On December 12, 2024, the halls of Black Lion Hospital, Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences (AAUCHS), buzzed with excitement as nine groundbreaking startups gathered for a high-stakes innovation pitch competition. The event, jointly organized by AAU CHS, the University of Toronto, and the Mastercard Foundation, brought together Ethiopia’s most promising health-tech innovators to present bold solutions addressing local and global health challenges.

Among them was Tena Link, our emerging digital health platform focused on transforming women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH) through culturally sensitive, faith-aware, and tech-driven solutions. As the first team to take the stage in Auditorium Hall, the pressure was high—but so was the energy.

Our founder and CEO, Bernabas Petros (PhD Student) delivered the pitch with clarity, heart, and precision—capturing the audience’s attention with Tena Link’s unique value proposition: a multilingual, stigma-free, community-backed SRH platform tailored to Ethiopian realities. Bernabas walked judges and attendees through our five distinct user modes (Adolescent, Adult, Parent, Partner, and Pregnancy), our integration of telemedicine and religious advisorship, and the urgent societal need our app addresses.

But it wasn’t just the pitch that stood out—our team’s (Ayalkbet Tesfahun, Zekariyas Teshager, and our advisor Dr. Dename Kebede) readiness during the Q&A session left a lasting impression. Members of the audience, including faculty, students, and health professionals, raised thought-provoking questions around cultural sensitivity, data privacy, and youth engagement. Our team answered each one with grounded insights drawn from our years of research, pilot feedback, and lived community engagement. The dialogue highlighted how deeply Tena Link is rooted in local realities while embracing global standards.

When the final results were announced, Tena Link was named First Place Winner—a proud moment for our entire team. We were awarded a $1,500 CAD prize and celebrated not just a victory, but validation of a vision we’ve nurtured through long nights of coding, field research, and countless community conversations.

This achievement is more than a trophy—it’s a testament to the power of youth-led innovation, interfaith collaboration, and the belief that every woman and girl deserves access to trusted, inclusive SRH information and services.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to AAU CHS, the University of Toronto, and the Mastercard Foundation for creating this platform for emerging health innovators. And to the nine fellow competitors: your ideas inspired us, and we’re proud to share the stage with change-makers like you.

This is just the beginning. Tena Link is growing, and with your continued support, we’ll keep building a future where health, culture, and technology come together to empower millions.