• Zulu Tech, founded in 2020, delivers customized digital solutions to organizations across sectors.
• The company developed platforms in education, home services, health tech and international money transfers.
• Founder Kena Girma previously worked with Dowell Research UK and several technology firms as a software developer.

Kena Girma works as an Ethiopian software engineer and technology entrepreneur. He founded and leads Zulu Tech, a company that specializes in designing customized digital solutions for organizations.

Zulu Tech, which Girma established in 2020, supports companies in achieving project objectives through disciplined execution and strict adherence to deadlines. The company adapts each solution to specific client requirements and provides website and application design and development services, as well as digital advisory and consulting support.

Moreover, the company maintains project performance after deployment by delivering maintenance and support services that keep applications updated and operational.

Among its deployed solutions, Zulu Tech developed “Zulu Learn,” an artificial intelligence-based learning platform that helps high school students improve academic performance and prepare for national examinations with confidence. The company also created “HandyMan,” an all-in-one service platform that connects users with qualified professionals for home maintenance, repairs and a broad range of on-demand services.

In addition, Zulu Tech launched “HakimHub,” a web and mobile health application that uses advanced language models to transform how users access medical advice. The company also introduced “Hakim Express,” an application that enables users to conduct international money transfers with real-time exchange rates and secure payment processing.

Kena Girma earned a degree in computer science from Addis Ababa University. He joined Dowell Research UK, a London-based research firm, as a mobile application developer. He later worked as a freelance software developer for technology companies including Eskalate, Glamiris and hozma.tech.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Mehdi L. Sariak founded Docteur 360 in 2022 to streamline access to medical appointments in Algeria.

• The platform connects patients with doctors nationwide and automates appointment management.

• Sariak previously held senior roles at Société Générale Algérie before launching his healthtech venture.

Algerian entrepreneur Mehdi L. Sariak is leveraging technology to improve access to healthcare in Algeria by simplifying how patients book medical appointments.

Mehdi L. Sariak founded Docteur 360 in 2022 as an online platform that allows patients to quickly find a doctor and book appointments directly. He positioned the platform as a health service with a strong human dimension that combines medical culture with personalized support. The company aims to modernize the patient journey and make access to care more fluid, faster and more equitable by removing common booking obstacles.

The platform allows each patient to search for a doctor, compare available profiles and select the specialist who best fits their needs. Direct access to practitioners’ profiles strengthens transparency and builds trust at the time of booking. Docteur 360 focuses on simplifying the patient pathway and reducing waiting times for appointments.

The company offers a broad range of services designed for both patients and healthcare professionals. The platform provides a nationwide directory of practitioners across Algeria, automates recurring tasks such as appointment management, reminders and notifications, and simplifies follow-up from booking to consultation. These features reduce delays and limit missed appointments.

Sariak holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management obtained in 2006 from Collège de Sherbrooke. He also earned a master’s degree in banking, financial, corporate and securities law in 2009 from IAE Paris.

He began his professional career in 2006 at Société Générale Algérie, where he successively served as credit analyst, senior banker, branch manager in Algiers and deputy director in charge of large corporates. Between 2016 and 2020, he chaired Oxonto, a French company, now closed, that specialized in wholesale trade of computers, IT equipment and software.

Sariak is positioning Docteur 360 as part of Algeria’s broader digital transformation in healthcare, where entrepreneurs are using technology to address structural inefficiencies in patient access and care coordination.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Algerian healthtech DZDOC digitises medical appointments, consultations, and patient–doctor interactions.
• Founder Rachid Maou launched the Annaba-based platform in 2015.
• DZDOC offers online booking, secure teleconsultation, and digital practice management tools.

DZDOC operates as a multi-service e-health platform developed by an Algerian startup. The company simplifies access to healthcare by digitising appointment booking, medical consultations, and interactions between patients and healthcare professionals. Founder Rachid Maou launched the platform in Annaba in 2015.

