i3 Calls for Applicants to 3rd Cohort for Program Enabling African Healthtech  Innovators to Commercialise & Scale Offerings 

January 27, 2025, Lagos, Nigeria - Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative to support  African healthtech startups to commercialise and scale their offerings, is calling for leading innovators to join its 3rd cohort. Funded by the Gates Foundation, MSD, Cencora, Endless Foundation, HELP  Logistics–a subsidiary of the Kühne Foundation, Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and Chemonics, i3 will offer select startups 3 critical resources to prepare themselves for expansion: flexible grants, introductions to potential customers and tailored counsel to close partnership deals. 

i3 is selecting a total of 15 leading startups for this cohort: 

Early-stage startups will receive a $50K grant and growth-stage startups will receive a $225K grant to unlock major partnerships that can expand patient access across the continent. For startups in the cohort,  i3 aims to facilitate at least 150 relationships with key healthcare organizations, worth at least $30M,  which will expand patient access while creating valuable local jobs. 

Applications for the 3rd cohort are open now until February 28th. Apply here:  innovationsinafrica.com/application. The selected startups will be announced on April 30th.  

In just two years since its launch, i3 has empowered 60 African health innovators across 16  countries, exceeding expectations with 43% women-led and 20% Francophone-led ventures. The program provided $3M in direct grants, and facilitated 450 strategic connections, resulting in >$11M in contracted partnerships, expanded reach, and nearly 1,000 jobs created—half of which were held by women. i3 is coordinated by Salient Advisory and Solina Center for Research and Development  (SCIDaR). 

Dr. Uchenna Igbokwe, CEO, SCIDaR “With the right resources, African-led companies can scale commercially while reaching underserved communities and creating jobs. The i3 program has been able  to prove, in just two years, that an actively engaged network of leading global health institutions and  partners can power African innovators to solve critical African problems in healthcare.” 

Oghenetega Iortim, CEO of Figorr, a company that provides end-to-end supply chain tracking technology and an i3 alumni, said, “We partnered with the Nigerian government to track over 200M health products. Through i3 we met with major global customers who were excited to find ways to expand  Figorr’s impact both in Nigeria, and beyond. We’re grateful to i3 for opening these doors.”  

Applications for the 3rd cohort are open now until February 28. Apply here:  

innovationsinafrica.com/application. The selected startups will be announced on April 30th. A virtual Q&A  session will be hosted by i3 on February 21st to answer any questions regarding the application process.  i3 is coordinated by Salient Advisory and Solina Center for Research and Development (SCIDaR).  Leading tech hubs CcHUB and Villgro Africa will spearhead cohort selection, alongside a distinguished panel of African experts. 

-ENDS-

For additional information or interview requests with Salient Advisory, please contact  Salient@wimbart.com 

About the Gates Foundation 

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In  developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve  their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to  the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/  

About MSD 

At MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA in the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We  use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the  forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging  diseases. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect with us on X, LinkedIn and YouTube. 

About Cencora 

Formerly known as AmerisourceBergen, Cencora is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions organization centered on improving the lives of people and animals around the world. Cencora partners with pharmaceutical innovators across the value chain to facilitate and optimize market access to therapies. Care providers depend on Cencora for the secure, reliable delivery of pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, and solutions. Cencora’s 46,000+ worldwide team members contribute to positive health outcomes through the power of Cencora’s purpose: Cencora is united in its responsibility to create healthier futures. Cencora is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500 and #18 on the Global Fortune 500 with more than $290 billion in annual revenue. Learn more at  http://cencora.com 

Endless Foundation 

Endless Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to unlocking human potential through technology. 

Focused on empowering communities through holistic and integrated primary care, the foundation makes catalytic investments in innovative tools and interventions that enhance healthcare access and outcomes,  such as enabling patients and frontline providers with AI, engaging pharmacies in primary care, and aligning provider incentives with patient-centered measures of experience and outcomes. Their mission is to bridge healthcare gaps worldwide by leveraging technology to create sustainable, inclusive health systems. https://www.endlessnetwork.com/initiative-health.html 

About HELP Logistics 

Established in 2014, HELP Logistics is a non-profit organization based in Schindellegi, Switzerland and a subsidiary of the Kühne  Foundation. With five regional offices strategically located in Singapore (Asia), Germany (Europe), Amman (Middle East), Nairobi  (East Africa), and Dakar (West Africa), our mission is to act as a global catalyst for advancing supply chain and logistics expertise to enhance the lives, opportunities, and resilience of people, communities, and economies worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.help-logistics.org and follow us on LinkedIn.  

