Health Start-ups Have A Chance To Get Sponsorship Through The World Health Organisation's Africa Innovation Challenge

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the WHO Africa (WHO AFRO) Innovation Challenge, that’s calling startups, individuals companies, researchers etc. who can come up with innovative technologies, products, and healthcare solutions. In other words, the Africa Innovation Challenge want innovators to submit ideas for innovative technologies, products, and solutions that have the potential to create a positive impact and meeting “unmet health needs” in Africa. As WHO puts it;

This Challenge will prioritize innovative and scalable healthcare solutions for selection in the categories of Product Innovation, Service Innovation, and Social Innovation and will also provide continued support to healthcare innovators through a digital platform in the longer term.

What’s in it for participants

The launch of this Challenge and platform serves as a precursor to the Africa Health Forum in Cape Verde in March 2019; the premier gathering of political and business leaders in the region devoted to health. Finalists will be awarded a sponsored opportunity for their innovations to be showcased at the Africa Health Forum where they will get the opportunity to profile their solutions and meet with top political, government and business leaders in the health space.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Solutions that will be considered should be broadly categorized as either product or technological innovations, process or service innovations or social innovations, as further defined below. WHO AFRO recognizes that a single solution may apply to more than one of the categories but applicants must choose the category that suits the best strength for their solution.

Product or Technological innovations

Activities that contribute to the research, development, and design of new products or to improving existing products and that generate new technological knowledge for adoption by the marketplace e.g. medicines, products, supplies, infrastructure, mHealth, etc.

Process or service innovations

Refer to the implementation of a new or significantly improved production or delivery method e.g. innovative financing mechanism etc.

Social innovations

Are new strategies and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds, from working conditions and education to community development and health, that extend and strengthen civil society e.g. community health initiatives, health workforce etc