Deadline: June 26, 2023
Background
Investing in Innovation Africa (i3) is a pan-African initiative for start-ups building the future of healthcare supply chains. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and sponsored by AmerisourceBergen, Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft and Chemonics, i3 is supporting the commercialization of 60 promising early- and growth-stage companies. The program connects African-led supply chain innovators to donors, industry, and government partners, to power start-ups’ growth and impact.
If you are an African entrepreneur creating a solution to a health product distribution challenge in Africa, you are invited to apply for the 2023 cohort of the Investing in Innovation (i3) Program. You stand the chance of receiving a $50,000 grant as well as access to leading donors, industry and institutional players who will support introductions to customers. Up to 30 companies will be selected this round.
Benefits
• Access to Markets: i3’s matchmaking program and flagship event connect innovators to leading local and international industry players, financial institutions, donors, and governments to establish partnerships and pilot projects that fuel impact and scale.
• Risk-Tolerant Funding: i3 provides systematic grants of $50,000 to all participating startups. This flexible funding is provided to address key business model needs and advance the startups’ charitable impacts.
• Investment Readiness Support: i3 provides participating startups with tailored investment readiness support, delivered by leading innovation experts at CCHub, Startupbootcamp AfriTech, Villgro Africa and IMPACT Lab.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply, startups must fulfill the following criteria
• generate direct improvements in one or more of the following areas: availability, accessibility, quality, affordability and visibility of critical health products.
• You must show good management and governance.
• Non-profit organizations, consulting firms, intermediaries and consortia are not eligible.
• The program has a special focus on supporting founders who are traditionally excluded, including women-led companies, and companies operating in Francophone Africa.