2 Nigerian Startups Emerge Finalists in the 2018 Amref Africa’s Innovate for Life Fund Accelerator

The Amref Innovate for Life Fund accelerator has selected 2 Nigerian startups amongst the 6 African startups which it looks to support and invest in for developing innovative, home-grown solutions in healthcare in Africa.

Six African Start-ups get funding from the 2018 Amref Africa’s Innovate for Life Fund Accelerator programme https://t.co/7E0jomrHKN pic.twitter.com/8UMsUtqdHg

— Eze Ifeanyi Adebayo (@IfeanyiAbraham) September 27, 2018

The Amref Innovate for Life Fund targets healthcare startups in Sub-Sahara Africa countries or within the region by offering them the knowledge, business coaching, network and access to funding in order to help them to stimulate home-grown innovations through Innovate for Life’s five-month accelerator programme.

The selected startups include Nigeria’s Baby Grubz, focused on women empowerment and the ways babies are fed in Africa; and Tiny Hearts Technology, a Crib A ‘glow’ Phototherapy Unit used for the treatment of neonatal jaundice in newborn babies. Also on the list are Kenya’s Baobab Circle Limited, a diabetes and hypertension self-management app and Ujuzi Fursa Africa, a health workforce development centre.

Others include Uganda’s Joelex, a sanitation venture and Zimbabwe’s Wastinnova digital hospital waste management system.

Thanks, @johnwaibochi of @virtualcityke for sharing your inspiring entrepreneurial journey with the @Innovate4life_ entrepreneurs! @Amref_worldwide @OboroVirtue @tinyheartstech @BabyGrubz @JoelSsimbwa @UjuziFursa @BaobabCircle #Wastinnova pic.twitter.com/RuslZPpDYa

— Amref Flying Doctors (@Amref_NL) September 21, 2018

Speaking on the accelerator programme, Amref’s group CEO Dr. Githinji Gitahi, said that local entrepreneurs know all that it entails to run in an African market and as such, 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. –Dr. Githinji

The Innovate for Life Fund, which is currently in its second year, would help these startups accelerate their home-grown health solutions for the African market by providing them with the funds, 5 months of mentoring and finally embed them in the Amref Health Africa organization.

And with this 2018 cohort of entrepreneurs, it hopes to further stimulate tech-driven health solutions for and by Africans