South African business leaders Melvyn Lubega and Daniel Ndima were recently honoured at the 11th All Africa Business Leaders Awards, presented in partnership with CNBC Africa, for their remarkable achievements and innovative contributions. The AABLA winners were announced, acknowledging exceptional individuals and companies across various categories.
Ndima, who grew up and received his education in Cape Town and serves as the CEO of CapeBio, was recognised as the Innovator of the Year.
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According to the Weekend Argus, CapeBio is a pioneering biotech firm that specialises in the development and manufacture of life science research reagents, including regulatory-approved test kits for diagnosing various diseases. Notably, CapeBio was the first company in Africa to produce rapid COVID-19 test kits.
Ndima explained that the company was established in South Africa as a research project in 2015, originating from the Cradle of Humankind. In 2018, it was incorporated as a privately owned company with the support of E2 Investments, a subsidiary of Allan Grey Limited, and later the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).
The primary goal of CapeBio is to address the high dependence on imported diagnostic reagents in African countries, which contributes to the unaffordability of healthcare and often leads to delays in medical interventions due to lengthy importation timelines.
These delays have tragically resulted in avoidable deaths. Ndima highlighted that CapeBio’s work involves mining microbiome data from unique African microbial ecosystems to search for genetic material that encodes novel biomolecules such as enzymes, proteins and peptides.
Through their proprietary artificial intelligence platform, they discover and develop these molecules with precision, acceleration and confidence, facilitating efficient upstream and downstream developmental processes.
With a robust pipeline of innovative health technologies, CapeBio is poised to be a key player in Africa’s scientific-industrial revolution.
The Weekend Argus reported that Ndima expressed his satisfaction with winning the Innovator of the Year award, affirming CapeBio’s long-term potential to play a pivotal role in the African healthcare sector. He proudly stated that their internationally recognised and applauded innovations hold great relevance in the current digital world.
‘It also confirms that our innovations, which are internationally recognised and applauded, are highly relevant in the current digital world we live in,’ he said.
Another honoree at the All Africa Business Leaders Awards was Melvyn Lubega, the executive chairperson of Baobab Group, who was humbled to receive the title of All Africa Young Business Leader of the Year. Lubega emphasised that Baobab Group focuses on building and investing in ventures that have a meaningful impact on the communities they serve, spanning education and logistics. He reiterated the organisation’s commitment to addressing the world’s most pressing problems through its business endeavours.
‘At the Baobab Group, we don’t build and invest for outward appearances, but we do so to have a meaningful impact in the lives of the communities we serve, whether it’s our partners, our people, or our customers. True to its roots, today Baobab Group builds and invests in businesses solving the world’s most pressing problems, from education through logistics,’ said Lubega.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile delivered a keynote address at the awards ceremony, acknowledging the challenges faced by the nation and the continent. Despite these difficulties, he expressed gratitude and appreciation for the nominees, describing them as ordinary men and women who have made extraordinary decisions in the face of adversity, challenges and opportunities. He recognised their ability to bring glory to their organisations, inspire their teams and serve as role models for future business leaders.
‘These nominees are ordinary men and women that have taken extraordinary decisions in the face of challenges, adversity and opportunities to not only bring glory to their organisations and the people that they lead but also act as an inspiration for future business leaders.’
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Picture: Daniel Ndima / Facebook