Jhuliana Mercado Ontiveros Founder from Wiver
Wiver (Colombia) is making medical imaging more accessible through a user friendly web platform that allows hospitals and clinics to store, view, and manage images from any internet-connected device. Designed for low-resource settings, the platform includes advanced processing tools and is already in use in clinical environments. What sets Wiver apart is its potential to integrate AI tools that help detect diseases like cancer and assist with diagnosis, even in areas with few or no radiologists. By easing the workload for healthcare professionals and speeding up the diagnostic process, Wiver offers a scalable, cost-effective alternative to traditional imaging systems, bringing better care to underserved communities. Wiver was founded by Jhuliana Mercado Ontiveros, a biomedical engineer passionate about using technology to expand access to quality healthcare. She is committed to creating affordable medical imaging tools that reach underserved communities and believes that when medicine meets the right innovation, it can truly transform lives.
Eva Gubern Chief Commercial Officer from Predictheon
Predictheon (Spain), likewise, is redefining patient care through predictive analytics. Originally launched in 2015 as a collaborative effort between anesthesiologists, mathematicians, and computer engineers, the startup officially became a company in 2019. Its core innovation is a real-time predictive engine that helps clinicians anticipate critical events—such as complications during anesthesia—minutes before they occur. By continuously analyzing high-resolution patient data with AI-driven models, Predictheon empowers healthcare professionals to act proactively, improving safety and outcomes not just in the operating room, but across perioperative care, critical care, and beyond. Leading this vision is Eva Gubern, an engineer with over 20 years of experience spearheading healthcare initiatives across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Eva has built and scaled organizations at the intersection of innovation and impact, raising over $10 million to launch projects like sub-Saharan Africa’s first cancer care center.
And the Winner Is… MamaMate
Taking home the top prize at the Women’s Innovation Factory Pitching Competition 2025 is Ele-vate AI Africa, a startup committed to supporting mothers in their journey. When Yvonne Baldwin, co-founder and CEO of Ele-vate Africa, became a new mother, she experienced at first hand what many women across Africa know too well: the early days of motherhood can feel overwhelming, lonely, and unsupported, especially in places where information, mental health resources, and reliable care are hard to come by. That experience inspired MamaMate, a simple, pocket-sized smart device built for first-time mothers in rural and underserved communities. Powered by AI, MamaMate helps new mums track baby care activities like feeding and sleep, provides culturally relevant nutrition tips, checks in on their emotional wellbeing, and even enables anonymous encouragement from peer mums. And crucially, it works offline, through solar or USB charging, designed with low-literacy and low-connectivity settings in mind.
The winning startup was selected by a distinguished panel of judges: Anna Marks, Chair of the Deloitte Global Board of Directors, who leads global governance and oversight for Deloitte’s strategic operations; Juan M. Lavista Ferres, Chief Scientist and Lab Director of the Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab, spearheading AI-driven solutions across health, humanitarian action, accessibility, and environmental challenges; and Cherie Blair CBE KC, renowned King’s Counsel, women’s rights advocate, and founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which supports women entrepreneurs across low and middle income countries.
Yvonne Baldwin co-founder and CEO of Ele-vate Africa
During the session, Cherie Blair shared that her foundation runs a global mentoring platform designed to support women entrepreneurs. Through this initiative, women are paired with experienced mentors who guide and support them for a full year, helping them grow their confidence, navigate challenges, and build sustainable businesses. Juan M. Lavista Ferres also announced that the Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab actively partners with organizations driven by mission, and as part of their commitment, the lab will provide dedicated AI expertise to support the finalists, offering one of their AI scientists to work with each startup to advance their projects and strengthen their impact.
MamaMate tackles a massive but often overlooked challenge which is that every year, over 30 million women give birth in Africa, many without reliable postnatal guidance or mental health support. One in five suffers from postnatal depression, and poor early infant care often leads to long-term setbacks. By providing accessible, voice-powered support in local languages, MamaMate empowers mothers to feel confident, informed, and not alone. The team’s work is especially focused on women and youth, groups often excluded from high-tech solutions. For MamaMate, that meant not just designing a gadget, but a grounded and empathetic tool that centers real human needs: “AI only becomes meaningful when it solves the problems people actually live with,” Yvonne explains.
With recognition from the AI for Good Innovation Factory, the Elevate team is now planning their boldest move yet: scaling MamaMate across Africa, starting with deeper rollouts in Tanzania and South Africa.
Their next chapter involves:
- Expanding MamaMate’s AI model, “Birthright,” into more local languages
- Training health workers and mothers to use the device
- Building manufacturing partnerships to reduce costs and enable last-mile delivery
To get there faster, Elevate is seeking impact-driven funding, government partnerships, and private-sector support. “We believe no mother or child should be left behind just because of where they live or what they earn,” Yvonne says. “We’re ready to co-create a future where that’s no longer the norm.”
If she could send a message back to the version of herself just starting this journey, Yvonne knows what she’d say: “There was a reason for your lived painful experience. All this paperwork and data from the Doctors and Midwives will someday make sense. Your fear is valid but your purpose is louder.”
And to other women innovators from the Global South just stepping into AI and entrepreneurship, she shares this message, shaped by the lessons, strength, and vision that carried her forward:
You are capable. Do not be shy to share your vision with the world. Start where you are, with what you have and trust that your lived experience holds deep, often overlooked value. As women from the Global South, we bring to the table insights that global systems don’t always see; insights rooted in inclusion, resilience, and human dignity. When we step forward and choose to participate, we don’t just take up space, we transform it. Our innovations don’t exist in isolation; they uplift entire communities and redefine how technology can serve humanity. We owe it to the next generation to try and make life better for them. Be intentional. Be grounded. Be the best version of the woman you imagine yourself to be. Please surround yourself with people who believe in your mission as fiercely as you do. Learn the language of tech, funding, and policy but never let it silence your intuition or humanity. AI for Good starts with us—with our empathy, our courage, our determination, and our creativity. Your voice matters. Your perspective belongs. You can make a difference. Be bold. Be kind. And keep going. The world doesn’t just need more technology; it needs your vision for what it can become. Don’t give up.
Yvonne’s journey with MamaMate is far from over. With a spot secured in the upcoming AI for Good Innovation Factory Grand Finale, she now steps onto an even larger stage, ready to grow her impact, amplify her vision, and keep building a future where every mother feels seen, supported, and empowered.