The platform allows patients to search for and book medical appointments online with practitioners across a wide range of specialties, including general medicine, surgery, psychiatry, and nutrition. Users can conduct searches by specialty and geographic location, which facilitates connections with nearby and available professionals.

DZDOC also integrates a secure teleconsultation system that enables users to consult doctors remotely through video calls. The service covers both physical and mental health and provides access to a broad network of practitioners without requiring physical travel. This feature offers clear advantages for remote populations and users with limited mobility.

For healthcare professionals, the platform provides a digital practice management interface with tools such as schedule planning, automated SMS and email reminders, and enhanced online visibility to patients. The solution aims to optimise appointment flow and improve practitioners’ operational efficiency.

DZDOC illustrates how digital health technologies can address healthcare accessibility challenges by connecting medical supply and demand in a market that remains largely dependent on in-person interactions.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM

• Ayooka launched a national digital blood transfusion management platform in Guinea in 2022.
• The system uses artificial intelligence to manage blood stocks, reduce waste and anticipate shortages.
• The platform operates with support from the National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS) and health professionals.

Ayooka operates as an integrated digital solution dedicated to the management and optimisation of blood transfusion services in Guinea. The platform functions as a digital information and management system designed to improve the efficiency and security of processes related to blood collection, processing, distribution and traceability. The platform launched operations in 2022.

“Ayooka is the digital information and management system for Guinea’s blood transfusion services,” the platform said. “This integrated technological platform enables efficient and secure management of all processes related to the collection, processing, distribution and traceability of blood and its components.” The platform added: “Our objective is to optimise blood product stock management, guarantee the quality and safety of transfusions, and facilitate communication between all stakeholders in the transfusion sector, including donors, healthcare facilities and laboratories.”

The solution relies on several functional modules to address sector-specific challenges. Ayooka deploys artificial intelligence-assisted stock management to anticipate shortages, reduce waste and plan blood collection operations. The platform also integrates a hemovigilance module to monitor, assess and prevent incidents linked to blood products. In addition, the system allows physicians to track requests and prescriptions for labile blood products, while ensuring full documentation of administration to patients.

The platform also integrates public awareness features through digital and multimedia campaigns designed to encourage blood donations, including among non-schooled populations. A quality assurance component covers the entire transfusion chain, from donation to clinical administration.

With support from the National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS) and healthcare professionals, Ayooka aims to increase donation frequency and contribute to saving lives by improving the availability and safety of blood products.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A. de BERRY QUENUM

• Abdessabour Benzegane founded Sihhatech in 2016 to connect patients with doctors and dentists online at no cost to users.

• The platform allows 24/7 appointment booking across multiple medical specialties.

• Benzegane also leads the Algerian Foundation for Innovation & Development, which supports digital transformation in healthcare.

Abdessabour Benzegane is an Algerian entrepreneur and automation and software engineer. He founded and currently leads Sihhatech, an online platform that connects patients with healthcare professionals. The service allows users to quickly find a doctor or dentist and book appointments at any time without cost to patients.

Benzegane launched Sihhatech in 2016 to simplify access to healthcare services. The platform enables users to contact medical professionals remotely and book appointments without travel or intermediary fees. The company positions the service as fully free for patients.

Sihhatech covers a wide range of medical specialties to address diverse healthcare needs. The platform lists pediatricians, gynecologists-obstetricians, cardiologists, dermatologists, and general practitioners among its available disciplines.

The platform relies on a simple and intuitive user process. Patients search for a doctor or dentist based on their needs and book appointments directly online in a few steps. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including outside standard consultation hours.

Sihhatech also increases the visibility of medical practices by promoting their services to a broader audience. Some practitioners report higher activity levels after joining the platform, including more calls and improved patient recognition of their offices. Patients reduce search time and avoid unnecessary travel while securing faster access to available and qualified healthcare professionals.

Alongside Sihhatech, Benzegane has served since 2016 as chief executive officer of the Algerian Foundation for Innovation & Development. He founded the organization to support healthcare stakeholders in their digital transformation efforts.

