South African Innovator's Pelebox Smart Locker System Wins Prestigious RAEng Africa Prize for Engineering Medal

Neo Hutiri, the visionary behind Pelebox, an innovative smart locker system aimed at improving healthcare accessibility, has secured a £50,000 ($63,000) award from the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering. The accolade was presented during a ceremony in London, marking the 10-year anniversary of the Academy’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. Princess Anne, sister to King Charles III, presented Hutiri with a medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution.

Pelebox, an internet-connected locker system designed for dispensing medication to patients with chronic conditions, initially earned Hutiri the Africa Prize in 2019. The recent award highlights the substantial growth of Hutiri's startup, with Pelebox now operational in 123 healthcare facilities across South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.

The ceremony, dedicated to the Academy's esteemed Africa Prize anniversary, featured a competition exclusively for its alumni, attracting innovations from six countries that participated in the training program over the past decade. Hutiri's win underscores the transformative impact of his smart locker system, which has not only enhanced healthcare accessibility but has also garnered recognition, changing obstacles into opportunities.

Reflecting on the significance of winning the Africa Prize, Hutiri remarked, "It opened a lot of doors, gave us good recognition, changed a lot of ‘noes’ into ‘yesses,’ and ultimately provided us with the audience we’re looking for." He anticipates that the substantial prize money from 2024 will serve as a catalyst for further expansion, solidifying Pelebox's role in revolutionizing healthcare accessibility across the continent.