Sanofi’s Global Health Unit 

Sanofi’s Global Health Unit is a pioneering, not-for-profit social business model with a mission to improve the lives of underserved populations in 40 countries with the highest unmet medical needs through innovative inclusive healthcare models and partnerships,  delivering a sustainable impact. Established in 2022, the Impact Investment Fund is focused on supporting the scale-up of businesses to improve access to healthcare by supporting startup companies and other innovators who can deliver scalable solutions for healthcare in underserved regions. For more information, visit: https://www.impact.sanofi/ 

About Chemonics International 

Founded in 1975, Chemonics is a leading global sustainable development firm for one reason: our people. We are 6,000+  professionals in more than 100 countries around the globe, and 90 percent of us are working in a community we’ve long called home. Our teams reflect a diversity of technical expertise and local knowledge because solving complex development challenges requires both. And as a company, we are committed to connections – global and local, human and technological – that allow learnings to efficiently flow and adapt between experts, projects, and countries. Where Chemonics works, development works.  Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or visit us at https://chemonics.com/ 

About Salient Advisory 

Launched in 2020 with a globally distributed team in Kenya, Nigeria and Canada, Salient Advisory helps changemakers enact transformative approaches to health. The company analyses and supports partnerships to use technology and innovations, adapt policy and financing, and elevate unheard voices to change global conversations and transform access to care. https://www.salientadvisory.com/ 

About SCIDaR 

SCIDaR is an indigenous, Nigeria-based health systems consulting and implementation non-profit organisation that works with governments, development organisations, and the private sector to optimise population health outcomes. It applies proven business and market-shaping techniques and utilises its relationships and understanding of Africa's public and private sector health system actors to ensure sustainable impact. https://scidar.org/

i3 Shifts Focus to Growth-Stage African Healthtechs for its 3rd Cohort in Response to the US Aid “Stop-work” Directive

February 3rd, 2025, Lagos, Nigeria.  Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative to support  African healthtech startups to commercialise and scale their offerings has decided to make a pivotal change to its 3rd cohort selection to prioritise the immediate support for 5-7 growth-stage companies building the Future of Pharmacy care in Africa. It comes in response to the U.S. State Department’s “stop-work” directive for foreign aid issued on January 25th, which is anticipated to impact the distribution of essential medicine in Africa’s healthcare supply chains. The order highlights and intensifies the need for locally-driven, market-creating approaches to health product distribution and service delivery across Africa.

Funded by the Gates Foundation, MSD, Cencora, Endless Foundation, HELP Logistics (a subsidiary of the Kühne Foundation), Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and Chemonics, the i3 program will concentrate its immediate efforts to help innovative growth-stage startups unlock major partnerships to rapidly expand access to patient care. The selected start-ups will also receive up to $225K in grant funds. i3 aims to expand support to early-stage companies at a later date.

Applications for the 3rd cohort are open until February 28th. Apply here: innovationsinafrica.com/application.

The selected startups will be announced on April 30th. A virtual Q&A session will be hosted by i3 on February 21st to answer any questions regarding the application process.  i3 is coordinated by Salient Advisory and Solina Center for International Development and Research (SCIDaR).

-ENDS-

For additional information please contact : Salient@wimbart.com 

About the Gates Foundation 

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/  

About MSD 

At MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA in the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect with us on X, LinkedIn and YouTube. 

About Cencora 

Formerly known as AmerisourceBergen, Cencora is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions organization centered on improving the lives of people and animals around the world. Cencora partners with pharmaceutical innovators across the value chain to facilitate and optimize market access to therapies. Care providers depend on Cencora for the secure, reliable delivery of pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, and solutions. Cencora’s 46,000+ worldwide team members contribute to positive health outcomes through the power of Cencora’s purpose: Cencora is united in its responsibility to create healthier futures. Cencora is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500 and #18 on the Global Fortune 500 with more than $290 billion in annual revenue. Learn more at  http://cencora.com 

Endless Foundation 

Endless Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to unlocking human potential through technology. 