Benzegane holds a state engineering degree in industrial process control, which he earned in 2012 from M’Hamed Bougerra University in Boumerdès. He later obtained a master’s degree in automatic control from the same university in 2014.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J. A. de BERRY QUENUM

• Guinean startup Labtani provides online appointments, teleconsultations, and lab test bookings.

• Founder Mohamed Diallo launched the e-health platform in 2025 to reduce access barriers to care.

• The solution targets both patients and healthcare professionals through a digital marketplace model.

Labtani operates as an e-health solution developed by a Guinean startup. The platform allows patients to book online appointments with qualified doctors, access remote consultations, and reserve laboratory tests without long waits or physical travel. Entrepreneur Mohamed Diallo founded the startup in 2025.

The solution operates through a mobile application available on iOS and Android. The app has recorded more than one hundred downloads, according to Play Store data. Labtani targets populations facing unequal access to medical services. The platform simplifies appointments with specialists across multiple disciplines and offers secure video teleconsultation services, which significantly reduce barriers to healthcare access.

“Labtani helps healthcare professionals save time and see more patients without adding mental workload. Our platform simplifies appointment booking and introduces an automation engine that recovers lost slots from cancellations and no-shows by contacting patients and filling availability based on simple rules,” the startup said.

Beyond patient experience, the platform also targets healthcare professionals. Labtani allows practitioners to manage schedules, optimize consultation planning, and attract new patients through a digital visibility system.

This dual approach serves both patients and practitioners. The model positions Labtani as a digital marketplace for healthcare services.

Another key feature allows the platform to integrate laboratory test results and medical records directly into the system. By enabling access to quality healthcare through a smartphone or web browser, the solution helps reduce health inequalities while modernizing a sector that remains largely analog.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• ELLES, created in 2022, offers cycle tracking, contraception information and cancer-prevention alerts.

• The app distributes continuous health content and guides women in daily reproductive-health management.

• Founder Viviane Oké, a Beninese medical doctor, combines medicine and digital-health strategy to support women’s autonomy.

Viviane Oké introduces a digital solution that strengthens the health autonomy of its users. She deploys a tool that reshapes how women receive support in their daily health management.

Oké, known as Dr. V, is a Beninese medical doctor active in the digital-health sector. She serves as chief executive of ELLES, an application she founded with a group of young Beninese doctors to improve reproductive-health monitoring for women.

ELLES, created in 2022, focuses on reproductive health. The application enables girls and women to track their menstrual cycles and access information on contraceptive methods. It distinguishes natural methods and details their benefits and potential side effects.

The platform also supports breast-cancer prevention by sending alerts at the optimal moment for self-examination and by providing a detailed guide. An integrated news feed delivers a continuous flow of content on the body, sexual health and reproductive health.

Oké graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences in Cotonou, where she earned her medical doctorate. She also completed a master’s degree in international project management in October 2025 at Senghor University in Alexandria, Egypt.

She worked as a medical translator in 2021 for Smile Train, an international children’s organization. She served in 2022 as a fintech-technology consultant for the GIZ office in Benin. In February 2025, she worked as a physician at Clinique Patte d’Oie in Cotonou.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Mobidoto, created in January 2025, delivers offline-friendly digital training for community health workers.
• The platform offers structured modules, continuous training pathways and formal certification.
• The startup launched DotoIA in November 2025, a free WhatsApp-based revision assistant for health students.

Maessarath Rafiou, a Beninese medical doctor, founded and leads Mobidoto, a social-impact company that focuses on digital training for African health workers. She created Mobidoto in January 2025 and designed the platform as a continuous-learning tool usable in professional settings, including areas with weak connectivity. The application offers training pathways, structured modules and a certification system that validates acquired skills.

The Mobidoto website includes a “Resources” section that hosts educational materials, including e-books accessible through a dedicated page. These materials complement the app’s training modules and give health professionals practical tools for daily work. The platform mainly targets community health workers, aspiring community health workers, community relays, nurses, midwives and doctors.

