Cameroonian Startup General Biotech Unveils Solar Powered Neonatal Incubators at IATF 2025

The Cameroonian biomedical startup, General Biotech, captured widespread attention during the September 2025 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Algiers with its innovative solar-powered neonatal incubators. The incubators, designed for hospitals in regions with unreliable electricity, offer temperature and humidity regulation, remote monitoring, and low-cost maintenance, enabling care for premature and critically ill newborns.

Founded by biomedical maintenance engineer Stephen Mouafo Foguiem, General Biotech has already deployed 50 incubators across Cameroon, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stabilizing over 1,200 newborns in the past year. The visibility at IATF has opened doors for potential expansion, with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune personally requesting that the company study the feasibility of implementing its incubators in Algeria.

Insight: This is a clear example of private African innovation tackling urgent public needs. Neonatal care is critical, but imported incubators are expensive and often require stable electricity which is a major barrier in many African hospitals. By designing a locally powered, lower-cost solution, this startup not only creates a commercial opportunity but also directly improves health outcomes. General Biotech is demonstrating that private enterprise can generate both profit and social impact when solutions are designed around local realities.