During the sprint, teams heard from speakers with research and lived experience, received coaching on their ideas, and were given guidance on pitching, developing their prototype, and writing an executive summary. The sprint culminated with the teams pitching their ideas to a panel of expert judges. Judges deliberated over the pitches and chose three top teams to be awarded additional funding. Our winning team was awarded $10,000 USD, second place was awarded $7,000 USD, third place was awarded $5,000 USD, and the seven remaining teams received $2,000 USD.

Our first place winner is the South African-based team BeYOUtiful Mindz. The team’s focus is on scaling up an evidence-based, community-driven model that embeds mental health screening, peer-led support, digital tools, and psychosocial care within existing HIV services. Team Tugambe, based in Uganda, came in second place for their idea to address delays in depression diagnoses using interactive voice response technology to ease depression screening for adolescents and young adults living with HIV using the PHQ-2 screening tool. In third place is Project Step-4-YP, whose aim is to expand access to HIV self-testing for rural-based young people in Rivers State, Nigeria by leveraging trusted community providers—Proprietary Patent Medicine Vendors.

With INSPIRE’s guidance, all ten teams will implement their winning ideas over the course of the next year. We look forward to many successful outcomes. 

BeYOUtiful Mindz | First Place

Kamva Charlie | Ernesha Mazinyo | Zinathi Dingo | Mihle Qwesha

BeYOUtiful Mindz is a dynamic team of youth advocates, mental health practitioners, public health professionals, and implementation scientists committed to transforming HIV care for adolescents and young adults (AYA) by integrating mental health support. Drawing from lived experience and professional expertise, they recognize that untreated mental health challenges—like depression, anxiety, and stigma—hinder HIV treatment success. The team’s focus is to scale up an evidence-based, community-driven model that embeds mental health screening, peer-led support, digital tools, and psychosocial care within existing HIV services. Through the INSPIRE Designathon, they aim to refine and scale this model, co-design solutions with youth, and drive sustainable impact in high-HIV-burden communities. Their mission is to ensure that young people living with HIV don’t just survive—but thrive.

EqualCare

Gbuchie Monica Anurika | Akande Ah’mad Akinkunbi | Fana-Granville Ibituobelem Loizy

Team EqualCare is a passionate group of public health experts, digital innovators, and social inclusion advocates united by a common goal: to make HIV care accessible for every young person, including those with disabilities. They are focused on improving access to antiretroviral therapy for adolescents and young adults (AYA) living with HIV, who often face barriers that others do not.

EqualCare is a mobile-first solution that empowers AYA with disabilities through tailored support, AI-powered accessibility features, and peer-led services. Their mission is to remove stigma, ensure consistent care, and provide mental health support by bridging gaps in HIV services. With a youth-driven, community- based approach, they are piloting this solution in southern Nigeria to improve adherence, retention, and overall health outcomes for a group that has been historically overlooked. EqualCare isn’t just a project, it’s a movement for inclusive healthcare.

Gamba-Link

Florence Mwangwa | Collins Ampaire | Natukwatsa Nomujuni

This multidisciplinary team—a youth advocate with limited research experience, a public health researcher, and a computer scientist—has collaboratively developed a low-cost information toolkit to support pharmacy-based PrEP referrals from community pharmacies and drug shops, aiming to expand access to HIV prevention for youth, particularly in rural areas.

The INSPIRE Designathon aligns closely with the team’s personal and professional goals—to improve their expertise in adolescent and young adult health and strengthen their skills in implementation science. The team is especially excited about the opportunity to receive structured mentorship from seasoned INSPIRE mentors to refine and adapt their tool for real-world implementation. The Designathon also offers an inspiring platform to showcase their work, gain practical knowledge, and potentially earn recognition for ideas that can contribute to innovation and scale in HIV prevention.

HUSH BUDDY

Fanney Chirwa | Aness Susana Simon |Tamanda Esaya-Chingoli | Thokozani Jane Kasiya

HUSH BUDDY is a group of young professionals and passionate advocates focused on improving HIV care and support for adolescents and young adults in Malawi. The team brings together nurses, educators, and program coordinators who have hands-on experience in HIV work, youth mental health, and grassroots outreach. They run programs that help young people and adolescents adhere to their treatment, access mental health support, and build economic skills for a better future. Their goal is to close the care for those living in remote areas or dealing with stigma. By creating youth-friendly approaches, they are reaching more young people, supporting their treatment journeys, and helping them build healthy and sustainable livelihoods.

IMPACT Team

Julianah Adebisi | Divine Oladele | Miracle Adesina | Toluwase Olufadewa

The IMPACT team is made up of public health professionals across different fields who have experienced firsthand the effect inadequate knowledge about HIV, its prevention, testing, and treatment can have on individuals, especially those in underserved communities. They are committed to scaling community-led HIV interventions by expanding a peer-driven model that empowers adolescents and young adults in Internally Displaced Person camps and rural villages. They will train and deploy HIV Champions across four key Nigerian zones to lead outreach, prevention, testing, and care. By scaling this approach, they aim to increase HIV awareness, reduce stigma, and expand access to life-saving services in hard-to-reach communities.

