The Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) Challenge’s first cohort is getting ready for their upcoming visit to Toronto, where they will continue their implementation phase through activities targeting business development, expanding entrepreneurial networks and facilitating exposure to potential investors.
In the meantime, the HENT Communications team caught up with the ventures from the first HENT Challenge cohort to learn more about the origins of their companies, what they’ve learned to date, and what is coming up next…
In 2017, Folake Owodunni called 911 after her one-year-old son awoke in the night in excruciating pain. Paramedics arrived quickly to the scene and delivered care. Within an hour her son was safely and comfortably asleep once more. After the incident, Owodunni, who had immigrated to North America from Nigeria, reflected on how different the outcome of this situation would have been back home. Shortly after she met Co-Founder Maame Poku, who had lost a family member in Ghana due to slow emergency response. Together, they started Emergency Response Africa and are saving lives by connecting the largest network of first responders, emergency vehicles, and hospitals to patients in needing urgent emergency care, within minutes of the call. Their solution relies on smart dispatching, seamless communication, and data transfer to make care as quick and effective as possible.
What is the accomplishment to date that your team is most proud of?
Since launching in 2021, we have addressed several thousand emergency requests for individuals and organizations and trained more than 500 individuals in the community with first aid skills. Our network size has grown immensely.
If you could give advice to another founder getting started, what would that be?
Starting a business is a rollercoaster of emotions, with highs and lows, successes and failures. Surround yourself with a supportive network, learn from your mistakes, and stay focused on your passion. Believe in yourself and your ability to succeed and remember that with every challenge comes an opportunity for growth.
Looking forward, Emergency Response Africa’s team aims to work towards their mission of making quick emergency response services to all of Africa by reducing average wait times by 80%. A second milestone for their team is to launch a major public sector partnership before the end of 2023, a goal which would enable the venture to collaborate with government agencies and other stakeholders to provide improved emergency services to vulnerable populations.
You can learn more about Emergency Response Africa
More News & Events
Skip scroller content
Apply for KNUST’s CPD-Eligible Short Courses in Health Systems and Services Management
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the scholarship: Short Courses and Timelines 23rd – 27th February 2026: Emergency Preparedness and Response to Epidemic/Pandemic-Prone Diseases 10th – 14th February 2026: Community Emergency Care 24th – 27th February 2026: Palliative Care Module 1 23rd – 27th March 2026: Introduction to Healthcare Quality Improvement (IQI) […]
Call for Insights & Stories: Frontiers Opens Special Collection for AHC Partners
The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) is pleased to share an exciting opportunity for all AHC institutional partners to share original research, reviews, case studies, policy briefs, perspectives, and reflective pieces in a new article collection titled “United in Partnership: Academic Collaborations for Primary Health Care Transformation” by Frontiers in Medicine. This special collection is being […]
A New Chapter of Collaboration: AHC Welcomes Prof. Joachim Osur as Executive Steering Committee Chair
The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) has announced Prof. Joachim Osur, Vice Chancellor of Amref International University, as the new Chair of the Executive Steering Committee (ESC). The symbolic handover took place during the closing ceremony of the 2025 AHC Convening in Rwanda, held in October 2025. This marks a significant leadership transition from Prof. Nhlanhla […]
Africa Health Collaborative 2025: Driving Transformative Change in Primary Healthcare Future
Last October, over 170 policymakers, health experts, academics, and youth innovators from 14 countries came together for the Africa Health Collaborative’s (AHC) 2025 Annual Convening, hosted by the African Leadership University (ALU) in Kigali, Rwanda.
Engineering Dignity: Designing Low-Cost Prosthetics in the University of Cape Town’s MedTech Lab
Read about how Jemila Abdulai’s internship at UCT’s MedTech Lab strengthened her commitment to human-centered engineering, demonstrating how affordable innovations like the ADL Arm can expand access, restore dignity, and transform lives in underserved communities.
Graduate Scholarship Opportunities at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Apply for graduate (MPh, MSc, MPhil, PhD) scholarships at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Digital Storytelling & Co-Design in Africa’s Healthcare Landscape
Join this webinar to explore how Digital Storytelling (DST) and Co-Design can transform health systems by centering the people who live the stories.
Africa Health Collaborative Convening to Spotlight Youth, African-Led Innovation, and Systems Change in Primary Health Care
The 2025 Convening will bring together leaders and innovators from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to explore practical solutions for strengthening Africa’s primary health care systems through workforce development, entrepreneurship, institutional collaboration, and innovation.
Young Innovators Reimagining Ethiopia’s Health Future
The Africa Health Collaborative at Addis Ababa University brought youthful energy and big ideas to the spotlight at its Health Startups Panel Discussion and Pitch Competition.
Health Entrepreneurship Dialogue- The Journey of a Health Entrepreneur
The Health Entrepreneurship Dialogue by Amref Health Africa brings together bold thinkers, innovators, and changemakers shaping the future of health across Africa and beyond.