innovation. Peter also leads one of the flagship programs run by RCV, the Top Female Founders Summer School, which empowers and educates female talents who are poised to make a positive impact on the healthcare system.

Pratima Harite

Head of Asia Pacific CSR & Philanthropy

Lenovo

Pratima is the Head of Asia Pacific CSR & Philanthropy at Lenovo, focused on building strategic charitable partnerships and increasing employee engagement. Utilizing experience from major Indian conglomerates and global financial institutions like Standard Chartered India, Pratima specializes in Women Empowerment, Education, and Healthcare, while also volunteering with non-profits.

Ralf Tepel

Development Consultant

Ralf is the former Executive Director and board member of the Karl Kübel Stiftung für Kind und Familie, a German private NGO dedicated to social justice home and abroad. Currently, he works as a freelance development consultant, drawing on extensive project planning, monitoring and implementation experience to support national and international partners throughout the so-called "Development World".

Rob Beyer

Co-Founder and Executive Chairman

Villgro Africa

Rob is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Villgro Africa, bringing a unique combination of seasoned experience in business, social entrepreneurship, education and technology. A visionary leader, Rob has lived in Kenya for over 20 years - meaning he’s familiar with the unique challenges entrepreneurs face in sustainability and scaling within the African context, and passionate about supporting innovation that builds more sustainable livelihoods.

Sandal Kakkar

Business Expansion

Inter IKEA Systems B.V. (The Netherlands)

Sandal is currently involved in global expansion and growth planning with IKEA Inter Systems in the Netherlands. He brings to bear over a decade of experience, with a global track record in business planning, strategic consultancy, consumer and market intelligence, and project management. Combining an aptitude for agility with an instinct for the helicopter view, he also offers expert perspectives on opportunity assessment, partner evaluation, financial analysis, and purpose mapping.

Sawan Shah

Co-Founder and CEO

Jacaranda Maternity

Sawan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jacaranda Maternity Hospitals, a chain that provides high quality, affordable and client-centric maternity and gynaecological services. Before Jacaranda, Sawan founded several fintech startups and spent over a decade working in banking and finance, thanks to an MBA from INSEAD and a Fellowship from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Sebastián Luna

Co-founder and CEO

Umana

Sebastián is Co-founder and CEO of Umana – helping to make healthcare coverage universal through a more open and transparent network that connects patients and medical professionals. As half of the pioneering force behind Umana, Sebastián aims to personalize healthcare and empower individuals to take ownership of their own healthcare journey for better wellbeing. Through his 13 years of entrepreneurial experience and passion for democratizing healthcare access, Sebastián’s health-tech startup as begun to transform healthcare across Latin America by making it more accessible and equitable for all, positively impacting those in vulnerable communities who need it most.

Dr. Serena Guarnaschelli

Partner

KOIS

Dr. Guarnaschelli is a Partner at KOIS, a specialist investment firm that uses impact finance to scale projects with high societal and environmental impact. An expert in blended finance and impact investing while advising corporates, foundations and investors on how to transform their portfolios through sustainable and impact-oriented strategies – Serena specializes in structuring impact products, such as impact investment funds and impact bonds. She also designed and launched Convergence, a blended finance platform focused on emerging and frontier markets.

Sharona A. Ceha

Lecturer

University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam

Sharona is a Lecturer for the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, specializing in the Urban Management Master program. The course she primarily supervises - ‘Assignment in the City’ - brings together all the knowledge and research skills first-year students need to learn and shows how to put them into practice. She is also responsible for developing a European curriculum for the Urban Innovator, Eureka, and teaching advisory skills within the Climate Psychology and Behavior Master. With expertise across climate literacy, climate urgency and advising, Sharona works as an entrepreneur in sustainability and change management to inspire confidence in a better future and build stronger relationships to get everyone on board through equality and reciprocity.