Participating in this Designathon will equip the team with the tools, mentorship, and collaborative environment to refine their scale-up strategy, enhance their skills in human-centered design, implementation science, and digital health, and build sustainable frameworks for training and supporting HIV Champions to ensure long-term impact.

PROJECT STEP-4-YP | Third Place

Melody Okereke | Chidera Godfrey | Nwankwo Francis Casmir

PROJECT STEP-4-YP (Self-Testing Expansion via PPMVs for Young People) is a team of pharmacists, HIV advocates, and youth leaders with a shared commitment to advancing HIV prevention and youth-friendly healthcare in Nigeria. With strong backgrounds in clinical pharmacy, community-based HIV programming, and health policy advocacy, they bring both professional expertise and lived experience to our work. Their focus is on expanding access to HIV self-testing for young people in Rivers State by leveraging trusted community providers—Proprietary Patent Medicine Vendors (PPMVs)—to bring HIV services closer to those who need them most. Through PROJECT STEP-4-YP, they aim to bridge the gap between young people and healthcare systems by promoting stigma-free, accessible, and sustainable HIV prevention solutions. The team is driven by a belief that no young person should be left behind due to geography, language barriers, or fear of stigma. They are committed to creating a future where every young person has the power to know their status and protect their health.

Project Youth Link

Precious Kaniki | Natasha Seketa | Joshua K. Kasuba | Stella Mubanga

The Project Youth team is comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds in public health, community mobilization, research, and advocacy. This team is passionate about creating innovative, community-driven solutions that address health and social challenges. Their focus is on designing interventions that are inclusive, sustainable, and grounded in the real needs of the communities they serve. They are committed to using evidence- based approaches, amplifying community voices, and fostering partnerships that drive lasting impact. Through the INSPIRE Designathon, they aim to co-create solutions that empower individuals, strengthen systems, and promote health equity.

Team Abeokuta

Damilola Ayowole | Temitope Oluwadare | Islamiat Soneye | Ayotunde Azees

Team Abeokuta is a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, public health practitioners, and community advocates dedicated to transforming HIV care for adolescents and young people in Nigeria.

Their focus is on integrating clinical treatment with art-based psychosocial support to address the complex mental health and social challenges marginalized youth face. Through an innovative, community-driven model, they aim to develop scalable interventions for key populations, pilot-tested in Ogun State and subsequently expanded nationwide.

By engaging thought leaders, peers, and stakeholders, Team Abeokuta seeks to refine their strategy, influence health policy, and secure partnerships and resources. Ultimately, their goal is to establish a sustainable framework that bridges clinical and psychosocial care, empowering vulnerable youth and enhancing HIV outcomes across Nigeria.

Team Tugambe | Second Place

Kihumuro Bernard Raymond | Ochen Eric | Nabifo Patricia Manana | Kintu Timothy

Team Tugambe is a multidisciplinary group of clinicians, researchers, and engineers passionate about transforming HIV care through innovation. Led by Dr. Raymond Bernard Kihumuro, an early-career researcher and implementation science fellow, the team brings together deep clinical expertise, human- centered design skills, and technical innovation. Dr. Eric Ochen contributes real-world clinical insights from frontline HIV care; Ms. Patricia Manana leads the engineering design of user- friendly solutions; and Dr. Timothy Kintu applies biodesign principles to drive impactful, scalable interventions. Focused on improving patient engagement through voice-based technologies, Team Tugambe is committed to creating sustainable, context-specific tools that bridge communication gaps and enhance health outcomes. Through this Designathon, the team seeks to refine their rapid prototyping abilities, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, and develop a prototype that can advance equitable healthcare delivery in East Africa.

Youth Against HIV

Favour Christiana Ogbuagu | Abubakar Ismail Muhammad | Makiyyah Sulaiman Muhammad | Abdulmalik Ya’u

Youth Against HIV is a passionate team of young public health professionals, medical advocates, and youth development specialists committed to advancing adolescent and young adult (AYA) health in Nigeria. Affiliated with Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI) —a nonprofit organization dedicated to women’s rights, adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health, and girl-child education, their collective focus is on bridging gaps in HIV prevention, awareness, and access to youth-friendly health services. The team combines peer-led education, community- driven advocacy, and digital innovation to deliver impactful, culturally sensitive interventions. Through their participation in the INSPIRE Designathon, they aim to scale a localized, sustainable HIV awareness model that empowers AYAs with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to protect their health. They are committed to building healthier, more informed youth communities, starting in Northern Nigeria and expanding across Africa.