South African AI Platform Leova Secures Second Place in Global Innovation Challenge
South African AI Platform Leova Secures Second Place in Global Innovation Challenge. South African technology company BioInformatiCo has received international recognition after its artificial intelligence platform, Leova, finished second in the 2026 CDISC AI Innovation Challenge.
The Johannesburg-based company’s entry placed runner-up among 19 submissions in the first use case category, which focused on applying AI-generated synthetic data to automate software testing.
Leova is designed to help clinical research teams develop and test the digital databases used to collect information during clinical trials for new medicines and vaccines. The platform automates several stages of database preparation, aiming to reduce manual work and help researchers identify errors before studies begin.
BioInformatiCo founder and CEO Shirley Collie said the recognition demonstrated the potential of African-developed technology to address challenges in international clinical research.
The platform was developed using experience gained from the company’s clinical research operations, which include support for first-in-human through to phase three vaccine studies involving infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, Ebola and Covid-19.
According to Collie, preparing and validating clinical trial databases can require between 10 and 20 weeks of specialist work, with each database customised to the requirements of a particular research protocol.
Leova uses study protocols to generate data collection forms and validation rules, construct databases and conduct tests using simulated participant data. This process allows research teams to identify potential weaknesses before enrolling participants.
In one study, the platform reduced database testing and validation work from five days of specialist effort to one day.
BioInformatiCo said the technology is intended to improve efficiency while maintaining the quality controls and traceability required in clinical research.
The company supports clinical trials across sub-Saharan Africa and is pursuing international expansion. Its plans include launching a United States site, with discussions also under way with sponsors in Europe and Australia.
BioInformatiCo is preparing to open a seed funding round in the coming months to support Leova’s development and commercial expansion.
Collie said the company’s ambition was to take technology developed to address practical research challenges in Africa to international markets.
