When Seati Moloi launched Khoi Tech, an AI-driven wearables for health startup, in Soweto, South Africa’s largest township, in 2020, few would have imagined that a startup known for making wireless earphones and smartwatches would one day be pitching healthcare technology to British investors.
But from June 8-12, Moloi returned to London Tech Week for a second consecutive year, not to showcase consumer gadgets, but to present AI-powered health and workplace wellness technologies developed in Soweto.
In a small office far from the venture capital corridors of Sandton and Cape Town, Khoi Tech is attempting something few African startups have achieved: building a globally competitive healthtech company from township roots. The startup, which first gained attention for its Afripods wireless earphones and Afriwatch smartwatches, is now developing AI-powered employee wellness, remote patient monitoring and driver fatigue management platforms for businesses and healthcare providers.
Its evolution from consumer electronics maker to enterprise healthtech startup reflects a broader shift in African innovation, where township-born companies are increasingly building technologies designed not only for local markets but for global problems.