Focused on empowering communities through holistic and integrated primary care, the foundation makes catalytic investments in innovative tools and interventions that enhance healthcare access and outcomes,  such as enabling patients and frontline providers with AI, engaging pharmacies in primary care, and aligning provider incentives with patient-centered measures of experience and outcomes. Their mission is to bridge healthcare gaps worldwide by leveraging technology to create sustainable, inclusive health systems. https://www.endlessnetwork.com/initiative-health.html 

About HELP Logistics 

Established in 2014, HELP Logistics is a non-profit organization based in Schindellegi, Switzerland and a subsidiary of the Kühne  Foundation. With five regional offices strategically located in Singapore (Asia), Germany (Europe), Amman (Middle East), Nairobi  (East Africa), and Dakar (West Africa), our mission is to act as a global catalyst for advancing supply chain and logistics expertise to enhance the lives, opportunities, and resilience of people, communities, and economies worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.help-logistics.org and follow us on LinkedIn.  

Sanofi’s Global Health Unit 

Sanofi’s Global Health Unit is a pioneering, not-for-profit social business model with a mission to improve the lives of underserved populations in 40 countries with the highest unmet medical needs through innovative inclusive healthcare models and partnerships,  delivering a sustainable impact. Established in 2022, the Impact Investment Fund is focused on supporting the scale-up of businesses to improve access to healthcare by supporting startup companies and other innovators who can deliver scalable solutions for healthcare in underserved regions. For more information, visit: https://www.impact.sanofi/ 

About Chemonics International 

Founded in 1975, Chemonics is a leading global sustainable development firm for one reason: our people. We are 6,000+  professionals in more than 100 countries around the globe, and 90 percent of us are working in a community we’ve long called home. Our teams reflect a diversity of technical expertise and local knowledge because solving complex development challenges requires both. And as a company, we are committed to connections – global and local, human and technological – that allow learnings to efficiently flow and adapt between experts, projects, and countries. Where Chemonics works, development works.  Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or visit us at https://chemonics.com/ 

About Salient Advisory 

Launched in 2020 with a globally distributed team in Kenya, Nigeria and Canada, Salient Advisory helps changemakers enact transformative approaches to health. The company analyses and supports partnerships to use technology and innovations, adapt policy and financing, and elevate unheard voices to change global conversations and transform access to care.  https://www.salientadvisory.com/ 

About SCIDaR 

SCIDaR is an indigenous, Nigeria-based health systems consulting and implementation non-profit organisation that works with governments, development organisations, and the private sector to optimise population health outcomes. It applies proven business and market-shaping techniques and utilises its relationships and understanding of Africa's public and private sector health system actors to ensure sustainable impact. https://scidar.org/

Investing in Innovation Africa announces its second call for applications to support African startups in healthcare supply chains

Applications are open for early and growth-stage health tech innovators

April 25th, 2023, Lagos, Nigeria - Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative for start-ups building the future of healthcare supply chains, is calling for leading innovators to join its second cohort. 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 programme connects African-led supply chain innovators to donors, industry, and government partners, to power start-ups’ growth and impact. Selected start-ups receive targeted introductions to customers to support commercialization and impact, a $50,000 grant, and tailored investment readiness support. i3 is particularly focused on selecting women-led companies and those operating in Francophone regions.  

The first cohort, selected in September 2022, featured 31 innovators enhancing access to health products across more than 24,000 hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies in 26 African countries. To date, the i3 program has facilitated 200+ introductions between the cohort, the sponsors, and potential partners such as USAID, The Global Fund, Benshi.aI, i+Solutions, Chemonics, John Snow Inc., FHI360, Madiro Foundation, government representatives from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, representatives from Ekiti and Lagos state, and more. i3 has featured cohort companies on CNBC Africa, at the World Cup, the Africa Health Agenda International Conference, the forthcoming Africa CEO forum, and more. More than 17 innovators have secured partnerships and pilot projects to date.   

