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Gawani Africa's advisory work gives us a close view of the challenges that are well understood, the responses that already exist and the gaps that remain persistently unaddressed.
Our portfolio

Our Portfolio

Our ventures and programmes are initiatives we design, develop and operate independently or with funders, implementers, research institutions and technical partners. Our current portfolio includes one active venture and two programmes in development: Thinkng, SEREN and WiRE.
Thinkng
SEREN
WiRE

Connecting African businesses to the research capability they need.

Africa has research capability. What it lacks is a functioning market that connects it to the businesses and institutions that need it.

Thinkng is a digital platform that operates as a broker between industry demand and Africa's research base, connecting qualified research providers with private-sector R&D challenges and managing the pathway from brief to delivery.

Current Stage

Thinkng has completed its market analysis, strategic blueprint and initial platform development. The current focus is building the institutional, enterprise and funding partnerships required for launch and scale.

Why this matters

Thinkng bridges research and industry to solve local challenges, accelerate innovation, commercialise knowledge, and strengthen Africa's innovation economy.
Research marketplace
Surface African research capacity to domestic and international organisations.
Capacity building
Strengthen the research, analytical and industry-readiness skills of early-career talent.
R&D project facilitation
Match qualified research providers to funded industry challenges and support delivery.
Capital activation
Help channel more private and institutional investment into locally relevant R&D.
Partners We Are Looking For
Strategic partners — universities, research institutions and innovation hubs
Enterprise partners — companies with research, product or market challenges
Funding partners — foundations and impact investors
Technology partners — marketplace, assessment and talent management tools

Using technology to make maternal mental health care part of routine care.

Mental health challenges during pregnancy and after childbirth affect women, children and families, yet support remains largely absent from existing care systems.

SEREN is designed to generate credible evidence on how technology can support the integration of maternal mental health into routine care in Nigeria.

Proposed implementation model

Diagnostics (months 1–3) → Design (months 4–6) → Implementation research (months 7–15).

What success would make possible

The goal is credible evidence on what works, where and at what cost, ahead of a larger ambition to integrate maternal mental health into routine care at scale.
Learn more about SEREN
Screening and early detection
Tools that enable nurses and midwives to identify needs during routine visits.
Training and supervision
Digital learning and support that equip frontline health workers to provide basic care.
Treatment and support
Technology-enabled access to care for women with mild symptoms within primary care settings.
Referral pathways
Systems that connect women needing specialist support to appropriate services.
Partners We Are Looking For
Founding funder — to support evidence-generation and co-design work
Clinical partners — hospitals and maternal health programme operators
Technology partners — screening, training and digital referral tools

Building stronger pathways for women to shape health, science and innovation.

Africa cannot strengthen its research systems while women remain underrepresented in the institutions and decisions that shape R&D.

WiRE is a structured training and longitudinal cohort programme for women health researchers in Nigeria, delivered through Thinkng — combining skills development with long-term tracking of what enables women to sustain research careers.

Current direction

WiRE is being shaped as a partnership-led initiative. The next stage is to define the initial programme model, priority countries or institutions and the measures that will demonstrate meaningful progress beyond representation alone.
Learn more about WiRE
Evidence and measurement
Tools and indicators that help institutions understand participation, inclusion and leadership gaps.
Career pathways
Practical routes for women researchers to build experience, visibility, networks and access to funded opportunities.
Institutional practice
Support for universities, research organisations and funders to design more inclusive programmes and decision processes.
Leadership and influence
Platforms that amplify women’s expertise and strengthen their role in setting research and innovation priorities.
Partners We Are Looking For
Research institutions — universities committed to women's participation and progression
Funding partners — foundations investing in women's health and research capacity
Professional networks — women-in-STEM networks and leadership platforms
Industry partners — organisations offering applied research and mentorship
HOW VENTURES CONNECT TO GAWANI’S WORK

We are always developing new ideas.

Thinkng, SEREN and WiRE are Gawani's current ventures and programmes. Our advisory work continuously surfaces new problems that are significant, under-addressed, and where we believe we can build a more effective response than what currently exists. We are at various stages of developing additional initiatives.

If you are working on a problem that sits at the intersection of technology, innovation and development in Africa — and you believe there is something worth building together — we want to hear from you.

Interested in building one of these solutions with us?

We work best with organisations that are serious about solving hard problems and building the capacity to sustain progress.
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Strategy, policy and innovation advisory for Africa's most complex development challenges.
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