What does it take to build trust in a healthcare system where money, patients, and providers often struggle to meet on common ground? Kolade Afolabi, a 300-level Software Engineering student at Miva, is building StripppleCare, a health-tech venture providing proof of healthcare delivery and reducing risk in healthcare financing.
After winning first place in the ITU Startup Competition category of Deep Learning Indaba 2026, Kolade is now focused on taking the solution from the prototype stage to its first real-world pilot.
Here’s what he had to say:
In This Post
Creating Solutions Right Out of Secondary School
Tell us about yourself and what drew you to Software Engineering at Miva.
My name is Kolade Afolabi. I’m a 300-level Software Engineering student. I’m going to my 400 level.
What drew me to Software Engineering at Miva Open University? First, I had a choice between two options: Computer Science or Software Engineering. I love building and working with things hands-on. Computer Science looked more theoretical to me. I wanted to build things.
I also liked the engineering field. I felt Software Engineering would help me with that because I’m someone who likes building stuff with software.
What really attracted me to Miva was the flexibility and the modern curriculum. I regularly attend events, and my schedule means I do quite a lot with the company.
Miva gives me that flexibility to juggle a lot of things. The modern curriculum is also part of what made Miva a great choice.
There are things I learn and can immediately apply to my actual work. So that modern curriculum and flexibility drew me to Miva for Software Engineering.
Alright. I’m curious. You said you work. How long had you been working before Miva? What was your journey, and is this your first degree?
Yes. This is my first degree. Miva met me with the work because I was actually a fresh secondary school leaver, straight out of secondary school.
You left secondary school to get work?
It’s my company. I run two ventures. They are ventures that I thought of in secondary school.
I left school, and about seven months later, I started my ventures. One of them is what was represented at Indaba.
That’s very interesting. Not many people leave secondary school and start businesses. Are both tech businesses?
Yes. They’re both tech.
One teaches people tech, while the other is health tech, which is what got in for Indaba.
Building Trust in Healthcare Financing
What inspired you to build StripppleCare? And what problem does it aim to solve?
For StripppleCare, the inspiration was a mix of different things. I’m not a foreigner to health insurance, in general. Ever since I can remember visiting hospitals, we’ve been using health insurance.
And it’s usually one complaint or the other. For example, the hospital said we should take this drug, but we did not get the drug, or we waited three to four hours for authorisation from the HMOs, and a lot of different issues.
I then asked myself, what could be the problem? I realised that the problem was mainly two parties that didn’t trust each other because of the risks involved in the business.
I also asked myself, how can we try to establish trust between these two parties? That is what brought StripppleCare.
So, the trust problem is financial. Then I tried to see how we could kind of build the trust wheels of healthcare, especially between health insurance companies.
I realised that it was more of a trust problem between the health insurance companies and the patients and the hospitals. So I wanted to bridge that gap, because I’ve experienced a lot with HMOs.
I realised that these kinds of issues are what compound the risk problem. Investment and funds, in general, flow where there’s least risk.
This resistance bars people from getting health insurance systems. It also bars people who want to invest or put money in the system.
Okay. How does StripppleCare establish that trust? You said that’s what StripppleCare does.
The first problem people have is “Who is telling the truth?”
StripppleCare is trying to create a single source of truth. Proof of medical delivery is what StripppleCare is trying to do. To provide this irrefutable proof to all parties in the chain.
We have three major stakeholders. First are those who have the money and give out the money. These are the HMOs, the health insurance companies.
Second are the providers, the hospitals or the pharmacies that collect money.
Last are the patients.
StripppleCare provides proof of healthcare delivery so that all parties are convinced that this treatment or this drug actually did occur or was disbursed without relying on the word of mouth of a single party.
Right now, that is what StripppleCare wants to do. Eventually, when one has this proof, we take it to the HMOs so that they can confidently pay the hospitals.
We also have donors who want to bring in money, but they need proof that their funds will be used well for the stated medical programmes.
We’re also looking at lenders who want to disburse money to healthcare, but they’re afraid of the risks. They’re afraid and want to be sure about how their money is actually going to be used.
And the risk is basically money. Everybody’s afraid of losing money.
Exactly. That’s the issue.
So, how long has StripppleCare been running now? Since what year?
First of all, StripppleCare is yet to launch officially, but at the moment, we’ve been on this for about a year and six months. However, we got our CAC licence last year, in November.
But if you ask me, I’ll say that we’re a year old.
That’s great. Great work you’re doing.
From Ecobank InnovateX to Deep Learning Indaba
How did you get into Deep Learning Indaba 2026, and what was the experience of presenting your work there?
I attended an event last year by Ecobank (InnovateX 2025), and we came in fourth place.
That was the first time I represented StripppleCare on stage. Coming into this year, I told myself I needed to go for more of these things.
I applied for various things, competitions, grants, etc., at the beginning of this year.
One Friday evening, I checked my email, and I saw an urgent reminder that my entry had been selected for Indaba, but they hadn’t received the confirmation that I would go. If I didn’t accept by that evening, I would risk not attending.
I didn’t remember getting any email about it. Later, I realised that the email had dropped into my spam on Monday. I didn’t know.