Applications for the second cohort are open now until June 26th. Selected start-ups will be announced on September 14th. i3 continues to be inspired by the progress and potential of African innovators in healthcare supply chains, and is coordinated by Salient Advisory, Southbridge A&I and Solina Center for Research and Development (SCIDaR). Leading regional tech hubs - CcHUB (Co creation Hub), Startupbootcamp Afritech, Villgro Africa, and IMPACT Lab, spearhead cohort selection and investment readiness support.  

For more information and to apply, please visit the programme's website at innovationsinafrica.com. Join us in our mission to create a more inclusive and innovative ecosystem for health-tech start-ups in Africa. 

Yusuf Rasool, Director, Sustainable Access Solutions, Global Market Access, at MSD commented:   

“Expanding access to medicines requires a new way of thinking that taps into the incredible talent we have across the continent. We can find African solutions for African challenges by bringing together government, industry, and donors to create the scaffolding for entrepreneurs to succeed. MSD is proud to partner with i3 to find, meet and partner with the next generation of African health care companies that are finding innovative ways to solve tomorrow’s healthcare challenges today.” 

Kieran Daly, Director, Global Health Agencies and Funds, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also commented: 

“i3 intends to jump-start a new way of doing business across aid, industry, and government partners to support local innovation – starting with health care supply chains. With our partners, we’re building a network across the African continent to help structure commercialization support for start-ups, to accelerate their growth and public health impact. We believe local, data-driven innovators closest to the delivery challenges are critical to building the resilient, agile, and responsive supply chains we need.” 

-ENDS- 

For additional information or interview requests with Salient Advisory, please contact: Salient@wimbart.com

About Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them a chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/  

About AmerisourceBergen 

AmerisourceBergen is a global leader in the development and distribution of healthcare products.  In addition to distribution and logistics, AmerisourceBergen helps pharma manufacturers bring their products to market, assisting with each step from pre-commercial to broad-market availability. https://www.amerisourcebergen.com/  

About Merck Sharp & Dohme 

MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in the United States and Canada, uses the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, MSD has brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. MSD aspires to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, MSD is at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. MSD fosters a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operates responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable, and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect with MSD on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Chemonics

Founded in 1975, Chemonics is an international development consulting firm. In more than 70 countries around the globe, our network of 5,000 specialists share a simple belief: that the challenges we face today are best solved through the right partnerships — sharing knowledge, expertise, and experience to deliver results. Where Chemonics works, development works. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or visit us at  https://chemonics.com/

About Microsoft

Microsoft is a technology company that empowers people and organisations around the world to achieve more. The organisation creates innovative software, hardware, and cloud-based solutions that help businesses and individuals realise their full potential. With over 168,000 employees across 190 countries, the organisation is committed to building technology that serves the needs of people of all ages and abilities, regardless of their location or background. At Microsoft, it is believed that technology can be a force for good, and we are dedicated to empowering people and organisations to achieve their goals through the power of our technology. https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb

About Salient Advisory 

Launched in 2020 with a globally distributed team in Kenya, Nigeria and Canada, Salient Advisory helps changemakers enact transformative approaches to health. The company analyses and supports partnerships to use technology and innovations, adapt policy and financing, and elevate unheard voices to change global conversations and transform access to care. https://www.salientadvisory.com/

About SCIDaR 

SCIDaR is an indigenous, Nigeria-based health systems consulting and implementation non-profit organisation that works with governments, development organisations, and the private sector to optimise population health outcomes. It applies proven business and market-shaping techniques and utilises its relationships and understanding of Africa's public and private sector health system actors to ensure sustainable impact. https://scidar.org/  

About Southbridge A&I 

Southbridge A&I is an important player in the strategic, operational, and financial consulting of economic and social operators on the African continent. Intervening in the definition of sectoral policies, the transformation of public companies, and the support of private actors of various sizes, Southbridge A&I creates bridges between stakeholders to maximise the socioeconomic impact of its interventions. Alongside its consulting work, Southbridge A&I has developed an investment branch to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups with significant growth potential. https://south-bridge.com/ 

