Call for African Women Innovating In Healthcare (AWIIH) - 2025 Cohort

APPLY HERE

Due Date: 15th June 2025

We are looking for African women innovating in healthcare! Do you lead a high-impact health innovation that’s improving lives in your community? Are you seeking a supportive environment to refine your solution, accelerate your organization’s impact, deepen your understanding of the startup ecosystem, and sharpen your entrepreneurial skills? Do you value access to networks that empower and inspire female founders to reach their full potential?

If so, then this opportunity is for you! We invite you to submit your application here and join our virtual Application Q&A Session on 29th May 2025, from 3pm to 4pm EAT to learn more about this opportunity. Register here to secure your spot for the Q&A session!

Background

Female founders face numerous challenges, from a lack of start-up support programs tailored to their natural strengths in collaboration and networking to limited backing from family and friends and biased assessment approaches when pitching for funding at all stages, from pre-seed to growth. Recognizing these barriers, we launched a dedicated program for female founders in 2024, designed with intentionality and insight to address their unique needs in the healthcare sector. In its first edition, the program supported 31 female-led ventures across 11 African countries, providing funding to 26 through grants and equity investments.

Our 2025 call builds on this momentum and integrates key learnings from the 2024 cohort. It is part of our continued commitment to increasing the participation of female founders across the continent. By offering tailored support throughout the application process and proactively sharing relevant information, we aim to empower even more women to lead and scale healthcare innovations in Africa.

The Opportunity

Villgro Africa is looking for ventures with bold, innovative solutions to some of the most pressing healthcare challenges on the continent. If your startup is working on any of the following:

Strengthening and equipping the health workforce through employment creation, digital skills training, and integration into digital health systems
Addressing Africa’s heavy burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases through solutions targeting malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, mental health, and neglected tropical diseases
Improving access to quality medicines and medical equipment by tackling supply chain inefficiencies and combating the spread of counterfeit products

Then this opportunity is for you. Apply now and scale your impact on Africa’s healthcare ecosystem!

FAQs

1. Do I have to be African to be eligible for this call?

Yes, the applicant must meet all these criteria below:

A female national of an African country or holds indefinite leave to remain in an
African country
Domiciled in an East African country in which they must be a legal resident
Developing the proposed health innovation in their host East Africa country
Holds long-term control and management of the venture, and an active role in both strategic and day-to-day decision-making

2. How can I determine if the product/service I am developing is eligible for this call?

The call is open to women-led innovative ventures tackling key challenges in healthcare in East Africa. Innovations supporting frontline health workers are especially encouraged.

3. Are there any specific requirements for venture eligibility?

Yes, the venture must be:

Incorporated in East Africa.
A for-profit organization represented by a female founder/co-founder who is at least 18 years old and a citizen/national with a legal presence on the African continent.
Owned/led/operated by an African woman (women). We define this as having a woman with long-term control and management of the business, an equity stake, and an active role in both strategic and day-to-day decision-making.
Proven traction in at least one East Africa country and potential to expand across Africa.
Scalable distribution channels.

4. I am yet to register a formal legal entity for my solution. Am I eligible?

No. Please note that non-profits, consultancies, intermediaries, and consortiums are not eligible.

5. What stage of development should my solution be for me to apply?

We are looking for solutions in the following stage of development:

Early stage - (Early stage in refers to having achieved a first round of financing, the startup has crafted a minimum viable product (MVP), established a sizable customer base and has a steady stream of monthly revenue)
Growth stage - (Growth stage is when the company has a solid customer base and is working on expanding its operations)
Mature stage - (Mature stage is when the company has reached its full potential and is focused on maintaining its position)

6. What is the deadline for the application?

The deadline is 15th June 2025.

7. Can I apply ideas/concepts that have not yet been put into practice as businesses?

No, we are looking for ideas that have been tested or are already being implemented as businesses.

8. Will it cost me to apply?

There is no cost to the application process

9. Do I need to upload any documents for submission with my application?

In addition to the information on the application form, applicants must submit the following:

An updated company pitch deck.
A 2-minute pitch video or product demo if available.

10. What is the selection process?

The selection committee will meet to select the top startups in the initial screening and harmonize the cohort based on:

Team: Strength of the current team
Product: We are seeking solutions that are tackling key healthcare challenges in healthcare like strengthening and equipping the health workforce through employment creation, addressing Africa’s heavy burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases and improving access to quality medicines and medical equipment.
Geographic relevance: A company registered and operating in East Africa
Impact: High-impact health innovations that improve lives and drive meaningful improvements in healthcare equity, access, and quality.

11. What is offered to the selected companies?

Selected companies will go through a 9-month incubation and acceleration program during which they will be offered customized support based on their needs, including:

Support networks – Access to a women-led community and peer learning opportunities.
Mentorship and guidance – Access to inspiring and appropriate role models in your field.
Technical expertise – Customized business and technology support by Villgro Africa and partners.
Sponsorship – Curated access to potential external partners and other players in the start-up ecosystem.
Funding – A fair opportunity to secure funding to grow your solution.

12. What type of funding?

The funding size and instrument will vary depending on the business needs and the stage of the solution.

13. Who can see the information I submit in the application for African women innovating in healthcare?

All information submitted may be seen by the coordinating and implementing team and collaboration partners, which includes judges and assessors. All members of the program team are bound by confidentiality agreements. We will retain application materials of applicants (including applicants who are not selected) for up to two years.

14. What publicity will there be about my application?

Once companies have been admitted to the program, Villgro Africa may publicize your involvement through communications channels including but not limited to the Villgro Africa’s website, websites of collaboration partners, social media platforms of program partners as well as other public communications channels.

15. Who can I contact for questions or clarification in case I miss the information sessions?

If you would like to discuss whether your venture is relevant to the call or require any other clarification about the application process, please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected]

16. Who are the partners?

African Women Innovating In Healthcare (AWIIH) call is operationalized by:

Implementing partner: Villgro Africa

Supporting partners: Business for Health Solutions, Johnson & Johnson Impact Venture Boehringer Ingelheim and Daya Hub East Africa

Ready to Transform Healthcare in Africa?

Apply Now!

Applications close on 15th June 2025