Shashank Deshpande

Member of the Board of Managing Directors – Human Pharma

Boehringer Ingelheim

Shashank Deshpande is a Member of the Board of Managing Directors at Boehringer Ingelheim responsible for Human Pharma. He joined Boehringer Ingelheim in 2012. Prior to his current Board mandate, he was Country Managing Director in Japan. Earlier, he held human pharma leadership and marketing positions in Japan and Germany. Shashank is a highly experienced leader, with a strong business background who lived and worked across Asia, Europe, and North America. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Hamburg, Germany. He now leads a talented team of nearly 30,000 people worldwide, united by their diversity and dedication as the driving force to make more health of every life, for generations.Ioana Abbas

Snider Mugese

Head of Incubation and Finance

Villgro Africa

Snider is the Head of Incubation and Finance at Villgro Africa. With a strong background in financial engineering, and a wealth of experience in early-stage startup incubation and program development - she excels at guiding startups through their growth journeys. Particularly passionate about empowering female-led enterprises, Snider is committed to fostering innovative and sustainable ventures that create a positive impact on society, often providing invaluable support in scaling operations and securing funding. Overall, her expertise and dedication make her a key driver in nurturing the next generation of transformative businesses in Africa.

Stefan Stütz

Head of Authentication Solutions

Boehringer Ingelheim

Stefan is Head of Authentication Solutions for Boehringer Ingelheim, creating a more secure environment for people to continue transforming lives in healthcare. As an experienced and passionate global leader in the areas of IT Security and Authentication Systems, Stefan continues to analyze and evaluate further needs to increase the cybersecurity efforts and overall user experience. Given how unpredictable the world of cybersecurity can be, with rapid advancements in both offensive and defensive digital capabilities, he continues to be vigilant about how best to keep people safe online, enabling uninterrupted work on improving lives worldwide.

Stefan Wilhelm

Associate Director Social Impact

Bayer Foundation

Stefan is the Associate Director of Social Impact for the Bayer Foundation, responsible for their social innovation program portfolio management, as well as strategy and impact measurement and management. In particular, Stefan focuses on scalable high impact ventures in sustainable agriculture, alongside empowering access to health and enhanced nutrition in low and middle income countries in the global south.

Sugandha Kaushal

Senior Manager Consultant

Boehringer Ingelheim

Sugandha is a strategist, health equity advocate and agile expert specializing in domains of health ecosystems, patient engagement, healthcare quality and oncology genomics. She has diverse international experience at MNCs, public sector and early-stage startups. She is very passionate about designing and executing strategies to improve healthcare for all.

Sunny Zhang

Head of Corporate Strategy, SD4G of TCM

Boehringer Ingelheim

Sunny is the Head of Corporate Strategy and Sustainable Development for Generations (SD4G) for Boehringer Ingelheim in the Total Chinese Market (TCM). Combining her passion for sustainability with a strategic consulting background, she leads the strategy formulation for TCM too – where SD4G plays an integral part.

Dr. Susanne Weissbäcker

Partner, Strategy Health & Life Sciences

Ernst & Young Parthenon

Susanne is a strategy partner in the Health Sciences and Wellness sector at EY-Parthenon. A physician by education with a degree in business, she has over 20 years’ experience in consulting at the World Economic Forum, and at Takeda. Susanne supports clients across strategy, broader access and value, sustainability and partnering.

Tanja Vermeer

Associate Director, Engagement & Collaboration

Boehringer Ingelheim

Tanja is passionate about collaboration between teams, organizations and communities. After running her own consultancy company, she decided to dedicate her time and effort to healthcare in 2015. In her current role at Boehringer Ingelheim, she is the Global Senior Manager for Engagement and Collaborations and Program Lead for the Impact Through Our People initiative, aiming to connect social entrepreneurs and employees for impact and innovation in health.

Thorkil Sonne

Founder and Chairperson

Square Foundation

Thorkil, founder of Specialisterne and Square Foundation, is working towards a vision that within one generation, we will have a world where neurodiversity is celebrated as a natural part of our individual and collective strength. He is also an Ashoka and Schwab Foundation For Social Entrepreneurship Fellow.

