Black Pearl Global Investments, a US based asset management and venture capital firm, hosted their two-day conference: African Healthcare: Lessons from the Continent on the 8th and 9th of September at Norrsken Kigali House and African Leadership University. The conference gathered students, healthcare professionals, government officials, and tech entrepreneurs to discuss the current state of healthcare in Africa and innovative solutions.
The conference featured panelists from the US, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Rwanda with representatives from the Ministry of Health, the World Bank, African Development Bank, Kigali International Finance Center, Partners in Health, and numerous health tech companies. The two-day event took palce at Norrsken the first day and at ALU the second day.
“We are excited to have hosted our first healthcare conference in Kigali and we look forward to continuing conversations to explore opportunities to partner with organizations in the region.
There is so much talent here making great strides against the multitude of factors that affect healthcare and we want to support these organizations, institutions, and startups to the best of our ability,” says Black Pearl CEO Dr. Shanté Williams.
Black Pearl is a $25M Venture Capital Fund headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with operations in Africa and the Caribbean. As part of their larger endeavor to expand their African presence, Black Pearl was also in Rwanda to explore possible partnerships and investments. As a result, they signed an MOU with Norrsken to explore collaboration opportunities and partnered with ALU to host a student pitch competition. They awarded three student ventures a one-year mentorship and cash prizes totaling $5,000:
- First Place: Eco Cooks– A sustainable biofuel company that seeks to bridge the energy poverty gap in rural communities
- Second Place: Mari Test- An automated device that diagnoses malaria within 24 hours of contraction without drawing blood
- Third Place: Ali Farms– A hydroponics farm technology company that provides jobs to young people.
ABOUT BLACK PEARL GLOBAL INVESTMENTS
Black Pearl is a $25M Venture Capital Fund headquartered in Charlotte, NC, with subsidiaries in Africa and the Caribbean. Black Pearl provides funding for companies innovating in the healthcare space in the form of venture capital, private equity, and private lending. Black Pearl’s mission is to equitably accelerate the deployment of funding to the companies, entrepreneurs, and innovators who need it most and where it can make the most impact. Their focus is on North America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
