Dr Hillary Mukudu, founder of TeledoctorSA, has placed third in the Aspen GIBS Route-to-Market Challenge 2025.
The idea for TeledoctorSA began as a fix for challenges in Mukudu’s own GP practice, where he sees patients while his wife, Pearl Zikalala, oversees the back office. They were spending heavily on outsourced electronic health record (EHR) systems that lacked the features they needed. So they built their own.
TeledoctorSA has since evolved into a comprehensive, AI-assisted ecosystem for healthcare practices. Once complete, it will offer secure patient data storage, remote consultations, HR tools and automated billing and insurance claims.
The platform aims to save practices money and improve patient outcomes. “It helps me to be a better doctor,” says Mukudu, “because it automates admin tasks and leaves me to focus on diagnosis”. For example, it can suggest follow-up SMSes based on clinical notes, making it easier for clinicians to provide patients with additional guidance.
One of the platform’s most compelling applications is stroke prevention. TeledoctorSA has licensed a wearable heart-rhythm monitor that shares data directly with clinicians. Patients can also upload blood pressure and blood sugar readings. The system uses that data to alert the doctor to potential red flags.
The judges were impressed by Mukudu’s tech-forward, big-picture thinking in a sector that is sometimes wary of change. The couple’s experience with the practicalities of clinical practice is also in their favour.
The Route-to-Market Challenge identifies high-potential, early-stage businesses and empowers them to bring their ideas to market. As a finalist, Mukudu has earned access to business coaching from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and entrepreneurship specialists Raizcorp, along with opportunities to engage with leaders at multinational pharmaceutical Aspen.
“It’s all about access,” says Allon Raiz, founder of Raizcorp, “Access to the GIBS professors, to people with experience, to someone powerful who can open a door for you. And we’re all here to help.”
TeledoctorSA launches officially in May 2026.
