Read the Conversation
Conversation highlights:
- From Burnout to Innovation. WellTech was born from first-hand experience with corporate burnout during the pandemic, inspiring a mission to make wellness science-based, accessible, and motivating through technology.
- Making Wellness Practical and Inclusive. Hanekom (Toni) champions small, realistic steps toward self-care, while promoting inclusive, tech-enabled solutions for all lifestyles.
- Human + Robotic Synergy. Devices like a robotic massager aim to support rather than replace therapists.
- Science-Backed and Locally Supported. Every product WellTech distributes meets FDA or EU standards and is supported by local engineering, certification, and training, supporting job creation and skills development in this field in SA.
- Building Trust in Wellness Tech
- WellTech’s core message to investors and clients: only clinically proven, reliable technologies belong in the wellness space.
EF: What market opportunity did you identify that led you to found WellTech?
TH: My experience comes from both the pharmaceutical and corporate worlds, and what I learned applies to almost any organization. During my time managing a corporate team, I saw firsthand how, even years after the pandemic, fatigue and burnout persisted across the organization. Eventually, the company brought in a well-known stress coach. That experience introduced me to the concepts that later became part of WellTech, like cold and heat therapy, yoga, and other recovery methods. The coach explained everything using science, which really connected with a pharma audience.
One of my team members, who was really struggling, told me that, even though he understood the advice, he simply did not have the energy to start exercising or cooking healthy meals. Many people know what they should do, but cannot take the first step because they are already too depleted.
Soon after, I started trying some of the wellness methods myself. I found that after trying one cryotherapy session, I walked out feeling instantly re-energized. That is when it clicked. If people could experience that “feel-good” moment even once, it might motivate them to start taking care of themselves.
I began researching more about wellness technologies and realized there was almost nothing available locally. There were hardly any reputable medical companies importing quality wellness equipment. If I could create access to good wellness devices and solutions here, I could help people overcome the time barrier and make self-care more achievable. That is how WellTech began.
EF: How has self-care awareness evolved in South Africa with the rise of groundbreaking therapies?
TH: My first job here is to make it look appealing, then make it popular, get people to try it, and eventually turn it into part of their lifestyle. It is challenging, though. I see how many wellness enthusiasts and business owners are still promoting the “hard way” approach, where if you do not work out for an hour or do things a specific way, you are seen as taking shortcuts. I am trying to shift that mindset, because any step toward better health is a good one.
We have had strong interest from professional and competitive athletes. That has been one of our first major successes, and I believe their involvement will help raise awareness among everyday people, too. I know there is still a lot of work ahead. I fully believe there is no substitute for exercise, good nutrition, and managing stress. But I also believe time is the biggest challenge for most people. It is about finding balance. Many people are working hard, raising families, and dealing with daily stress. If something works for you, use it. My goal is to help people experience that first moment of feeling better because once you feel it, you will want to keep going.
Wellness should also be inclusive. South Africa is very diverse, and not everyone can or wants to follow the same health routines. Some people have cultural or religious reasons that limit what they can do. I want to make wellness available for everyone through technology, such as touch-free massage devices that respect privacy and personal beliefs. It is about giving people options. Both the easy and the difficult paths should be available. My passion comes from wanting to help that one person who said, “I wish I could.” My goal is to help people take that first small step, whatever it looks like for them.
EF: Which innovative therapy that you are developing are you most excited about?
TH: The first one is the Robosculptor, which is a robotic massager. I love it for several reasons. The first is inclusivity (respects all cultural, religious, or personal beliefs as it’s a touchless, totally private experience – really relevant for SA). Anyone can use it. The second reason is that therapists work very long hours, even through holidays, missing time with their families and kids. What if we could offer both human and robotic massage options in hotels and spas? It would create a differentiator for clients, offer more flexibility as it’s always available, and reduce burnout of therapists, allowing them to earn more while working more manageable hours.
The RoboSculptor can do lymphatic drainage and other types of massage. It fits easily into a spa setting and makes the whole experience more efficient. It does not replace human therapists, but it supports them.
Another reason I am passionate about it is how it helps physiotherapists and athletes. Every physiotherapist needs one themselves because their work is so physically demanding. A device like this can handle the repetitive or warming-up parts while the physiotherapist focuses on the specialized rehab work that requires expertise and judgment. They could treat more people, focus on recovery exercises, and provide better guidance. For me, the RoboSculptor is not just about technology. It is about improving people’s lives and making the wellness industry more inclusive and sustainable.