Basically, I applied, and I got in for the startup showcase event. The showcase encompassed a panel session and an exhibition.
We exhibited; we had a booth, and we also had a panel session to discuss how to build startups on the continent.
I think the biggest win of Indaba was the application I did after, because there were different events in Indaba.
The showcase is an event, but if you qualify, you can apply for more events.
That led me to apply for the startup pitch competition organised in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union, the tech arm of the United Nations.
I applied for it because I didn’t know that the startup showcase, which was the original thing I was selected for, did not have a pitch competition. You have to apply for the pitch competition [separately].
I applied for it, and I got in as one of the top 10 to pitch our solution.
I pitched the solution to local investors, global sponsors, etc., and we got first place, which, to be honest, I didn’t expect at all.
In total, there were about 35 people who applied for the pitch competition, which was filtered from the general thing.
Eventually, they announced the third and second positions. After the second position, I believed we weren’t getting in.
But then we got the first position.
Even though we’ve not officially launched, what really impressed the judges was the fact that the problem we are solving is a problem in healthcare financing, a very critical problem that transcends Nigeria. It’s a global problem.
Even countries like the US lose hundreds of billions of dollars in medical fraud. Also, emerging markets have a big problem in healthcare financing. That really caught the eye of the judges.
We got the first position, and some of the prizes included AWS credits and an invitation to the AI for Good Global Summit organised at the ITU next year in Geneva, Switzerland.
That was the experience, and it was amazing.
Another cool part of the Indaba was the kind of people I met. I met two Mivites. One of them was a lecturer (Nnamdi Isichei), and he had an amazing paper.
Also met another [Miva Star], the founder of ZisoCare that deals with eye care in healthcare.
I talked with individuals from over 12 African countries. I got their perspective on the continent, and we had a lot of fun.
I think that was the experience with the Indaba, and I think that words can’t describe in total how cool of an experience it was.
Alright. In particular, when you were announced as the first position, as the winner, what went through your mind?
‘It can’t be so. It can’t be so.’ That’s what went through my mind. It can’t be so.
Because some companies over there have amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. They’ve had tens of thousands of users, and they weren’t part of the top three.
They announced StripppleCare, and I went, ‘Are you kidding me? It can’t be so.’
The people by my side were nudging me. So it dawned on me that ‘It really is so.’
It must have been like a dream.
Yeah. Exactly. ‘Is this real?’
Learning From Africa’s Next Generation of Innovators
You mentioned that you interacted with other innovators, researchers, and technology leaders. What did you learn from all those interactions?
I learnt quite a number of things.
First of all, what I learned is how they see Nigeria and the continent.
One of the first things that I picked up on is that I feel Nigerians are the ones underestimating Nigeria, because other African countries do have a lot of respect for us.
I met with somebody, and they were wondering how it is that Nigerians are basically in every competition or outstanding event like this globally.
He asked me this three times because he wanted to know the reason. He had applied to attend an event in Australia, but he didn’t get in. Interestingly, a Nigerian did. I told him I felt it was the climate. That climate has forced Nigerians to be very good at their work and to innovate.
I also realised that Nigeria has a huge cultural presence. A casual conversation led to a group of us discussing my Yoruba heritage, and a Kenyan lady talked about her love for the Yoruba language. I went ahead to give her a 20-minute crash course on Yoruba.
From that conversation, it was clear that the cultural influence of Nigeria is unmatched.
Another thing I did learn is that people are really building. The biggest use cases of AI that I saw were not just in fintech—a lot of people are all about fintech.
I saw a lot of companies that are solving real-world problems across agriculture, healthcare, logistics, etc.
I saw one that diagnoses plant diseases, and they already have thousands of farmers in their network. I saw many health companies using AI to improve the continent.
When I talked with people from Indaba, I knew that there was hope for Africa.
I also met a lot of amazing women—an amazing female representation—when it comes to the best companies on earth.
I know that in the next five to ten years, I’ll really see many of those companies taking the lead in using artificial intelligence on the continent.
Those were the main things that I observed from my interaction there.
It seems like that was a very good exposure. It’s good for young innovators to have more of that. Networking is very important.
How Miva Supports His Journey
Now, how has your experience at Miva contributed to your journey as a software engineer and innovator?
If not for Miva, I’m not sure I would have been able to attend Indaba. That’s the first thing.
The event came around the week of our exams, so I decided to defer the papers.
I deferred some of my papers because of it. If I wasn’t in Miva, it would have been very difficult to combine writing those exams and Indaba.
That flexibility has really helped me with networking and events.
It has also helped me make time for my ventures. It’s a very busy life.
I know I’m not constrained to writing my tests on a particular day at a particular time.
That flexibility has really given me time.
Also, Miva’s modern curriculum has helped me bridge the theoretical aspect of Software Engineering with the practical aspects, which I’m not sure that I’ve really had in other institutions.
I also appreciate Miva’s partnerships with different organisations. For example, the one with Google Gemini, Gemini Pro for university students. It has really been instrumental for me.
Initially, I had two options. It was either Miva or a tech school.
