1997 Jay Godsall travels to Madagascar working on an Idea Bank project with Dr Nat Quansah to create an intellectual property bank for traditional healers and researchers in the rainforests of Madagascar. On his way to the big island nation he forgets his malaria pills and cannot find malaria medicine prior to arriving in Hell Ville northwestern Madagascar. He is stricken with malaria, but doesn’t know it. Upon his return to Toronto, he becomes weaker and debilitated… he visits 3 doctors in 3 different clinics and is misdiagnosed at each – no one diagnoses him with malaria, until finally he reaches Dr Kevin Kain, Toronto Hospital. Jay comes 36 hours from death and is hospitalized for a week with nowhere to go, hooked up to an intravenous. He receives daily visits from Dr Kain and the two start discussing the problems with infectious disease. On the last day, Jay thanks Kevin and asks how he can help address issues with infectious disease. The seed for Mazava is planted with 3 thoughts:
1998 Jay invites Kevin to the same area near Hell Ville
where he acquired malaria. Kevin meets Nat Quansah and the concept of
of launching a global network is hatched. The network is to share the
facts about infectious diseases and share ideas about how to bring
solutions to life. The three agree to organize a media awareness
campaign and start raising money for the knowledge network. Working
with the famous shaman Ndronalahy to test drive the idea of using
computers to share knowledge between downtown Toronto hospitals and
rainforest health clinics they ask the shaman if he understands the
concept. He says “Mazava, Mazava” – I understand completely. The name
Mazava becomes the name of the network.
1999 Jay starts raising money for Mazava
2000 Jay raises initial funding from entrepreneurs in software and the
initial software platform for Mazava starts to be built
2001 Jay strikes a deal for a 13 part documentary series on infectious
disease to be aired globally on a major network… After completing the
pilot for the TV series, Jay is sued by one of the TV production
partners in a struggle for control over the TV series… Jay wins the
legal battle but Mazava’s resources are now bled dry and operations
come to a halt. Jay’s lawyer introduces Jay to Dr Michael Greenberg,
then CEO of Cedara Software Corp. Dr Greenberg is both a medical doctor
and a NASDAQ traded CEO. Jay introduces Dr Kain to Dr Greenberg and the
three start to discuss the idea of a global network and a diagnostics
platform.
2002-03 Dark days for Mazava. Out of cash and unable to keep its staff,
Jay walks the long road to recovery. Jay starts working with Dr
Greenberg and Dr Kain to establish a plan. 2004-05 Jay, Dr Greenberg
and Dr Kain launch the idea of a diagnostics company called Fio, with
Mazava concentrating on a global knowledge network. Jay approaches Dr
James DeLaurier, aerospace engineer (UTIAS) with a challenge: how can
we move refrigerated medical supplies from Johannesburg to Bujumbura?
Dr DeLaurier presents the idea of a new type of flying machine. Dr
DeLaurier puts a team together and starts working on the aerospace
engineering needed to launch a new breed of aircraft able to deliver
medical cargo to biological Hot Zones. Jay brings Dr Kain and Matt
O’Leary to Africa and they conduct a market survey to confirm the
demand for Mazava. Jay travels with African entrepreneur Michel Rugema
to visit doctors and entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania,
Rwanda, Burundi to start building the network.
2006 Jay, Dr Greenberg and Dr Kain and a team launch Fio Corporation.
They raise significant funding and the new company is born. Jay
recruits a team to relaunch Mazava, bringing on Matt O’Leary to develop
the digital along with a team of tech savvy Africans including Aline
Hobingingo, Dio Nkurunziza and Fatima Kamenge. Dr DeLaurier and Jay
register an aircraft company called Solar Ship Inc. Jay introduces Dr
Greenberg and Dr Kain to Dr DeLaurier to develop the idea of creating a
mobile medical lab.
2007-08 With Fio support, Mazava creates a digital technology platform
and test drives the concept in Africa. It is determined that a web
based platform needs to be fully integrated with the power of Africa –
the cell phone.Dr DeLaurier’s team develops an unmanned air vehicle to
test the new aircraft. Mazava team travels to Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda,
Burundi to present the idea of the knowledge network and a new breed of
flying medical lab. The concept is well received.
2009 Matt O’Leary leads the development of a new platform for knowledge
sharing between cell and web. Dr DeLaurier’s team creates a new flying
machine and successfully tests the “Mazava Solar Ship”.
2010 The digital platform continues development and Mazava starts
connecting doctors and researchers to its network. The Mazava prototype
aircraft makes its maiden flight under the direction of pilot Terry
Cleland near Barrie Ontario.
2011 Solar Ship launches the Solar Ship Foundation. Jay begins raising funds for the initial Mazava Mobile Lab for Dr Kain.
2012 Solar Ship partners with Mazava and launches The
Mazava Project. The Mazava Project is a micro-sponsorship platform that
will raise money to develop a fleet of solarships to be deployed on
life saving missions.