6 African Start-ups Make 2018 Amref Africa’s Innovate for Life Fund Accelerator Programme

Amref Innovate for Life Fund accelerator has selected six African Start-ups for its 2018 challenge. The Amref Innovate for Life Fund targets healthcare startups in Sub-Saharan Africa countries by offering them the knowledge, business coaching, network and access to funding in order to help stimulate home-grown ideas through their accelerator program

The selected start-ups include Baobab Circle Limited and Ujuzi Fursa Africa from Kenya, Nigeria’s Baby Grubz and Tiny Hearts Technology as well as JOELEX from Uganda and Wastinnova from Zimbabwe.

This year’s innovative solutions are highly diverse and include: a ”Crib A ‘glow” Phototherapy Unit, a device used for the treatment of neonatal jaundice in new born babies, a diabetes and hypertension self-management app, a digital hospital waste management system, a health workforce development centre and, highly nutritious baby food from local produce.

“The Innovate for Life Fund is unique because it is the only programme specific for African start-ups in the health sector and it offers unrivalled knowledge of the health ecosystem and business coaching to help health start-ups scale faster,” said Dr Charles Akhimien, founder of MOBicure which was among the first six entrepreneurs in the Innovate for Life Fund programme 2017.

Amref group CEO Dr. Githinji Gitahi, said that Local entrepreneurs know all the ins and outs of the market and therefore their solutions are often very appropriate and sustainable.

“Local solutions for local challenges is in the DNA of Amref Health Africa, which makes the Innovate for Life Fund programme such a good fit. For over 60 years, we have partnered with communities and governments to improve health in Africa. This experience is invaluable for entrepreneurs.” Said Dr Githinji