Dr. Till Wahnbaeck

Founder

Impacc

Dr. Wahnbaeck is the Founder of Impacc – a non-profit venture capital firm that turns donations into investments, using the tools of business to empower innovative entrepreneurs across Africa. With a PhD in History from Oxford University, Till started his career at Procter & Gamble before later becoming CEO of Welthungerhilfe. Using his experiences as an executive in the private sector and CEO of a global aid organisation, he has brought the best of both worlds to Impacc.

Timothy Nzioka

Executive Director

Sustainable Interventions for Development Enhancement

Timothy is Executive Director of Sustainable Interventions for Development Enhancement, a Pan-African organization that helps enhance economic, social, and environmental development for sustainable wealth creation within the private sector and local communities in Africa. A development economist with a master’s degree in Entrepreneurial Studies, Timothy has over 3 decades of experience across many Sub-Saharan African countries - including providing technical support to the USADF as their Director of Program Operations for Africa, leading partnerships with host governments, and conceptualizing, designing, and developing special initiatives across the USADF.

Uday Bose

Head of HP Regions CXE & Business Steering

Boehringer Ingelheim

Uday Bose is Head of Global CXE and Business Steering at Boehringer Ingelheim – a position that drives our efforts related to customer experience for Human Pharma. Prior to this, he was the Country Managing Director/HP Head for the UK and Ireland, having started at Boehringer Ingelheim as Head of Global Marketing for TA Oncology back in 2014. Uday is also a Making More Health alumni, having participated in the MMH Insights Week at Coimbatore in 2019, as well as taking part in the MMH ‘Bag2theFuture’ programme the following year.

Verah Omariba

Leader

Core Health & Wealth

Verah is the Leader of Core Health and Wealth, advocating and championing transformation in underserved communities to drive sustainable solutions within Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa. Passionate about co-creation, collaboration, partnerships, and systems thinking - she facilitates attitude change to enable an environment where everybody, including women and girls, have a chance to flourish.

Dr. Wangari Ng’ang’a

Senior Programme Officer - Primary Healthcare

Gates Foundation

Wangari is a Senior Programme Officer in Primary Healthcare for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – fighting inequities around the world so everyone has the opportunity for a healthy, productive life. She provides the Foundation with strategic direction on PHC-related investments in Kenya, Ethiopia, India and Nigeria, and has also served as a Health Advisor in the Executive Office of the President of Kenya leading on issues relating to Universal Health Coverage. Her efforts have seen her receive several awards, including the Presidential Order of Service for assisting in curbing COVID-19 across Kenya. As a medical doctor with post-graduate training in health financing and experience in both organization and delivery of health services, she’s passionate about designing and implementing tailored, cost-effective, and impactful solutions for better health care delivery.

Werner Küpper

Director, Program Innovation and Development

Childfund Germany

Werner is Director of Program Innovation and Development at ChildFund Deutschland, a dedicated child protection organization working worldwide to help disadvantaged children and their families improve their future opportunities. As a strategic advisor, Werner helps guide the programmatic future of the organization using his extensive multi-sectoral experience, rooted in Agricultural Engineering and Technical Project Management skills honed by working alongside various partners in Africa and Asia. Driven by his passion to make our world a safer and better place to live for everyone and to leave no one behind, Werner’s personal commitment to co-creation shines through, connecting stakeholders to the power of Social Business as a force for good.

William Ogallo

Senior Research Scientist

Google

William is a Senior Research Scientist at Google, focusing on the development and validation of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools for forecasting food insecurity outcomes and analyzing drivers of food insecurity. Prior to joining Google, William was a Senior Research Scientist and Manager at IBM Research Africa in Nairobi. He managed the Discovery Science and Applications team, as well as co-leading several projects – including the development of a foundation model for small molecule drug design, anomalous pattern detection in tabular healthcare datasets, machine learning for global health, and enabling care continuity via patient-controlled data exchange. William holds a PhD in Biomedical Informatics from Columbia University in the City of New York and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nairobi.

