Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative dedicated to nurturing startups shaping the future of healthcare supply chains, has unveiled its second cohort consisting of 29 companies. Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and backed by key sponsors like Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft, and Chemonics, i3 is committed to accelerating the growth of promising early- and growth-stage companies in the healthcare sector. The selected startups will receive introductions to influential potential customers in the industry, donor agencies, and governments. They will also benefit from a $50,000 grant and tailored investment readiness support provided by renowned accelerators, including Villgro Africa, IMPACT Lab, Startupbootcamp Afritech, and CcHUB.
These 29 startups hail from 21 different African countries and specialize in digitally-enabled healthcare supply chain solutions. Their innovations encompass online pharmacies, telemedicine platforms, inventory management services for pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals, supply chain data analytics, product protection, product visibility, and more. Notably, 38% of these companies are led by women, and 17% are operating in Francophone Africa. The selected companies, listed alphabetically, are: Afia Group Limited, Aimcare Health, Bena Care, BioCertica, Chari Pharma, CheckUps Medical, Chefaa, Dawa Mkononi, Drugstore Nigeria, Famasi Limited, Field Intelligence, Inc, GICMED, Grinta, Healthtracka, Kapsule, Medical Diagnostech, Medpharma Alliance International Limited, Octosoft Technologies Limited, Pharmarun, Pharmaserv Health Project Nigeria Limited, Reductiona, SASA Health Limited, Tech Care For All Eastern Africa, Technovera – Pelebox Smart Lockers, Tibu Health, UltraTeb, Waspito, WellaHealth, and Welo.
The innovators chosen for this program will have the opportunity to participate in i3’s annual Access to Markets event in Nairobi, scheduled for November 14-15. This event facilitates dynamic partnership dialogues among industry stakeholders, governments, donors, and major multilateral agencies. It aims to establish connections that drive the commercialization and expansion of these startups through mutually beneficial contracts, pilot projects, and investments. Notably, the first cohort of 31 companies supported by i3 last year has already forged 24 contracts, pilots, and strategic partnerships to date.
Kieran Daly, Director of Global Health Agencies and Funds at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, commented, “As countries and global health institutions work to expand access to priority products, we face an urgent need to leverage solutions across the public and private sectors to improve health outcomes and strengthen local health systems. Programs like i3 help us understand, support and engage with technology-driven solutions emerging across Africa, hand-in-hand with our partners.”
Yusuf Rasool, Director of Global Market Access, Sustainable Access Solutions at MSD, expressed enthusiasm, saying, “We are excited to have a second cohort of 29 innovative changemakers in African healthcare enter the program. Investing in these companies is a means of delivering lifesaving solutions and empowering communities through access to critical medicines across the continent.”
Jason Dinger, Senior Vice President of Global Products and Solutions at Cencora, stated, “The range of startups selected for the second cohort reflects the breadth of talent and creativity in the African entrepreneurial landscape, and we look forward to witnessing the transformative impact of their solutions in the years to come.”
i3 is managed by Salient Advisory and SCIDaR and is supported by leading technology hubs across the continent, with CCHub for West Africa, Startupbootcamp AfriTech for Southern Africa, IMPACT Lab for North and French-speaking Africa, and Villgro Africa for East Africa playing pivotal roles.
