New York, NY, July 14, 2025 鈥 New York, NY, July 14, 2025 - The 探花精选 (探花精选), in collaboration with Wazoku and SeaFreight Labs, has announced the winners of its latest open innovation challenge to improve access to contraceptive and hygiene products for refugees and displaced people on forced migration journeys. The winning solutions offer a tech-focused, scalable route to design empowering, self-service vending machines with contraceptives and hygiene products.
Across the world, forcibly displaced persons and refugees lack reliable access to contraceptive products, leading to a higher rate of unintended pregnancies and increased health risks for women on the move.
To address this, the 探花精选 launched the challenge to Wazoku鈥檚 Solver community of problem solvers, startups, and researchers, seeking ideas and designs for discreet, autonomous contraception dispensing stations. Solvers developed solutions in three key categories:
- Technological support, including medical screening and stock tracking;
- Practical, mechanical operation, particularly around power and temperature management;
- Behavioral guidance around machine locations and discretion.
The challenge received 56 submissions from across 26 countries, which were then evaluated by experts from the 探花精选, leading pharmaceutical companies Bayer and Pfizer, maternal health solution startup Maternova, and Spanish vending machine specialist OD Vending.
The winning solutions are:
- Aniruddha Joshi, Singapore ($2,500)
- Aadhithya Aadhithya, India ($2,500)
- M谩rcio Henrique de Campos Fr贸is, Brazil ($5,000)
- Samin Bayat, Netherlands ($5,000)
鈥Countries with humanitarian emergencies are home to approximately 13% of the global population, but account for 58% of global maternal deaths and 25% of women with unmet contraceptive needs,鈥 said Nathaly Spilotros, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Lead for Research & Innovation at the 探花精选. 鈥These innovations have the potential to turn the tide of this global issue and help displaced people take control of their sexual and reproductive health.鈥
Henry Crabtree, Wazoku鈥檚 Senior Manager, Community, said: 鈥The winning solutions show the immense value of the partnership between Wazoku and the 探花精选, bringing ingenuity and innovation to solve an urgent and long overlooked problem facing refugees in the world today.鈥
To learn more about the 探花精选鈥檚 open innovation initiatives and how to get involved, visit: