BioInnovation

About the Ghana BioInnovation Centre

The Ghana BioInnovation Centre exists to improve healthcare outcomes across West Africa by advancing locally driven biomedical innovation.

Working at the intersection of healthcare, engineering, and entrepreneurship, the Centre empowers innovators with the expertise, infrastructure, and collaborative environment needed to design, prototype, and validate medical technologies that address real healthcare challenges.

Unlike conventional research laboratories, the Centre develops and tests medical devices in the environments where they are intended to be used. By designing for low resource settings, including rural clinics with limited infrastructure, the Centre creates affordable, resilient, and scalable technologies that improve healthcare delivery locally while meeting the demands of emerging global healthcare markets.

Through research, industry partnerships, and real world field validation, the Centre accelerates the journey from innovation to impact, transforming ideas into practical medical solutions that improve lives across Africa and beyond.

Our Vision

We envision West Africa as a global center of excellence in context-driven biomedical innovation—where:

  • Locally developed medical technologies strengthen healthcare systems
  • Access to quality care is expanded equitably
  • Affordable, robust, and purpose-built solutions are created for diverse clinical needs
  • A new generation of simple, efficient, accessible medical devices helps shape the future of healthcare delivery worldwide

Our Mission

To improve healthcare outcomes by:

  • Supporting locally driven biomedical innovation
  • Providing tools, training, and infrastructure for healthcare workers and entrepreneurs
  • Designing and deploying medical technologies tailored to the realities of rural and underserved clinics
  • Bridging the gap between technological advancement and healthcare accessibility so all communities benefit from high-quality care

Our Values

Our work is grounded in:

  • Partnership: Co-creating solutions with local communities, clinicians, and institutions
  • Equity: Ensuring innovations address the needs of underserved populations
  • Sustainability: Building systems, not just products, for long-term impact
  • Shared Learning: Encouraging open dialogue and collaboration between Northeastern University, Academic City University, 4GBI, and local partners

Founding Partners

The BioInnovation Centre is powered by a founding partnership between:

Academic City University

Engineering excellence, student innovation, and world-class facilities

Provides engineering expertise, multidisciplinary student innovation teams, advanced laboratory and prototyping facilities, and strong access to Ghana's healthcare ecosystem to accelerate the development and validation of impactful medical technologies.

Northeastern University

Biomedical engineering expertise, research, and global collaboration

Contributes internationally recognised biomedical engineering expertise through collaborative research, curriculum development, faculty exchange, and joint innovation initiatives that strengthen education and medical technology development.

4GBI

Commercialisation, industry engagement, and market access

Drives commercialisation by supporting market entry, distribution pathways, industry partnerships, and business development to help innovative healthcare technologies reach the communities that need them most.

Located on the Academic City University campus in Accra, the Ghana BioInnovation Center brings engineers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs together.

Leadership

Key People

The Initiative is led by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, business leaders, and innovators

Dr. Fred McBagonluri
Dr. Fred McBagonluri

President

Academic City University — Accra, Ghana

Dr. Lee Makowski
Dr. Lee Makowski

Professor of Bioengineering

Northeastern University — Boston, USA

Mr. Francis Danso Agyare
Mr. Francis Danso Agyare

General Counsel

4GBI

Dr. Hephzi Tagoe
Dr. Hephzi Tagoe

Director

Ghana BioInnovation Center — Accra, Ghana

Dr. Marc Fuller
Dr. Marc Fuller

Faculty, Bioengineering

Northeastern University — Boston, USA

Dr. Laura Huang
Dr. Laura Huang

Distinguished Professor

D'Amore-McKim School of Business — Boston, USA

Dr. Sena Agbodjah
Dr. Sena Agbodjah

VP Academics

Academic City University — Accra, Ghana

Mr. Jacob Quarshie
Mr. Jacob Quarshie

Technical Lead

Ghana Bioinnovation Center - Accra, Ghana

Our Work

What We Do

The Ghana BioInnovation Center:

Empowers Local Innovators

Equips engineers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and support to design, prototype, validate, and commercialise medical technologies that address Africa's most pressing healthcare challenges.

Combines Multidisciplinary Expertise

Brings together engineering, clinical insight, research, and entrepreneurship to develop affordable, resilient medical devices tailored for rural and low resource healthcare settings, while supporting regulatory readiness and real world implementation.

Provides Hands On Innovation

Offers modern prototyping facilities, technical mentorship, and real world clinical field validation to develop, refine, and test medical technologies from concept through deployment.

Builds a Homegrown Innovation Ecosystem

Fosters collaboration among academia, healthcare providers, industry, government, and development partners to accelerate biomedical innovation, commercialisation, technology transfer, and sustainable healthcare impact across Africa.

Why This Matters
~70%

Of imported medical devices fail in sub-Saharan Africa (WHO) because they were never designed for these conditions

13.7% CAGR

Growth rate of the home healthcare device market globally, driven by payer pressure, aging populations, and post-acute care shifts

194 countries

Now sell GE's MAC-i ECG, originally designed for rural India under the same constrained-environment logic

5,000+

Rural health clinics in Ghana alone the primary deployment and validation environment

The Center

A World-Class BioInnovation Center

More than a facility — a platform for impact.

Catalyst for Breakthrough Innovation

Purpose-built laboratories, prototyping studios, and testing facilities that enable innovators to move rapidly from idea to viable medical solutions.

