i3, an initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with a pan-African reach, is granting 29 startups operating within Africa’s healthcare supply chain an investment without taking equity.
Now in its second year, this program collaborates with Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Microsoft, and Chemonics.
Chosen startups will receive a $50,000 grant, along with valuable connections to potential customers in the industry, donor agencies, and governmental bodies.
Beyond the grant, these selected startups will benefit from investment readiness support provided by organizations such as CcHUB, Villgro Africa, IMPACT Lab, and Startupbootcamp Afritech.
Impressively, 38 percent of these startups are led by women, representing 21 African nations.
In a statement issued on a Monday, Kieran Daly, the Director of Global Health Agencies and Funds at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, emphasized the critical role of programs like i3 in fostering technology-driven solutions across Africa.
He stressed the urgency of collaborating with partners in both the public and private sectors to enhance healthcare outcomes and strengthen local health systems.
The roster of selected startups includes 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.
Yusuf Rasool, the Director of Global Market Access, Sustainable Access Solutions at Merck Sharpe & Dohme, expressed excitement about welcoming the second cohort of 29 innovative changemakers in African healthcare into the program.
He emphasized how investing in these companies serves as a means to provide lifesaving solutions and empower communities by ensuring access to critical medicines across the continent.
In the previous cohort, 31 startups received support, impacting 24,000 healthcare facilities across 26 African countries.
i3 is just one of the Gates Foundation-backed initiatives dedicated to enhancing healthcare in Africa.
In August, 29 African researchers were chosen to develop artificial intelligence applications for healthcare solutions on the continent.
