In South Africa’s dynamic tech landscape, where healthcare often falls short in accessibility and sensitivity, Thato Schermer has planted a flag of change—not through grandstanding, but through the intimate, crucial act of care.
As co-founder of Zoie Health Technologies, she is transforming how women across the continent access healthcare—one compassionate click at a time.
Thato’s journey didn’t begin in startups but in corporate corridors.
After completing her honors business degree at the University of Cape Town and a Business French qualification from the Paris Chamber of Commerce, she cut her teeth as a management consultant advising across industries and geographies—from East Africa to Asia-Pacific.
Her curiosity later led her into influential roles: Chief of Staff at Discovery Vitality, strategist in healthcare delivery at Life Healthcare, and B2B territory manager for Uber for Business in South Africa.
She even co-chaired Women at Uber for the EMEA region—cementing her reputation as both strategist and advocate for gender diversity in technology .
But it was the mounting barriers she saw in women’s healthcare that ignited her entrepreneurial spark. Traditional care was expensive, fragmented, even dehumanizing—gaps she resolved to fill from within.
In August 2021, she co-founded Zoie Health, Africa’s first virtual women’s and family wellness platform—offering accessible care for fertility, family planning, maternity, mental health, and more via web, app, and WhatsApp .
Her vision isn’t just compassionate—it’s effective. Zoie Health has already impacted thousands of women and created jobs for 24 employees.
The platform’s features—which include virtual consultations, wellness communities, a digital pharmacy, and the innovative EasyDoc service (a B2B healthcare benefit accessed via WhatsApp)—have made it indispensable for both individuals and employers alike .
Recognition has followed. Zoie was named among South Africa’s Top 5 Most Exciting Startups (2022) by Heavy Chef and has drawn praise as a rising beacon in health-tech .
Thato herself has been honored as one of the Top 200 Mail & Guardian Young South Africans and among the Top 50 Inspiring Women in South Africa .
The platform has attracted pre-seed funding from firms like 4DX Ventures and E Squared, fueling plans for broader expansion within the SADC region and beyond .
In interviews, Thato’s voice echoes conviction: “Trust the process and ditch the insecurity … so much of my early career was filled with doubt when I should have just believed in myself and savoured the lessons.”
Thato Schermer might not look like the archetypal disruptor, but perhaps that’s the point. She disrupts not by upending systems, but by infusing them with empathy, access, and dignity.
With Zoie Health, she is writing a new chapter where healthcare isn’t just delivered—it’s designed for women by women.
Image Credit: We Are Tech Africa
