Many promising digital health innovations never make it beyond the prototype stage. Not because they lack innovation, but because scaling them into sustainable, real-world solutions requires more than technical excellence.
To help bridge that gap, @iLabAfrica- Strathmore University, in collaboration with the Kenya Health Informatics Association (KeHIA) and openIMIS, hosted the second webinar in its Digital Health Financing Hackathon series in July 2026. The session brought together student innovators, researchers, healthcare practitioners and industry leaders from across Kenya and Africa to explore one critical question:
What does it take to transform a promising prototype into a solution that delivers lasting impact?
The webinar featured insights from leading digital health experts, including Faith Rutto, Product Manager at Jacaranda Health; Peter Gicharu, Digital Health Strategist; and Dr. David Andai, Researcher and Co-founder of AfiaData Kenya. Drawing from their experience building and scaling health innovations, the speakers shared practical lessons on product development, sustainability and user-centred innovation.
One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was that successful innovation extends far beyond building a working prototype.
Peter Gicharu emphasized the importance of designing sustainable business models from the outset.
“A pilot proves that it works; scaling means that someone is willing to pay for it.”
His remarks highlighted a challenge that many innovators face: while technical validation is important, long-term success depends on creating solutions that stakeholders are willing to adopt, invest in and sustain.
Building on this, Faith Rutto encouraged innovators to think about scale from the very beginning of product development.
“Scaling doesn’t start after the pilot; it starts on day one.”
She emphasized the importance of understanding users through continuous market research and testing, noting that innovators should build solutions that respond to real needs rather than assumptions. She also underscored the growing role of artificial intelligence in digital health.
“Scaling should be context-aware and less reactive, but predictive. Leveraging AI is crucial in this process.”
Adding to the discussion, Dr. David Andai challenged participants to rethink how they define success.
“People often focus on proving that it works, but is it meeting users’ needs?”
His remarks reinforced the importance of designing solutions around people, ensuring that innovation addresses genuine healthcare challenges while remaining practical and accessible for end users.
The webinar also brought together the winning teams from the Digital Health Financing Hackathon, whose solutions demonstrated how technology can address pressing challenges within healthcare financing and insurance.
The winning innovations included;
- Medi Bora: Developed MediTrust, an AI-powered solution to automate claims verification and reduce the administrative burden on claims officers.
- Claim Guard: which focuses on detecting and preventing fraudulent health insurance claims.
- Hakiki Health: whose solution addresses key inefficiencies within the healthcare ecosystem.
Reflecting on the experience, Eugene Mutembei, a member of the Medi Bora team, shared a lesson that resonated with many participants.
“Always speak to the users you’re building for.”
Engaging users throughout the development process enables innovators such as Medi Bora to validate assumptions early, refine their solutions based on real feedback and ensure they are solving genuine problems. By designing with users rather than for them, innovators increase the likelihood that their solutions will be adopted, scaled and sustained in real-world settings.
The webinar followed the Digital Health Financing Hackathon, held on 3–4 July 2026, which brought together students from institutions including Strathmore University, Kenyatta University, Egerton University, Zetech University and other higher learning institutions to develop innovative solutions addressing healthcare financing challenges.
The webinar demonstrated @iLabAfrica’s commitment to supporting innovators beyond the hackathon itself. By connecting participants with experienced practitioners and industry leaders. The initiative equips emerging innovators with the knowledge, networks and practical guidance needed to refine, validate and scale their solutions for real-world implementation.
As digital health continues to transform healthcare systems across Africa, initiatives such as the Digital Health Financing Hackathon are helping build the next generation of innovators capable of developing sustainable technologies that improve healthcare access, efficiency and outcomes.
About the Initiative
The Digital Health Financing Hackathon is an initiative by Kenya Health Informatics Association (KeHIA) and openIMIS, in collaboration with @iLabAfrica Centre- Strathmore University, aimed at empowering young innovators to develop technology-driven solutions that strengthen digital health financing systems. Through hackathons, mentorship, webinars and incubation support, the initiative enables participants to transform innovative ideas into scalable solutions capable of delivering lasting impact across Africa’s healthcare ecosystem.