Innovate for Life Fund: Tackling Africa’s most Daunting Health Challenges

Deadline: 31 July 2017

Applications are open for Innovate for Life Fund that will tackle Africa’s most daunting health challenges by supporting local entrepreneurs and investing in companies that develop innovative, home-grown solutions.

The Innovate for Life Fund aims to invest in African health entrepreneurs to create home-grown health solutions for the African market. The Innovate for Life Fund offers African health sector-specific support: knowledge, network and access to funding. This is combined with business coaching by an experienced fund management organisation.

The Innovate for Life Fund will start in 2017 with a health specific accelerator and Entrepreneur in Residence programme, embedding a maximum of six talented entrepreneurs at the Amref Health Africa offices in September 2017. The Fund will offer entrepreneurs the support of Amref Health Africa’s facilities and their extensive health network. In January 2018, a maximum of three entrepreneurs will be invited to partner with Amref Health Africa, which will offer follow up support and joint outreach to investors both in Africa and worldwide.

Benefits

The opportunity to develop applicant’s proposition in a strategic partnership with Africa’s leading health organisation;
A tailor-made, health sector specific training and mentoring programme divided in two phases. Phase I: 8 weeks, 6 entrepreneurs. Phase II: 4 weeks with the top 3 entrepreneurs.
In a small group of a maximum of 6 entrepreneurs;
Guidance of an experienced international fund management organisation;
Access to key African stakeholders in the health sector;
Access to an international network of donors, investors and (corporate) partners;
Long term strategic partnership;
Equity funding of maximum $10.000

Eligibility Criteria

The Innovate for Life Fund is looking for passionate entrepreneurs with an innovative product or service to improve primary health care in Africa.
These entrepreneurs will need to convince the panelists on the sustainability and scalability of their business case.
With the selected entrepreneurs, Amref Health Africa will enter into a mutual commitment and long-term relationship. This may concerns equity share.
To stimulate home-grown innovation, the Innovate for Life Fund targets entrepreneurs based in Sub Sahara Africa countries and/ or with Sub Sahara African origin.
A health panel and selection committee will vet the applicants and their decision will be final.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply via given website.

Eligible Countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Cote d’Ivorie, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

For more information, please visit Innovate for Life Fund.

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