Atherton Mutombwera: Transforming Healthcare in Africa

Atherton Mutombwera is a Zimbabwean entrepreneur and healthcare innovator committed to transforming disease diagnosis and surveillance in low‑resource settings across Africa. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hutano Diagnostics Ltd, a pioneering start‑up developing rapid, digital point‑of‑care diagnostic technologies designed to detect and monitor dangerous infectious diseases and other life‑threatening conditions. Atherton’s passion for healthcare innovation began in childhood and grew through his academic journey,

As a child living in Zimbabwe I would think about finding a cure for HIV one day. I loved science and wanted to learn how to apply technology to medical challenges that people face in Africa.

He completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Master of Science in Nanoscience (Nanobiomedicine) at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, where his research focused on creating rapid diagnostic tools for diseases like Ebola. His work earned him the Coursework Masters Award for Science, Engineering and Technology in 2016.

He later expanded his expertise through business leadership training, completing an MBA at the University of Oxford as a Louis Dreyfus‑Weidenfeld and Hoffmann-Saïd Scholar. Under his leadership, Hutano Diagnostics has developed modular lateral flow platforms that aim to simplify diagnosis, reduce reliance on complex laboratory systems, and enable real‑time disease tracking — innovations that are especially crucial in regions with limited access to healthcare infrastructure. Hutano’s work has earned recognition on global stages, including awards and collaborations that advance its technology and broaden its impact. In 2023 the company was acquired by EDX Medical Group PLC, positioning its technologies to scale faster and reach broader healthcare markets worldwide.