Health Accelerator programme for African start-ups now open for applications

The Innovate for Life Fund is designed by Amref Health Africa to support home-grown innovations for better health in Africa

May 30: Nairobi, Kenya: Applications are now being accepted for Amref Health Africa’s Innovate for Life Fund, a five-month accelerator program specifically designed for African health entrepreneurs. Now in its second year, the Innovate for Life Fund aims to support African entrepreneurs to accelerate home-grown health solutions for the African market.

In line with the Lancet Commission on the future of health in sub-Saharan Africa’s efforts, Amref Health Africa believes that African-based, local innovations, with the realities of each country and each community embedded at their core, are vital for lasting health solutions.

“Local entrepreneurs know the needs and characteristics of the market well and therefore their solutions are often very appropriate and sustainable,” says Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa. “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 more than 60 years we have partnered with communities and governments to improve health in Africa. This experience is invaluable for entrepreneurs.”

The Innovate for Life Fund is supported by the Elsevier Foundation.

“We believe strongly in Amref Health Africa’s vision and the creative potential of Africa’s youth,” said Ylann Schemm, Director of the Elsevier Foundation. “With our long-standing commitment to improving global health, we recognise that the Innovate for Life Fund bridges a real gap – stimulating localised tech-driven health solutions for and by Africans.”

In 2017, the first group of six entrepreneurs from three different African countries took part in the Innovate for Life Fund accelerator programme.

“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 achieve scale faster,” says Charles Akhimien, founder of Nigerian-based MOBicure and participant in the 2017 Innovate for Life Fund programme.

The 2018 Innovate for Life Fund programme begins in September, and applications are open until June 15, 2018. For more information and to apply visit: www.innovate4lifefund.com

About Amref Health Africa (www.amref.org) Amref Health Africa, the largest African-led international organization on the continent, reaches more than 11 million people each year through 150 health-focused projects across 35 countries. Founded more than 60 years ago as the Flying Doctors of East Africa to bring critical health services to remote communities, Amref Health Africa now delivers preventative, community-based health care. With a focus on women and children, Amref Health Africa manages a full range of medical and public health programs tackling the most critical health challenges facing the continent: maternal and child care; HIV, TB and malaria; clean water and sanitation; and, surgical and clinical outreach.

For media interviews, please contact:

Jennifer Foulds, Acting Communications Director – Global, Amref Health Africa +1 647-771-5815 (mobile); [email protected]

Rosalie de Hoop, Amref Flying Doctors in the Netherlands, +31 643004371, [email protected]