The second device I love is the Cryo-Chamber. I love it because of how it changed me personally and how it can help others. With cryotherapy, you feel better right away, even after a few sessions a week. That motivates you to keep going. When you feel a real change, it becomes motivating. For me, it is all about helping people experience how good they can feel. Once they feel it, they will keep going. The wide range of whole-body cryotherapy chambers allows businesses of all sizes to make it available to their customers. That is what drives me to find ways to make wellness more inclusive, motivating, and sustainable for everyone.
EF: What criteria do you use when selecting partners?
TH: Regarding partners, one of my biggest priorities is raising awareness. Sports have always united the country, so it made sense to start there. However, I want it to feel inclusive and relatable. I want to mix things up with different kinds of sports, such as golf, marathons, and sprinting, because golf, for example, feels more approachable to many people.
For now, choosing partners is mainly about building awareness and maintaining credibility. I am very selective about whom we work with. I prefer real, authentic people who believe in what we are doing. I am also partnering with disease societies because it is something I care deeply about. While what we do is not a form of medication, it can support people with chronic conditions and help them feel better. So overall, I want everyone to know that our approach is not just for athletes, but for anyone who wants to take small, realistic steps toward better health.
EF: How can we position you as the partner of choice in the wellness and healthcare sector?
TH: For me, the main requirement when choosing a partner is that they should not insist on doing things a certain way. That kind of mindset is hard to work with, and it is surprisingly difficult to find open-minded partners.
From a business standpoint, you do not need to be a medical device company to sell wellness devices. In South Africa and in many other countries, these devices are not regulated. I chose to register the business as a medical device company because that means I must follow strict standards and legal requirements. My goal is not only to run a wellness center but also to distribute these devices widely and make them accessible everywhere. It took me two years to prepare before launching the business because I wanted to make sure all the licenses and certifications required for a medical device company were in place. I wanted to build trust and set a higher standard. The African market should have access to the highest quality devices to support their business goals and growth. I want to be the partner of choice because I have built the business on reliability and compliance. I cannot import or sell anything that has not gone through proper certification and quality checks. If we are going to introduce new wellness technologies to people, we need to do it responsibly. I only bring in devices that are safe, proven, and supported by clinical research. That is what sets me apart.
EF: As a woman in the tech industry, what advice would you give to young women starting their careers?
TH: When I go into meetings, I never introduce myself as a woman in tech. For young women, especially, I would say do not define yourself by gender. For real equality, we should be treated the same way – I would shift it more to we should treat ourselves the same way as men do – we should stop differentiating ourselves by gender but by performance.
When it comes to running a company, my role is no different from a man doing the same job. I also think women should shift their mindset, especially when it comes to funding businesses. There are plenty of investors who want to back profitable ideas, and they do not care if the founder is a man or a woman. If your idea has value, investors will see it.
Early in my career, a senior leader told me about a job opening and said, “I bet you will not apply. Men apply if they meet one requirement. You are waiting to meet all ten.” That changed how I saw things. So, my advice to women is to stop labeling yourself as a “woman in leadership” or “female entrepreneur.” You are simply an entrepreneur.
EF: What key message would you like to share about WellTech?
TH: At WellTech, we hold ourselves to a higher standard. We only provide technology that is scientifically and clinically proven. Nothing we offer is based on opinions or marketing hype. That is important because the wellness industry has become confusing for most people, and it is hard to know what is real. With WellTech, you can rely on the fact that everything we offer is backed by science.
From a practical side, when it comes to partnerships, we do not just import devices. We have an engineer in-house and can handle everything locally: importing, delivery, installation, training, servicing, and repairs. We even provide all the legal documents, like client consent forms, plus guidance on what marketing claims are allowed and which are not. We deliver the product, train the staff on-site, certify them, and provide all the legal and marketing support. If something breaks, we have a trained engineer ready to help locally. Basically, when you partner with us, you do not have to worry about anything. We have built a complete, reliable system that takes care of every step, so you can focus on your business while we handle the rest.
My main aim is to be the supplier of choice for businesses wanting to include wellness technologies as part of their offerings. From spas and high-performance centers to aesthetic practices and hotels. South Africa is lagging behind on the growing trend, and WellTech is here to support the acceleration and adoption.