About CcHUB

CcHUB is a leading innovation center in Africa that provides a range of services to support and promote the growth of technology startups. Headquartered in Nigeria, CcHUB offers incubation, acceleration, and investment opportunities to startups in various sectors, including fintech, healthcare, education, and energy. https://cchubnigeria.com

About ImpactLab Africa

ImpactLab Africa is a social innovation lab based in Morocco, that works to create and scale sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges facing Africa. The lab provides a range of services, including innovation workshops, accelerator programs, and impact investment opportunities, to support and promote the growth of social enterprises in the region. https://www.impactlabafrica.com

About Villgro Africa:

Villgro Africa is a social enterprise incubator based in Nairobi, Kenya, that provides funding, mentorship, and other support services to early-stage startups that are working to address social and environmental challenges in Africa. The organization focuses on sectors such as health, agriculture, and energy, and has a track record of supporting successful social enterprises across the continent. https://villgroafrica.org/

About Startupbootcamp Afritech

Startupbootcamp Afritech is an accelerator program that focuses on supporting early-stage startups in Africa that are working on innovative solutions in various sectors, including fintech, healthtech, agritech, and smart cities. Based in South Africa, the program provides funding, mentorship, and other support services to help startups develop their ideas and bring them to market. https://www.startupbootcamp.org/accelerator/afritech

29 African Startups in Healthcare Supply Chain Selected to Receive Funding and Impact Support from the Gates Foundation, MSD, and More

September 18th, 2023, Lagos, Nigeria - Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative for start-ups building the future of healthcare supply chains, has announced its second cohort of 29 companies. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft, and Chemonics, i3 is dedicated to facilitating the commercialization of promising early- and growth-stage companies. Selected startups receive introductions to leading potential customers in industry, donor agencies and governments, a $50,000 grant, and tailored investment readiness support from leading accelerators Villgro Africa, IMPACT Lab, Startupbootcamp Afritech, and CcHUB.

The 29 start-ups chosen operate in 21 different African countries, delivering digitally-enabled healthcare supply chain solutions. Innovators are building online pharmacies and telemedicine firms, as well as inventory management services for pharmacies, clinics and hospitals, supply chain data analytics, product protection, product visibility and more. 38% of the companies selected are women-led and 17% are conducting operations in Francophone Africa. The selected companies are, in alphabetical order: 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.

Innovators selected will benefit from the i3’s annual Access to Markets event in Nairobi, which will be held between 14-15 of November. The event facilitates dynamic partnership dialogues between industry stakeholders, governments, donors, and large multilateral agencies. Connections are made to drive the commercialization and scale of the start-ups through mutually beneficial contracts, pilot projects, and investments. The first cohort of 31 companies supported by i3 last year forged 24 contracts, pilots, and strategic partnerships to date.

Kieran Daly, Director, Global Health Agencies and Funds at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, commented: “As countries and global health institutions work to expand access to priority products, we face an urgent need to leverage solutions across the public and private sectors to improve health outcomes and strengthen local health systems. Programs like i3 help us understand, support and engage with technology-driven solutions emerging across Africa, hand-in-hand with our partners.” 

Yusuf Rasool, Director, Global Market Access, Sustainable Access Solutions at MSD, noted, “We are excited to have a second cohort of 29 innovative changemakers in African healthcare enter the program. Investing in these companies are a means of delivering lifesaving solutions and empowering communities through the access of critical medicines across the continent.” 

Jason Dinger, Senior Vice President of Global Products and Solutions at Cencora

“The range of startups selected for the second cohort reflects the breadth of talent and creativity in the

African entrepreneurial landscape, and we look forward to witnessing the transformative impact of

their solutions in the years to come.”

i3 is coordinated by Salient Advisory and SCIDaR and is operationalized by leading technology hubs across the continent: CCHub for West Africa, Startupbootcamp AfriTech for Southern Africa, IMPACT Lab for North and French-speaking Africa, and Villgro Africa for East Africa.

