Zanele Abraham Matome, the visionary founder of Welo Health — a platform revolutionizing healthcare access across South Africa and the SADC region.
From growing up in communities with limited healthcare, to building a nationwide gig-economy model connecting nurses, doctors, and patients, Zanele shares her remarkable journey of purpose, innovation, and resilience.
We dive into her early lessons as a mining contractor, her bold pivot into healthtech, and the mindset shifts that helped her transform personal experiences into a scalable solution recognized by global institutions like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Zanele also unpacks the key differences between building a startup in South Africa versus Silicon Valley, the real challenges founders face on the continent, and what it takes to create impactful ventures that blend human touch and technology.