GIF backs breakthrough tech to transform tuberculosis detection.

At the Global Innovation Fund (GIF), we look for innovative solutions that bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and the world’s most vulnerable and underserved populations.

We are thrilled to announce our latest investment in AI Diagnostics, a South African MedTech pioneer transforming the frontline of tuberculosis (TB) screening.

Why tuberculosis still persists

Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, despite it being preventable and curable. Every year, over 10 million people fall ill with the disease, and 1.3 million lose their lives.

South Africa is at the epicentre of this crisis, where tuberculosis remains one of the highest causes of death. Weak health systems and limited access to screening create a dangerous delay in diagnosis. With 22% of TB cases undiagnosed, and many more identified too late, the risk of death and community transmission remains high.  

Climate change is exacerbating this crisis, by increasing tuberculosis risk factors such as food insecurity, climate-related migration, and disruption to health infrastructure. 

The innovation: AI-powered TB screening

AI Diagnostics has created a simple, fast way to screen people for tuberculosis using a portable digital stethoscope, an app and an AI model. 

• How it works: A health worker records a patient’s breathing and the AI model listens to the lung sounds and flags possible tuberculosis in less than three minutes.
• The goal: The innovation  acts as a screening tool, identifying individuals who need full confirmatory testing, ensuring that overwhelmed clinics focus their resources where they are needed most.

Why we invested

Our investment is rooted in the impressive evidence AI Diagnostics has already generated and the potential to scale:

• 66% reduction in missed TB-positive patients
• 1.4x more efficient than traditional symptomatic screening
• 50,000+ validated lung recordings to train the model 

Looking ahead: scaling for global impact

This $300,000 pre-Series A funding is designed to catalyse growth. AI Diagnostics will use the capital to deepen its footprint in South Africa and forge new partnerships across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

By moving screening out of the lab and into the community, AI Diagnostics is making "health for all" a tangible reality. GIF is proud to support them as they deploy innovative technology to help the global health community finally get ahead of the curve.

GIF Managing Director and deal lead, Lily Steele, said:

"The opportunity to significantly reduce death and illness from a disease that is both preventable and curable through a low-cost, early screening solution, is what appealed to GIF.  By supporting the scale of AI Diagnostic’s portable, digital stethoscope and AI app, we aim to ensure that even the most vulnerable communities whose health systems are increasingly strained by climate change, have access to early life-saving diagnosis."

AI Diagnostics CEO, Braden van Breda, said:

“At AI Diagnostics, we value mission-alignment. GIF’s dedication to serving those who need it most, combined with their extensive network in our target markets, makes them the ideal partner to tackle this challenge with us.”