Convinced of the potential of artificial intelligence, she uses it to enhance access to healthcare and foster social integration. Her company iZola provides therapists to help neurodivergent children become self-sufficient.
Wamuyu Owotoki (photo) is the co-founder and CEO of iZola, a therapeutic platform that combines health and technology.
Born and raised in Kenya, Wamuyu Owotoki completed her higher education at the University of Hamburg (Germany), where she obtained a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry. She also holds a master's degree in pharmacy from the National Academy of Chemistry and Pharmacy in St Petersburg, Russia.
She founded iZola in 2022 with her husband, Peter Owotoki, an expert in artificial intelligence. The platform offers access to a range of specialists, including speech therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, music therapists, and pediatric play therapists. It provides tailored therapies that can be accessed from home, facilitating personalized remote learning.
iZola primarily focuses on individuals with autism and other special needs. Its diagnostic system utilizes AI to identify early signs of autism in children and suggest specialized therapies to help these children achieve greater independence.
The iZola team operates from Germany, Kenya, South Africa, Finland, and Switzerland. Presently, the platform assists more than 160 children with therapy and serves over 1,000 parents. On September 25, 2023, it was selected by Google as one of 30 AI startups reshaping the healthcare landscape.
In addition to iZola, in 2019 the Owotoki couple also founded Vitafluence.ai, a data, analytics, and AI company that develops healthcare solutions. The company received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation “to accelerate drug repurposing and discovery for infectious diseases that disproportionately impact low and middle-income countries.” It is also the publisher of the iZola platform.
Before devoting herself to entrepreneurship, Wamuyu Owotoki also worked at the University of Hamburg's Institute of Pharmacy as a research assistant between 2003 and 2005.
Melchior Koba
