WATCH: Here’s how a Ghana startup is changing cancer research in Africa

Yemaachi Biotech, a cancer research and diagnostics startup in Ghana, wants to expand the world’s knowledge of how cancer affects people of African descent.

Earlier this year, Yemaachi Biotech closed a $3 million seed round to advance its mission of diversifying precision oncology globally.

The firm uses cutting-edge immunogenomics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of cancer detection and cure strategies

In addition, Yemaachi Biotech was also one of the fifteen companies selected in 2021 for the 21 batch of the Y Combinator accelerator.

WATCH: Ghana startup’s fight against cancer

Said Yaw Bediako, co-founder and CEO of Yemaachi Biotech, at the time: “We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of genomic data and understanding.”

“We know genetic outcomes are context-dependent, including within the genome. Creating a dataset that has the greatest genomic diversity.”

Cancer advancement in Africa and beyond

He said it can enable “rapid discoveries that have long-term implications for cancer research, drug development, and patient care, not just in Africa, but globally”.

The company intends to use expansive datasets coupled with immunogenomics, bioinformatics, and deep learning to “rapidly accelerate advancements in oncology”.

The endeavour is strengthened through Yemaachi’s already-formed clinical partnerships and the “breadth of expertise of the highly talented founding team”, managing partner Tobi Oke said.

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