The Cape continues to take the lead in pioneering cutting edge health tech innovation - showcased in this edition of Pioneers Magazine

In the 5th edition of the Pioneers Magazine we celebrate innovation, thought leadership and the trailblazers in Cape Town and the Western Cape’s health tech industry.

The magazine features a number of ground-breaking companies making waves locally and abroad.

Since its launch in November 2019, a total of 64 health tech companies in Cape Town and the Western Cape have been profiled.

Cape Town has been identified in several studies as a leading region on the African continent for the establishment of technology start-ups and a driver of innovation.

Shining a spotlight on the health tech industry in Cape Town and the Western Cape, Wesgro – the official tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape – launched the 5th edition of its popular tech focused magazine, Pioneers, today.

Celebrating innovation, thought leadership and the trailblazers in the local health tech industry, this edition has a special focus on the work that was done in the fight against COVID – highlighting how the Cape continues to punch well above its weight in pioneering health tech innovation to solve global problems.

Digging deep into the work done by local players in the industry, the magazine profiles the incredible work being produced by Afrigen and Biovac in setting up the mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in Cape Town; highlighting the ground-breaking, world-first discovery made by Stellenbosch University’s Professor Resia Pretorius and her team regarding “long COVID”; and featuring an in-depth interview with the President of the South African Medical Research Council, Professor Glenda Gray, who provides key insights into the local responses to the pandemic.

Since the magazine’s inception in November 2019, a total of 64 health tech companies in the destination have been profiled. Inclusive in this 5th edition are a number of ground-breaking companies operating in the local health tech sector, making waves locally and abroad. From world-class digital health companies to businesses delivering cutting-edge medical devices, Pioneers profiles some of the very best in the sector, including the likes of Biocode and BioCertica, Strove, NOOSi Health and LIQID Medical.

The tech sector in Cape Town and the Western Cape has shown tremendous growth, with Cape Town in particular having been identified in several studies as a leading region on the African continent for the establishment of technology start-ups and a driver of innovation. The Mother City has also been identified as Africa’s leading digital city and a front runner when it comes to tech innovation and infrastructure.

Attracting large global conferences to the destination, Cape Town recently played host to the Global Self-Care Federation World Congress 2022 – which brought together global players from around the world to Cape Town to collaborate on how self-care continues to play its increasingly vital role in sustainable healthcare worldwide. Wesgro’s Health Tech Ecosystem Manager, Mandi Swanepoel, was invited to showcase local tech innovation, highlighting the destination’s diverse capabilities in the sector.

“As Africa’s Tech Capital, Cape Town has long been considered an attractive option for investors. Wesgro remains focused on ensuring the province is well positioned in this space by driving the messaging that the province has all the capabilities to become a global player in the industry,” says Wesgro CEO, Wrenelle Stander. “As a sub-sector of this industry, the health tech sector plays a vital role in the economy, and Pioneers is just one of the ways we aim to highlight the innovation coming out of this crucial sector.”

The Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger said: “The Western Cape has a proud history of pioneering work in the health space, dating back to the world’s first successful human-to-human heart transplant, by Dr Christiaan Barnard, in 1967. The Pioneers Magazine highlights how this commitment to innovation and excellence continues to flourish in the Western Cape, now recognised as a leading tech-hub, which supports an impressive and growing health-tech sector. The 5th edition of the magazine provides valuable insights into just how impressive this sector is. I encourage anyone interested in the immense potential of this sector to expand, to read this magazine.”

Wesgro’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jean Scheltema, added: “Pioneers was born out of the insight that we have a tech industry in the Cape that is leading the way globally, and our innovative eco-system stories simply had to be told in a way that illustrates the full groundswell. I’m extremely excited about edition 5, which lauds champions of industry and adds to our status as a leader on the continent.”

“The health tech industry, which has always been a vital part of the local economy, was certainly thrust into the spotlight over the past two years. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to acknowledge the need for a vibrant, coordinated sector, capable of not only operating at a local level, but also as part of a globally responsive community. There was no doubt we needed to celebrate our local industry and the work they did in this regard,” commented Wesgro’s Chief Assurance Officer, Jacyntha Twynam.

You can view the magazine here.