The startup launched DotoIA in November 2025, a free revision assistant for health students available via WhatsApp. The chatbot delivers simplified explanations, short quizzes and full mobile access that works even under limited connectivity. The tool aims to support students as they prepare for exams.

Rafiou practices medicine at Dr Pierre Boni Clinic in Benin. She also founded and presides over OASIS Benin, an organisation created in 2017 that supports preventive care across Benin and the sub-region through awareness campaigns, information sessions and health-promotion initiatives.

She graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences in Cotonou, where she earned a medical doctorate. Between 2016 and 2017, she served as project manager for Benin Health Movement, an organisation engaged in health-promotion activities in Benin.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Tanit AI, founded in 2024, provides an AI-driven digital platform that supports individuals and couples through fertility treatments.

• The platform uses a specialized AI assistant to decode medical information, track treatment steps and facilitate communication with healthcare providers.

• Founder Kaïs Zhioua also serves as strategy director at Fertillia and at Clinique La Rose, bringing sector expertise to the startup.

Kaïs Zhioua, a Tunisian entrepreneur and founder of Tanit Healthcare Technologies (Tanit AI), created a digital tool that follows fertility-treatment steps and aims to make the path to parenthood simpler and more predictable. He positions Tanit AI as a “personal companion toward parenthood” powered by artificial intelligence.

Zhioua founded Tanit AI in 2024 as a fertility-focused digital platform that supports individuals and couples from the exploration of options through treatment and potential complications. The platform integrates a fertility-specialized AI assistant that decodes medical information, tracks care pathways and clarifies proposed treatments.

The assistant explains fertility concepts, outlines possible causes of infertility and presents available diagnostic or treatment options. It facilitates conversations with healthcare professionals and supports informed decision-making. The platform guides users throughout treatment by helping them determine when to begin, follow protocols and manage unexpected events.

Tanit AI also provides markers to help users understand where they stand in their journey, consolidate medical information and anticipate next steps.

Zhioua simultaneously serves as strategy director at Fertillia, a Tunisian company specialized in assisted reproduction, and as director of strategy and innovation at Clinique La Rose in Tunis. He previously founded Careways in 2016, a digital tool dedicated to medical tourism.

He graduated from the Mediterranean School of Business with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2013 and earned a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Zhejiang University in China in 2015.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Moroccan entrepreneur Mohammed El-Beltagy has built his career around applying artificial intelligence to business performance. He founded and leads Optomatica, a deep-tech consulting firm specializing in AI, machine learning and advanced optimization.

Optomatica focuses on accelerating the transition from ideas to final products by developing tailored AI systems that improve decision-making and data management. The company positions itself as “AI-First” and adapts its technologies to operational contexts across industries.

Founded in 2003, Optomatica operates in fintech, sports technologies, digital health, conversational intelligence, logistics, and process optimization. The firm aims to create practical AI applications and unlock new technical opportunities for clients and their markets.

Alongside Optomatica, El-Beltagy has pursued multiple ventures. In 2014, he co-founded Racefox, a digital coach for running and cross-country skiing. Four years later, he launched ConsultingPad, a platform linking consultants with enterprises, and joined AIM Technologies, an AI-focused firm, as a board member.

In 2021, he helped establish Optofolio, a wealth management platform; Jilatee, a circular fashion company; and DFin Holding, a fintech venture.

Since 2022, El-Beltagy has served as co-founder and chief technology officer of Flend, a financing platform that uses data and technology to support small and medium-sized enterprises. That same year, he founded Racemate, a sports technology company, where he chairs the board and serves as CTO.

El-Beltagy graduated in biomedical engineering from the American University in Cairo in 1994. He earned a master’s degree in mechatronics from Lancaster University in 1996 and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Southampton in 2000.

His professional record includes senior positions in technology firms. From 2007 to 2017, he worked at Hive Streaming, a live video distribution company, as chief scientist and later as innovation director. Between 2013 and 2017, he served as innovation director at Novelari, an innovation accelerator. More recently, from 2020 to 2021, he was CTO at Elves, an Egypt-based travel app.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum