SP Investment Fund invests in emerging technology companies developing low-cost solutions to global problems. One such company, Unima, is creating an affordable diagnostic technology using genetically modified shark antibodies. The simple 3-step process can test for multiple diseases across diverse regions. Current validations are occurring in Africa and plans are in place to expand to other global markets. Unima's $1 diagnostic can identify tuberculosis within 15 minutes to help address the nearly 3 million undiagnosed cases annually. The company was named a finalist for its potential to widely scale its high-impact, low-cost health solution.

1. Supporting
Emerging
Technology to
Deliver High-
Impact
Solutions
SP INVESTMENT
FUND

2. Introduction
A socially positive investment firm, SP Investment Fund invests in emerging
technology companies that have developed low-cost solutions to solve problems
impacting both developed and developing nations. One such company that SP
Investment Fund supports is biotechnology company Unima, a startup focused on
creating a low-cost diagnostic technology.
The Unima technology uses three simple steps, and is scalable and adaptable,
enabling diagnostic tests across a diverse set of diseases. The technology is currently
in validations tests across Cameroon and Zambia, and there are plans to launch the
solution into Mexico, Guatemala, Indonesia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Unima’s
market is made up of global health organizations such as Doctors Without Borders
and the Red Cross, but also national public health sectors in each country and
international pharmaceutical companies.
The technology uses genetically modified recombinant antibodies from sharks that
have been engineered to catch specific biomarkers of diseases. The immediate aim is
to help reduce the approximately three million tuberculosis cases that remain
undiagnosed each year. The result will be the production of a diagnostic test that will
take only 15 minutes to provide a result, at the cost of less than $1 per test.
Unima has been announced as a 2019 finalist in Accelerate 2030, a program aimed at
supporting ventures with high-impact solutions that are ready to be scaled for global
implementation.