Cimas Healthathon 3.0 opens June 22 with US$3,500 top prize

Cimas Healthathon 3.0 opens June 22 with US$3,500 top prize

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Cimas Health Group has launched the third edition of its national digital health innovation challenge, the Cimas Healthathon 3.0, with organisers announcing increased prize money and a call for Zimbabwean innovators to submit solutions addressing local healthcare challenges.

In a speech delivered at the launch held at West Wing, Borrowdale Office Park, Harare, on 3 June 2026, Cimas Health Group chief executive officer Mr Vuli Ndlovu said the Healthathon is aimed at identifying “practical, home-grown technological solutions” that can improve healthcare access, affordability, prevention, wellness, operational efficiency, data intelligence and patient experience across Zimbabwe’s healthcare ecosystem.

Mr Ndlovu said registration for Healthathon 3.0 will open on 22 June and close on 12 July. He added that the programme will run under the theme, “Reimagining Healthcare Through Disruptive Innovation,” and will culminate in a live Demo Day grand finale on 28 August.

He said this year’s edition will use a single broad innovation challenge rather than multiple focus areas, and there will be no predefined categories, giving teams the freedom to “reimagine healthcare from any perspective or angle”.

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Prize money has been set at US$3,500 for the winner, US$2,000 for second place and US$1,500 for third place. Mr Ndlovu said beyond the cash awards, participants may also gain the opportunity to pilot their innovations with Cimas Health Group.

Speaking on eligibility and participation guidelines, Cimas Health Group chief information officer Mr Foster Akaketwa said the Healthathon is open to Zimbabwean innovation and solution-driven hubs, including startups, university technology teams and independent product teams focused on improving healthcare delivery through technology and innovation.

Mr Akaketwa said teams are recommended to have a minimum of three and a maximum of five members, with organisers encouraging multidisciplinary composition.

He said applications will be submitted through an online platform, after which the top 20 teams will be shortlisted based on screening and evaluation criteria. A further screening process will narrow the field to six finalists who will compete for the three prizes.

According to Mr Akaketwa, teams may choose their own problem area, but must explain why the problem is material, who it affects and why the proposed solution is viable. He said shortlisted teams will attend an orientation and briefing session covering rules of participation, judging criteria, prototype development expectations, intellectual property, data protection requirements and Demo Day presentation guidelines.

To qualify, he said, proposed solutions must directly address challenges in Zimbabwe’s healthcare ecosystem and demonstrate practical relevance to the local environment, alongside technical capability to develop a functional working prototype within the programme timeline. He added that submissions should be original and not simply replicate existing platforms without “significant adaptation, improvement, or contextual innovation”.

In his launch remarks, Mr Ndlovu said the Healthathon seeks to respond to challenges including affordability constraints, limited access to services, fragmented data systems, delayed service delivery, low preventive healthcare engagement, operational inefficiencies and rising healthcare costs.

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