South African Entrepreneur’s New Milestone at IATF Healthcare Hackathon

Image Credits: Dillets.sa

Announcement

Jamie Thurston Wyngaard, the co-founder of the Loop and Dimakatso Kanyane company, and a founder of Dillets, won the 2025 African Trade Fair (IATF) Healthcare Hackathon. With the help of the excellent innovations and expertise, and the guidance from the doctor. Lahja Ndapewa Omagano Ipinge from Namibia on exactly which cross-industry and cross-border partnerships can show new pathways to protect babies and mothers and save lives.

Winners of the IATF Healthcare Hackathon

The winners were awarded a share of $20,000, revealed by Afrilabs and Afreximbank. The reward will be used to uplift their innovative solution, extend access to major healthcare services, and improve the impact throughout southern Africa. The winning team merged three major changes along with the expertise, such as Dr. Lahja ndapewa omagano ipinge, a specialist in sports and cardiology medicines, supported with the innovation and clinical insights to the team. With her innovation in menstrual healthcare products, Kanyane found different ways to enhance women’s health outcomes. Wyngaard introduced Loop’s access to payments and cashless transport via WhatsApp to support patients by making healthcare access safe and efficient.

The South African director, International Cooperation, Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), Craig Abel Appel, said, “The position and recognition are priceless. It proves how partnerships can turn into real outcomes. Via the Department of Small Business Development and its agency, the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEFDA), two of our supportive businesses, Dillets and Loop, highlighted how partnership can skyrocket African solutions. Their win at IATF 2025 mirrors the dedication of the South Africa Algeria cooperation framework and further the new opportunities we are unveiling to fuel innovation, enhance healthcare access, and help startups throughout the continent."

Jamie Thurston Wyngaard further added, “The access to healthcare is not only about medicine and clinics, it's also about reaching there safely. At Loop, we’re helping babies and mothers access healthcare facilities by going cashless through WhatsApp. Our efforts are beyond technology; it's mainly about resolving the African problems together with solutions built in our realities.”

This position shows the power of Southern Africans’ partnership and the capability of African entrepreneurs to reshape healthcare across the continent. Their achievement specifies how creative thinking, technology, and cross-sector partnership can end up creating the best impact for the communities. This award is an encouragement for the dedicated entrepreneurs and a proud moment for the continent itself.