A Regional Engine for Talent Development

A flagship hub for West Africa, training and inspiring the next generation of biomedical engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to solve Africa’s most pressing health challenges.

From Ideas to Impact

Structured incubation and commercialization pathways that support startups and university spin-outs—turning promising research into deployable, market-ready medical technologies.

Scaling Solutions That Save Lives

The capacity to advance medical devices from concept and prototype through clinical validation, manufacturing readiness, and regional scale ensuring solutions reach the communities that need them most.

Our Impact

Flagship Projects
Surgical Lamp

Portable Surgical Lamp

Prototype Complete

A battery-powered, optionally solar-integrated lamp providing 40,000–160,000 lux for surgeries in clinics with unreliable power.

Wheelchair

Rehabilitation Commode Wheelchair

Currently in Refinement

A multifunctional, low-cost wheelchair with integrated commode, designed for mobility and toileting needs.

Incubator

Neonatal Incubator

Currently in Refinement

A microcontroller-based incubator built for low-resource clinics, maintaining optimal temperature, humidity, and air quality for newborns.

Smallwood Device

Smallwood Device

Prototype Complete

A simple respiratory support device addressing critical gaps in rural healthcare. Deployed in hospitals across Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania.

Stethoscope

Mobile Phone–Based Portable Stethoscope

Currently in Refinement

An affordable digital stethoscope using 3D-printed chest piece and smartphone integration with AI-powered diagnostic support.

Pipeline

Devices in Development

Oxygen saturation monitor
Wearable, non-invasive cholesterol monitor
Sickle cell monitoring and drug delivery system
Portable ventilator
Portable oxygen concentrator (PSA-based)
Skin hydration diagnostic
What's Next

Events & Activities

Medical Innovation Expo 2026
SEP 22–24 2026
Featured Upcoming Event

Medical Innovation Expo 2026

22 – 24 September 2026  |  Academic City University, Accra

Academic City University will host the Medical Innovation Expo 2026, a three-day event exploring locally designed healthcare solutions for Africa's most pressing medical challenges. Under the theme "Beyond the No-Bed Syndrome: Locally Designed Systems That Deliver Care," the expo will bring together innovators, clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to showcase medical technologies, exchange ideas, and drive collaboration for stronger health systems.

From field visits and practical workshops to prototype showcases, poster presentations, and plenary sessions, the expo offers a platform to discover innovations that can improve care delivery in low-resource settings.

Learn More & Register
Our Journey

From first field visits in Ghana to a returning flagship expo — the milestones and ongoing activities shaping the Centre.

2026
Flagship Event Upcoming

Medical Innovation Expo 2026

Returning 22–24 September 2026 at Academic City University under the theme "Beyond the No-Bed Syndrome: Locally Designed Systems That Deliver Care" — field visits, workshops, prototype showcases, poster presentations, and plenary sessions.

Register Now
Speaker Series Ongoing

Monthly Speaker Series

An ongoing series of conversations with industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, and changemakers — recorded sessions are available in our video library.

Watch Past Sessions
2025
Event

Medical Innovation Expo

A three-day event at Academic City University that brought together over 200 healthcare professionals, students, and entrepreneurs for rapid prototyping workshops, panel discussions, and showcases of African-developed medical technologies.

2022
Milestone

National BioInnovation Symposium

Following research on the Smallwood Device, 4GBI was established and a summit in Accra convened 125 sector leaders to discuss partnerships, challenges, and strategies for advancing local healthcare solutions.

2019
Milestone

Initial Engagement in Ghana

Northeastern University faculty conducted field visits to hospitals, clinics, and rural communities; led workshops at the University of Ghana; and engaged key stakeholders, including the Minister of Health and His Majesty Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

Video Library

Monthly Speaker Series Library

Explore past sessions featuring conversations with industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, and changemakers — designed to inspire future-ready thinking, leadership, innovation, and real-world impact.

Academic City University — Monthly Speaker Series
Full playlist on YouTube
View Full Playlist
Join Us

Ways to Get Involved

Connect With Us

Meaningful healthcare innovation is built through collaboration. We work with organisations and individuals committed to developing affordable, locally driven medical technologies for Ghana and West Africa.

We welcome partnerships with:

  • Medical device companies
  • Universities and academic institutions
  • Researchers and innovators
  • NGOs, government agencies and regulatory bodies
  • Development partners and international organisations
  • Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers

Whether your interest is research, product development, clinical validation, capacity building, commercialisation, or investment, we would be pleased to explore opportunities to work together.

Become a Partner

Support Our Mission

Help us accelerate biomedical innovation that addresses real healthcare challenges in low-resource settings.

Your support enables us to:

  • Train the next generation of biomedical innovators
  • Develop and prototype life-saving medical technologies
  • Validate devices in real-world clinical environments
  • Strengthen local manufacturing and innovation capacity
  • Expand access to affordable healthcare solutions across West Africa

We welcome financial contributions, equipment donations, technical expertise, research collaborations, and strategic partnerships.

Donate

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you. Whether you are an industry partner, researcher, university, healthcare provider, government agency, development partner, donor, or innovator, we welcome opportunities to collaborate.

Visit Us
Academic City University
Haatso, Accra, Ghana

Let's work together to transform ideas into solutions that make quality healthcare more accessible where it is needed most.