But the consensus was for me to go with Miva since it’s a university.
It has also enabled me to apply for many other prestigious opportunities where having a university degree is mandatory.
One of these was a digital governance conference organised by the United Nations University, and I got in.
One of their requirements was an affiliation, and if I was not in a proper university, I don’t think I’d have been able to fill that space. I put Miva, and I got in.
Miva has been instrumental.
Balancing School, Entrepreneurship, and Everything Else
Now, as a 300-level student already building solutions with real-world applications, how do you balance your academics with your work on StripppleCare?
I’m not a naturally organised person, but I try to be a high-agency person.
If I need to do something, I would do it. I try to have phases of my life where I focus more on that thing.
For example, initially at the start of the semester, I try to allocate my time properly. I dedicate time to lock in on Miva. Then for another period of time, I’ll lock in on StripppleCare.
I also have a board of advisors who help me and work in various verticals.
One is experienced in business. I have one who’s a head of FinTech and Growth. Another one reaches out to and follows up with prospective clients. I also have a lawyer.
Having those people on my team has helped me manage my time and delegate responsibility when necessary. That delegation is very important. When events clash with work, I ask someone to help me.
So, delegation, proper time management, and being a high-agency person who does what needs to be done.
I have little time for frivolities. I try to just do what I need to do.
Miva makes it easier because it is fully online.
The Team Building StripppleCare
I was going to come to your team because when you were talking about StripppleCare at Indaba, you kept using ‘we’. And now, we’re talking about a lawyer and a board of advisers.
Can you just tell us a bit about your team?
I have an amazing team that is behind me. Right now, we are four. I’m the founder and CEO.
I have two members of my board of advisors.
One of them is the FinTech and Growth Lead. He has about two decades of FinTech experience. He has also built an insurance technology company before, and one of his companies was acquired by Interswitch. He heads a FinTech startup that operates in about 10 countries.
He has quite the experience, and I have him on my team to deal with FinTech and finance, because we are dealing with money. He also connects with prospective clients when necessary because of his network.
Then I have the second person, who is my business strategist. He guides me on the direction to go as a company as regards certain business strategies.
Lastly, I have a legal representative who oversees business registration, copyrighting, and signing contracts.
That’s the way the team is structured for now.
As a young innovator, I’m curious as to how you connected with these people. Did you meet them at networking events, or did you reach out to them?
The truth is that they are members of my community. We attend the same church, and we are quite close, too.
Our business relationship is also a function of networking with them, telling them about what I was doing, and asking for their assistance.
And from them helping me, it got deeper into actually being part of the team.
I see. It’s more than just being in the same environment. You actively connected. That’s what made the difference. There are people who are in the same environment but don’t get that value if they don’t reach out.
Exactly.
Next: the Pilot Phase
So, what are your plans for StripppleCare, and where do you see yourself as an innovator after graduation?
The plan for StripppleCare right now is that we want to actually launch. We want to run a pilot, a proof of concept.
The next phase for StripppleCare is to run a 30- to 90-day pilot or proof of concept with at least one HMO or an insurance technology company on the continent.
This will help us gather real-world data about that solution.
The solution has been built, and we want to have this on the ground and provide these services to gather data.
That’s the next thing that we are doing.
And any organisation that fits these profiles—a health insurance company, HMO, or insurance tech—we would like them to reach out to us so that we can have this. We need leads.
If Miva can help us get these leads to pilot with us, we would really appreciate it.
That is the most important step.
Then, at the same time, the pitch competition at Indaba was organised in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is a tech arm of the United Nations. Winners are invited to participate in its AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, next year in June.
ITU is covering the exhibition for the event. So, we’ll be exhibiting to about 12,000 global attendees, governments, and tech companies.
There’s also an innovation factory that will match startups to the biggest organisations (United Nations partner organisations), a global accelerator, and a chance to pitch and win cash prizes.
We’ve been invited, but ITU did not provide travel sponsorship to the winning startups.
This is our avenue to source travel sponsorships so that we can represent Nigeria on the global stage in Geneva, Switzerland. That is also part of the pipeline.
I would appreciate it if Miva could help us accomplish these two main objectives for StripppleCare. That is the next way forward.
In five years, I see us becoming a healthcare financing railway for the continent. It’s going to be amazing to have Miva as a participant in this exciting future for the company, especially for an institution that is new but is doing a lot with its reputation as a global leader and pan-African leader in higher education.
Alright. I was actually going to end by talking about the Miva Career Advancement Centre. That’s where Miva students can get a lot of support for their careers and as entrepreneurs.
I know that once they have opportunities, they readily share them with students.
Conclusion
For Kolade, the win at Deep Learning Indaba is another step in a longer journey with StripppleCare. The next goal is to move from development to a real-world pilot with an HMO, health insurance company, or insurtech on the continent.
That pilot will help the team test the solution, gather real-world data, and refine the product.
Long-term, Kolade sees StripppleCare becoming part of the infrastructure that supports healthcare financing across Africa. With a growing team, support from experienced advisers, and the flexibility Miva offers to pursue both his degree and his ventures, he continues building towards that goal.