Google Selects 2 Nigerian Startups for “AI for Health” programme 

Two startups from Nigeria are among the 30 companies selected globally by Google to participate in its AI for Health programme.

The Nigerian startups include mDoc, a digital health company that provides virtual self-care health coaching to people living with or at risk for chronic health needs, and Pharmarun, an on-demand platform simplifying how Africans access medication through the use of technology.

According to Google, the 30 startups were selected from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. From Africa, two companies were also selected from Kenya, while one was selected from Rwanda and Egypt.

The two companies selected from Kenya are iZola, an online therapeutics platform for families with neurodivergent children, and Zuri Health, a company providing affordable and accessible healthcare solutions for people without smartphones and living in underserved areas.

From Rwanda, Eden Care, a health insurance solution, offering seamless and affordable digital healthcare coverage to businesses across Africa was selected, while Pharmacy Marts, a digital marketplace that connects pharmacies and medical suppliers was selected from Egypt.

Announcing the selection for the program on Tuesday, the Head of Google for Startups, EMEA, Sofia Benjumea, explained that the program, among others, aims to expose these startups AI best practices and also connect them to venture capitalists and experts in the field.

“This three-month program consists of virtual workshops on best practices for AI and leadership development, responsible innovation, product design, and customer acquisition. 

“It also includes one-on-one mentorship sessions and technical project support from experts from Google Research, Google Health, Verily, Fitbit, Google DeepMind, and more. There will be two in-person summits (including the program kickoff in London on September 27 and 28) designed to connect founders to venture capitalists, industry experts, and other founders building with AI in the healthcare and wellbeing space. After the program’s conclusion, founders will continue to receive expert support through the Google for Startups alumni network,” Benjumea said.

Google noted that several startups globally are now using AI to make healthcare better for everyone, ranging from developing new treatments to improving the accuracy of diagnosis and personalising care for patients. It added that the Google for Startups Growth Academy:

AI for Health program for companies based in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, was announced in May this year to support their efforts and help founders enhance health outcomes for people around the world.

The tech giant added that AI for Health is one of its many efforts to advance AI and make healthcare more accessible and accurate to everyone in the world.

Dominica Nwabufo