The first quarter of 2025 - that's a wrap!

With the end of Q1 2025, we’re taking a moment to reflect. The first quarter of the year has been full to the brim - from conferences and panels, to project announcements and published reports. It's almost too much to wrap our heads around, which is why we've compiled this summary of what's been going on so we can all keep track.

Let’s take a look back at how we kicked off the year and a glimpse into what’s ahead.

January

Our year started off strong, with key visits and conversations laying the groundwork for the months ahead. We were thrilled to welcome a leadership delegation from Ghana’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to our offices in Berlin, where we dug into the potential of digital infrastructure to expand enrollment and access to healthcare. The delegation also met with our research partners at mTOMADY , the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin , and Technische Universität Berlin as part of the NHIA REACH UHC Program, which introduces innovative digital tools to increase NHIA membership.

We also took part in discussions at the World Systemic Forum in Switzerland, pushing for health access to be recognized as a must for sustainable food systems. Later in the month, our team presented at the Charité Digital Health Forum, where the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched their WomenXCollective. We were invited to hold a keynote to share how Elucid and mTOMADY are improving maternal care.

February

If January was about setting the stage, February was about stepping into the spotlight. We hit the road, attending six events in five countries, with one message: farmer health is not a ‘nice to have.’ It’s essential for resilient households and supply chains.

From ISM Cologne and UBS 's Social Impact Forum to FRUIT LOGISTICA and Biofach, we showcased how integrating healthcare into supply chains can build resilience. Mid-month, we connected with East African coffee cooperatives at the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) in Tanzania to better understand what health solutions would be most impactful for farming communities in Uganda.

Our operations teams from Berlin and Ghana also came together in Accra to dive deep into what it takes to make healthcare truly work for cocoa farmers. Together, they prepared for our upcoming vaccination rollout with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance , and Tony's Chocolonely , strengthened local partnerships with health authorities and cooperatives, and refined how we monitor impact and engage farming communities on the ground.

But our most exciting February milestone? The launch of the Elucid Social Club at Amsterdam Cocoa Week...

The Elucid Social Club Launch

The launch of the Elucid Social Club was an event to remember. The launch was a side-event at Amsterdam Cocoa Week , and we brought together more than 50+ stakeholders from cocoa, coffee, and other sectors to explore what it really means to integrate health into supply chains. From LBCs operating on thin margins to major chocolate companies doing the hard work of changing their sourcing models, the message was clear: healthcare isn’t just good for farmers; it’s also really good for business.

We also launched The Bold Ambition Award during the Social Club to capture this spirit. During the event, teams were invited to pitch an innovative health and nutrition solution. The winning team, led by ABOCFA Cooperative’s Stephen Ashia, proposed a concrete community-based health and nutrition initiative, landing them the prize!

You can read in more detail about our Social Club in one of our past LinkedIn newsletters, here.

March

The momentum didn't stop in March, as we took the farmer health conversation to one of the most influential platforms in cocoa: the World Cocoa Foundation ’s Partnership Meeting, held in São Paulo. We were thrilled that we had the opportunity for our co-founder Samuel Knauss to join a panel to discuss why health is a business imperative for cocoa’s future, and why collaboration with governments, cooperatives, and companies is key to building sustainable change.

And that's not all! We also announced the launch of a new cotton health program in Côte d’Ivoire, developed in partnership with Better Cotton Initiative , Olam Agri , SECO (Olam Agri's local entity), and ISEAL . This program is designed to bring care closer to rural communities, reduce medical costs, and support the long-term productivity of cotton farmers, echoing our broader mission in other supply chains. It will be our first program in the cotton supply chain, and we're excited to keep following our mission of accessible healthcare in new sectors.

In March, we also marked three years since Elucid’s founding. On our third birthday, we reflected on our 'toddler years' - three years of testing, learning, growing, and proving that when healthcare reaches the last mile, it strengthens entire systems.

Looking ahead, we’re more energized than ever.

It's always nice to reflect on success - but we shouldn't do it without proof. That's why you can look at it yourself in our 2024 Annual Report, which is hot off the digital press! From independent evaluations placing us among top performers in Sub-Saharan Africa, to measurable improvements in farmer health and cooperative retention across Ghana and Madagascar, the results within our report are affirming. Make sure to give it a read here.

Thank you to all of our partners, supporters, and team members who made Q1 a success. Let’s keep the momentum going into Q2 and beyond.