Xu Han

Senior Partnership Officer

The Federation for Associations connected to the International Humana People to People Movement (Switzerland), Yunnan Representative Office

Xu is Senior Partnership Officer for The Federation for Associations connected to The International Humana People to People Movement (Switzerland), Yunnan Representative Office - a non-political, non-religious and non-profit organization working alongside disadvantaged communities to build capacity for sustainable development. Xu has 15 years of NGO work experience in Chinese local civil society organizations and international NGOs, enabling her to support on project cooperation, development and co-creation, working alongside different types of organizations and foundations. She has extensive knowledge in the fields of rural community development, early rural childhood education, climate change education and adaptation, and HIV/AIDS care and prevention work to help communities improve their quality of life.

Zain Samdani

Founder and CEO

ExoHeal

Zain is the Founder and CEO of ExoHeal, a Med-Tech start-up that aims to provide affordable and effective rehabilitation devices and services for paralyzed patients. Inspired after witnessing his uncle suffer a stroke and paralysis at an early age, Zain founded ExoHeal at just 15 - designing and prototyping a therapeutic glove that mimics muscular motion to move the paralysed limb. Today, he has built a 4-member international team, been mentored by Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, and partnered with a therapeutic centre to help over 50 patients regain sensations and recover 30% faster - with plans to expand into clinical trials and other countries soon.

Zubaida Bai

President and CEO

Grameen Foundation

Zubaida is the President and CEO of Grameen Foundation – a global nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty in our lifetime by investing in the power of women. Operating at the intersection of gender, financial inclusion, and climate, Zubaida leverages her engineering and social entrepreneurship background to support the foundation in tackling deep-rooted systemic barriers through sustainable development and transformative social impact.

Afia Pharma

Social Business Incubator

Afia Pharma is a leading online pharmacy in Rwanda, with a mission to make prescribed and non-prescribed medications available, accessible and affordable to billions of people across Africa. Certified by Rwanda’s FDA, their digital procurement platform focuses on streamlining the supply chain for essential dialysis consumables and medical supplies, with automated reordering and real-time tracking to enhance efficiency, reduce delays and deliver effective patient care. They also provide flexible payment options, allowing facilities to maintain optimal stock levels and ease cash flow constraints.

DigiCow Africa Limited

Social Business Accelerator

DigiCow Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya, is an award-winning Agritech company established (as FarmingTech Solutions) in 2016. Their primary objective is to develop mobile phone technologies that enhance farm-level production and profitability. They have created the DigiCow dairy app and Ndume app, which enable digital record-keeping, informed decision-making, and access to training resources. By partnering with local technical youths, we facilitate farmer learning and provide valuable insights into breeding and clinical health records. DigiCow Africa Ltd is dedicated to improving agricultural practices and supporting farmers through innovative technological solutions.

Doktorconnect

Social Business Incubator

Doktorconnect is a digital health platform, offering access to personalized medical care using a comprehensive wellness-based approach and genetic analysis for chronic disease prevention and management. It matches genomics to wellness results, to design individual, evidence-based lifestyle management plans. Its digital platform facilitates virtual and in-person consultations with doctors, using input from remote medical devices. Doktorconnect also uses breakthrough cognitive science and coaching techniques to create healthy behaviors and is combating malaria in Nigeria with at-home diagnostic test kits, telemedicine, and digital prescription management.

Drop Access Limited

Social Business Accelerator

Drop Access is a woman-led Kenyan company, established in 2021 to bridge healthcare cold chain gaps, affordably and sustainably, for rural and off-grid populations across Africa. Their flagship product is Vaccibox: portable, solar-powered, mobile-IoT-enabled refrigeration for vaccines and other heat-sensitive medical items. Drop Access is set to be Kenya’s first WHO PQS-certified company in its field. Vaccibox is active in Kenya, Tanzania and Cote d'Ivoire; it has stored and delivered over half a million vaccines in Kenya, treating 250,000 people and animals, avoiding 26MTs of CO2 and saving over $3.7M in costs.

