For the second consecutive year, the 涩里番 Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship has been the official Canadian host of the Hult Prize, the world鈥檚 largest student startup competition. This year, 18,000 startups from over 131 countries took on the challenge and pitched their transformative ideas tackling the world鈥檚 most pressing issues. This August, 21 startups will head to London and participate in the Global Accelerator, an immersive month-long bootcamp at Ashridge House filled with workshops, mentorship, and networking. From there, eight startups will pitch at the highly anticipated global finals for the chance to win the $1M USD prize.
As they get ready to head to the UK, we sat down with Andrea Paola Gomez Jaime, Co-Founder of Savia Health, and Dr. Haitham Shoman, Founder of Qalam Health Solutions, two 涩里番 Dobson startups selected to advance to the Global Accelerator.
Revolutionizing Healthcare
Since its inception in 2010, the Hult Prize has challenged over 200,000 students annually to develop actionable solutions addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For Savia Health and Qalam Health Solutions, the Hult Prize provides a platform to address critical gaps in healthcare while advancing Goal聽3: Good Health and Well-Being.
Savia Health
Savia Health, also known previously as Selva, is a women鈥檚 health diagnostic startup with the mission of making the detection of vaginal health conditions accessible, affordable, and efficient across Latin America through rapid point-of-care tests. Every year, hundreds of millions of women suffer from vaginal infections. However, according to Gomez, instead of consulting medical professionals, many opt for self-diagnosis and self-treatment with approximately two-thirds of cases being misdiagnosed. Co-infections further complicate accurate self-diagnosis. This can lead to higher risks of infertility, birth complications, and antibiotic resistance.
Despite rapid advances in healthcare innovation worldwide, accessibility remains a pressing challenge. 鈥淐olombia has a great healthcare system, but it is not necessarily accessible because the country is very centralized,鈥� said Gomez. Furthermore, she highlights that there is an even bigger gap within women鈥檚 health as it is historically underfunded and under-researched due to cultural taboos and shame.
Savia鈥檚 vaginal infection test kits aim to increase diagnostic accuracy to around 97%, reduce diagnostic turnaround time from the average 34 days to 10 minutes, and lower the testing cost from $195 to $8 per patient.
Qalam Health Solutions
On the other hand, Qalam Health Solutions is a medical device company with the goal of improving patient outcomes by guiding surgeons to better distinguish tumor tissues from healthy margins using its AI-powered intraoperative probe. Despite around 2 million bone cancer diagnoses worldwide, there has been little progress in patient care, with the treatment plan being largely unchanged since the 1970s. 鈥淪urgeons tend to remove more bone than needed which can lead to amputation causing disability, or they attempt to remove exactly what they can see by the naked eye causing recurrence because of leftover cancer cells,鈥� said Dr. Shoman, drawing from his expertise from when he was practicing as orthopedic surgeon trainee. 鈥淩egardless of the process, there is up to a 40% chance of cancer relapse, causing around $100,000 per patient for redo-surgery.鈥� This not only reduces patients鈥� quality of life but also creates a substantial financial burden on healthcare systems, two challenges that Qalam aims to alleviate.
Growing Through the Hult Prize
Unlike traditional pitch competitions that often focus on the final presentation, the Hult Prize emphasizes the process of growth throughout its competition鈥檚 five stages. Through the expert mentorship, feedback, and multiple rounds of pitching, the Hult Prize pushes startups to not only refine their ideas but also how they communicate their impact. Despite having previously participated in other competitions, both Savia and Qalam had to reshape their pitches. 鈥淚t really inspired us to make a lot of changes to communicate that better,鈥� said Gomez.
Even after going through three stages, there is still room for growth. The Global Accelerator gives founders the unique opportunity to pitch directly to investors and foster potential partnerships. Qalam was one of just three startups selected to receive a Golden Ticket, a distinction that secured its place in the next stage of the Global Accelerator, taking place in London, UK. 鈥淭he [Hult] network of potential investors and partners is well-rounded and unparalleled,鈥� remarked Dr. Shoman. With its international presence and global recognition, the Hult Prize provides startups like Savia and Qalam with access to new connections, resources, and opportunities for growth.
Supporting Startups Beyond the Competition
While the Dobson Centre serves as the host for the Hult Prize, its commitment to empowering purpose-driven startups extends beyond the competition. Its programs address every stage of the startup journey, providing founders with a strong foundation to pursue opportunities such as the Hult Accelerator and beyond.
For startups like Savia and Qalam, Dobson programs provide targeted support during key periods of growth. Savia, currently in the MVP stage, is taking part in this year鈥檚 Validation Lab, a program focused on product-market fit. Reflecting on her experience in the program, Gomez highlighted the value of developing an action-oriented mindset:
鈥淚 found the session on moving from planning to action particularly valuable. As a planner, it reminded me that taking action, in any direction, is better than waiting for the perfect moment.鈥�
Similarly, Qalam, a participant in this year鈥檚 International Tour, emphasized the value of this support:
鈥淭hey provided coaches who were instrumental in helping us improve and advance our pitch deck, but just as importantly, they connected us to a broader international ecosystem. We were able to leverage that support in several fundraising rounds.鈥�
As Savia and Qalam take the next step in the Hult Prize journey, the Dobson Centre is proud to continue supporting their growth, not only as an official host of the competition but as an entrepreneurship hub dedicated to building innovative companies with a purpose.
