Nigeria’s health technology startup, HelpMum, has secured a significant $225,000 grant from the Africa Visionary Fund, marking its selection as one of the 12 visionary partners for the fund’s fourth cohort. Founded in 2017, HelpMum focuses on leveraging cutting-edge technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to revolutionize healthcare for pregnant women and nursing mothers across Africa.
HelpMum, based in Ibadan, has a track record of employing mobile technology to address maternal and infant mortality. The startup offers an e-learning platform for community birth attendants, a vaccination tracking system, and initiatives promoting immunization in remote areas.
With a history of grant success since 2017, including awards from the Google Impact Challenge and Facebook Community Accelerator, HelpMum’s global recognition was highlighted during the 2020 pandemic when it won the 2021 Waislitz Global Citizen Award, standing out as the only African startup among the four global winners for its exceptional COVID-19 response.
HelpMum’s grant history includes Google Social Impact Funding and a $250,000 grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation to support the deployment of its AI-Driven Vaccine Intervention Optimiser (ADVISER) in Nigeria. The startup, unique in never raising VC funding, potentially received over a million dollars in grants. Dr. Abiodun Adereni, Founder and CEO of HelpMum, attributes this success to the impactful work of HelpMum, regular updates to donors, and an innovative approach to addressing maternal and infant mortality, showcased through platforms like YouTube.