Geneplus Global Limited

Social Business Accelerator

Geneplus is an Agricultural Biotechnology company, offering advanced solutions that help to make farming more productive, profitable, and sustainable. Their last-mile animal health delivery service model combines robust cold-chain infrastructure with simple USSD technology to offer affordability, accessibility, and minimal network demands via basic phones. The local cluster centers that this enables could reduce genetics costs by up to 40%, as well as raising breeding awareness by training farmers.

Kenusa Medical

Social Business Incubator

Kenusa Medical Limited is a Kenya-based social enterprise that partners with Mission Hospitals to build and operate dialysis centers. Their goal – to improve quality of life for kidney patients in East Africa by helping to increase access and improve the standard of renal care among underserved and rural communities, with a focus on sustainability and long-term impact.

Mobiklinic

Social Business Incubator

Mobiklinic is a digital health company that aims to provide healthcare access for all by leveraging cutting-edge digital technology to revolutionize last-mile healthcare delivery. Headquartered in Kampala, Uganda, Mobiklinic has been able to support truly underserved communities across the Buikwe and Kampala Districts, and Kisumu County in Western Kenya. Primarily by upskilling, digitizing and equipping over 600 Community Health Workers (CHWs) through a range of programs, including the Renal health program, vaccination, and maternal health. What’s more, Mobiklinic have also reached at least 50,000 beneficiaries using internally developed tools, such as their Digital Community Health Tool and Digital CHW Training Platform.

Parkers Mobile Clinic

Social Business Incubator

Parkers Mobile Clinic, based in South-East Nigeria, is dedicated to delivering accessible, affordable healthcare to underserved communities. Its primary objective is to bridge the healthcare gap in remote and rural areas, providing comprehensive medical services, health education, telemedicine, and community outreach programs. It uses innovative mobile healthcare solutions to address critical health needs and improve the quality of life for thousands of people. Collaborations with local and international partners enhance its impact, ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery and fostering community well-being. Current projects include the Renal Health Ambassador program, Parkers Resilient Health project, Family planning, and Nutrition interventions.

Ren Healthcare

Social Business Incubator

Ren Healthcare is an innovative health tech startup aspiring to offer pioneering renal care across Sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 2021, their first highly specialized medical center in Ibadan, Nigeria focuses on delivering care, harnessing data, and employing AI to predict early onset Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Committed to reducing CKD prevalence and making renal care both affordable and accessible, Ren’s goal is to identify at-risk individuals early – with the subsequent aim of delaying or halting CKD progression through global medical referrals.

Sliver Cross Healthcare & Diagnostics Center

Social Business Incubator

Silver Cross Healthcare & Diagnostics Center is a multi-specialty healthcare service provider in Abuja, Nigeria. Dedicated to delivering quality, reliable healthcare services and promoting community health and wellness, their services encompass a wide range of medical specialties – including primary and secondary care, diagnostics, and preventive healthcare services. One of their biggest areas of focus is to improve the quality of life in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease by ensuring community-wide access to dialysis treatments and renal replacement therapy, alongside other holistic interventions designed to transform the patient and caregiver experience as they manage the disease and associated comorbidities

Wellahealth

Social Business Accelerator

Wellahealth is dedicated to revolutionizing healthcare access in Africa via a robust network of over 2,000 community pharmacies, bringing affordable, efficient medical services to the doorstep of every African through innovative microinsurance and fulfilment solutions. As well as plans covering common conditions or services and cashback for hospitalization, Wellahealth partners with Healthcare Maintenance Organizations to fulfil prescriptions. Their CEO calls pharmacies "the core of healthcare delivery in many communities in Nigeria." In serving over 200,000 Nigerians, they have generated over 1 billion Naira in revenue for their partners and proved their commitment to better healthcare access and outcomes.

Zuri Health

Social Business Accelerator

Zuri Health is a pan-African health tech company, dedicated to leveraging technology that can democratize access to quality healthcare. Created in 2021 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, they have since expanded into 8 other countries across Africa – providing an end-to-end patient journey through their app, website, WhatsApp, SMS and more. From consultations and lab testing, to pharmacy delivery and aftercare management, their mission is to ensure universally accessible health care for millions across the continent – with a clear focus on reaching underserved and rural communities to address their unique needs.