A South African innovator has developed a smart locker system that improves access to healthcare, winning a prestigious African engineering award.
Neo Hutiri, the brain behind Pelebox, an internet-connected locker system that facilitates the dispensing of medicines to chronically ill patients, has been awarded a £50,000 ($63,000) prize from Britain's Royal Academy of Engineering. He was also presented with a medal by King Charles III's sister, Princess Anne, at a ceremony in London on Wednesday night. The event marks the 10th anniversary of the Academy's prestigious African Engineering Innovation Awards, which celebrate entrepreneurs who have invented technologies that address local challenges across Africa, from enhancing access to electricity to adapting to climate change. Ta.
To celebrate its founding anniversary, the Academy has organized a special edition of its annual competition exclusively for alumni. Twelve innovations were shortlisted from six countries that have participated in his training programs over the past 10 years. After a pitching session at yesterday's event, a panel of six judges selected the winners. The Standard Africa Prize will be held in June, with four finalists competing for a prize of 25,000 pounds ($31,600).
Hutiri initially won the Africa Prize in 2019 for his locker system while running a pilot program for the Pelebox concept. Since then, the startup has experienced significant growth and its innovations are now being implemented in 123 healthcare facilities across South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.
“Winning the Africa Prize opened a lot of doors, gave us good reviews, turned a lot of 'no's into 'yes' and ultimately got us the audience we were looking for. I did it,” he told CNN. He expects the prize money from 2024 to act as a catalyst for the company's continued expansion.
