Vilgro Africa Call for Women-Led Healthcare Startups in Africa // Apply Before 31st March

Are you a female entrepreneur passionate about revolutionizing healthcare in Africa? Vilgro Africa is looking for you.

Despite significant strides in recent years, the healthcare innovation space in Africa continues to grapple with a notable gender imbalance. Female founders often face unique challenges, from limited access to funding and resources to systemic biases in the industry.

This gender disparity hinders the growth and success of women-led startups and deprives the continent of valuable innovations that could transform healthcare delivery.

Villgro Africa has launched an initiative focused on supporting female healthcare innovators. Through this initiative, they aim to provide women entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive in the competitive healthcare landscape.

Opportunity Details

This opportunity is open to solutions that demonstrate strong potential for significant improvement in healthcare equity and access in all areas relevant to Africa’s health needs. Any type of technology leading to the creation of solutions towards disease prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment is eligible.

Examples of technologies include diagnostics, devices, therapeutics, vaccines. Health solutions in MedTech and Biotech with strong potential for impact are particularly encouraged.

The opportunity is open to MedTech and Biotech from early stage through to growth stage. Solutions with a primary focus on digital technologies or AI as the main basis for value creation, or other health solutions, such as social care-related ventures that have generated compelling and demonstrable traction for health systems strengthening will also be considered.

Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply?

This call for applications is open to female entrepreneurs across Africa who are passionate about driving positive change in healthcare. To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Nationality: Applicants must be nationals of an African country or hold indefinite leave to remain in an African country.
2. Residency: Applicants must be legal residents of an African country where they are developing their proposed health innovation.
3. Leadership Role: Applicants must have long-term control and management of the venture, actively participating in both strategic and day-to-day decision-making processes.
4. Venture Ownership: The venture must be owned, led, and operated by an African woman or women, with at least one female founder/co-founder who is at least 18 years old and has a legal presence on the African continent.

If the solution has not been registered in the country of operation, but there is a plan to register it in the future, the application will be considered.

Please note that: Non-profits, consultancies, intermediaries, and consortiums are not eligible.

Application Process: How to Apply

To apply for this opportunity, interested candidates must submit an online application through the VC4A platform. Along with the application form, applicants are required to provide the following documents:

1. CVs of Core Team Members: Brief resumes of key team members involved in the venture.
2. Company Pitch Document or Concept Note: A concise overview of the proposed health innovation and its potential impact.
3. Pitch Deck or Video Presentation: Optional but encouraged, a pitch deck or video presentation providing additional insights into the innovation and its value proposition.

Application Deadline and Selection Process

The deadline for applications is March 22, 2024. After the application period closes, a selection committee will review all submissions and identify the top startups based on the following criteria:

• Team Strength: The qualifications, expertise, and commitment of the founding team.
• Product/Solution Impact: The potential for the innovation to drive meaningful change in healthcare equity and access.
• Geographic Relevance: The relevance of the solution to healthcare needs in Africa.
• Innovation and Scalability: The uniqueness and scalability of the proposed solution.

Selected startups will be notified and invited to participate in a 6-month incubation program, where they will receive customized support, mentorship, technical expertise, sponsorship opportunities, and funding to further develop their innovations.

If you are interested, apply to Vilgro Africa through their website here. Applyy before 31st March 2024.