Ugandan biomedical engineer Vivian Arinaitwe is named a finalist for the prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation for her Neo Nest device, a low-cost, portable incubator designed to combat neonatal hypothermia during emergency transfers.
Ugandan biomedical engineer Vivian Arinaitwe is named a finalist for the prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation for her Neo Nest device, a low-cost, portable incubator designed to combat neonatal hypothermia during emergency transfers.

Overview:

Ugandan biomedical engineer Vivian Arinaitwe is named a finalist for the prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation for her Neo Nest device, a low-cost, portable incubator designed to combat neonatal hypothermia during emergency transfers.

KAMPALA, Uganda  — A Ugandan biomedical engineer has been selected as one of four finalists for the 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, one of the continent’s most prestigious honors for engineering excellence.

Vivian Arinaitwe was recognized for her innovation, Neo Nest, a portable, low-cost neonatal warming and monitoring device. Designed to act as a compact incubator, Neo Nest protects vulnerable newborns and prevents neonatal hypothermia—a leading cause of infant mortality—during critical ambulance transfers from rural clinics to major referral hospitals.

Arinaitwe will compete for the top award, which includes up to £50,000 to scale her business, at the final event scheduled for Thursday in Dakar, Senegal.

The Africa Prize, run by the Royal Academy of Engineering, supports entrepreneurs developing scalable engineering solutions to local and global challenges. Rebecca Enonchong, chair of the judging panel, noted that the finalists illustrate the power of technology to improve lives in vital areas, including neonatal healthcare, sustainable agriculture, and energy access.