For more information about the program, please visit https://innovationsinafrica.com/

-ENDS- 

For additional information or interview requests with Salient Advisory, please contact: Salient@wimbart.com

About Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them a chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/  

About Cencora

Cencora is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions organization centered on improving the lives of people and animals around the world. We partner with pharmaceutical innovators across the value chain to facilitate and optimize market access to therapies. Care providers depend on us for the secure, reliable delivery of pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, and solutions. Our 46,000+ worldwide team members contribute to positive health outcomes through the power of our purpose: We are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. Cencora is ranked #11 on the Fortune 500 and #24 on the Global Fortune 500 with more than $200 billion in annual revenue. Learn more at www.cencora.com 

About Merck Sharp & Dohme 

MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in the United States and Canada, uses the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, MSD has brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. MSD aspires to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, MSD is at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. MSD fosters a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operates responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable, and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.msd.com and connect with MSD on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Chemonics

Founded in 1975, Chemonics is an international development consulting firm. In more than 70 countries around the globe, our network of 5,000 specialists share a simple belief: that the challenges we face today are best solved through the right partnerships — sharing knowledge, expertise, and experience to deliver results. Where Chemonics works, development works. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or visit us at  https://chemonics.com/

About Microsoft

Microsoft is a technology company that empowers people and organisations around the world to achieve more. The organisation creates innovative software, hardware, and cloud-based solutions that help businesses and individuals realise their full potential. With over 168,000 employees across 190 countries, the organisation is committed to building technology that serves the needs of people of all ages and abilities, regardless of their location or background. At Microsoft, it is believed that technology can be a force for good, and we are dedicated to empowering people and organisations to achieve their goals through the power of our technology. https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb

About Salient Advisory 

Launched in 2020 with a globally distributed team in Kenya, Nigeria and Canada, Salient Advisory helps changemakers enact transformative approaches to health. The company analyses and supports partnerships to use technology and innovations, adapt policy and financing, and elevate unheard voices to change global conversations and transform access to care. https://www.salientadvisory.com/

About SCIDaR 

SCIDaR is an indigenous, Nigeria-based health systems consulting and implementation non-profit organisation that works with governments, development organisations, and the private sector to optimise population health outcomes. It applies proven business and market-shaping techniques and utilises its relationships and understanding of Africa's public and private sector health system actors to ensure sustainable impact. https://scidar.org/  

About CcHUB

CcHUB is a leading innovation center in Africa that provides a range of services to support and promote the growth of technology startups. Headquartered in Nigeria, CcHUB offers incubation, acceleration, and investment opportunities to startups in various sectors, including fintech, healthcare, education, and energy. https://cchubnigeria.com

About IMPACT Lab Africa

ImpactLab Africa is a social innovation lab based in Morocco, that works to create and scale sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges facing Africa. The lab provides a range of services, including innovation workshops, accelerator programs, and impact investment opportunities, to support and promote the growth of social enterprises in the region. https://www.impactlabafrica.com

About Villgro Africa:

Villgro Africa is a social enterprise incubator based in Nairobi, Kenya, that provides funding, mentorship, and other support services to early-stage startups that are working to address social and environmental challenges in Africa. The organization focuses on sectors such as health, agriculture, and energy, and has a track record of supporting successful social enterprises across the continent. https://villgroafrica.org/

About Startupbootcamp AfriTech

Startupbootcamp AfriTech is an accelerator program that focuses on supporting early-stage startups in Africa that are working on innovative solutions in various sectors, including fintech, healthtech, agritech, and smart cities. Based in South Africa, the program provides funding, mentorship, and other support services to help startups develop their ideas and bring them to market. https://www.startupbootcamp.org/accelerator/afritech

Investing in Innovation hosts our first Access to Markets event!

Amidst much excitement, i3 welcomed 50+ institutional partners across government, industry, and donors, from Africa, and the rest of the world to its inaugural Access to Markets Event in Lagos, in December, 2022.

The event, which featured addresses from distinguished representatives of the Nigerian government, and tailored workshops delivered by sponsors and partners of i3, enabled 200+ focused meetings between i3 start-ups and partners to explore potential partnerships, contracts, pilot projects, and investments, over the 3-day period.

You can see a short recap video below.

I3 is sponsored by a powerful coalition of donors, industry leaders and African institutions, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MSD, AmerisourceBergen, Chemonics International, Microsoft, and WHO-AFRO.

Learn more about how these amazing innovators are improving access to healthcare products in Africa

https://youtu.be/B-XmPdansT4