On the opening day, i3 announced 3 new transformative deals between leading African healthtech startups and global manufacturers, collaborations that will advance cervical cancer prevention, pharmacy-based access, and malaria care.

MSD and MYDAWA unveiled a collaboration aimed at supporting MYDAWA in enhancing their concierge channel services to strengthen efforts related to cervical cancer elimination.

Through this initiative, MYDAWA will expand access to health-related services, such as at-home and in-clinic options, supported by online booking tools and educational counselling. MSD’s contribution focuses on business and technical expertise, which demonstrates how a collaboration between regional and global innovators can develop new healthcare solutions to people through novel, patient-centered models that help reduce barriers to accessing healthcare.

This initiative is centered on improving access to information and services. It does not involve the supply, promotion or distribution of any vaccines or medicinal products that are not registered.

“We’re excited to support MYDAWA in improving access to healthcare, powered by purpose and technology. Together, we’re meeting communities where they are, forging new paths for patient access and creating health markets. This is how we break down barriers across Africa, through collaborations that enable sustainable and scalable solutions,” said Dr. Priya Agrawal, Vice President, International Health Equity and Partnerships, MSD.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) under the Federal Ministry of Health, and Sproxil to combat malaria by improving access to diagnostics and treatments.

The partnership leverages Sproxil’s test-to-treat model and AI-powered malaria surveillance to provide real-time data from pharmacies and patent medicine vendors, enabling collaboration with pharmaceutical manufacturers and giving NMEP insights to track distribution, monitor disease patterns, and ensure accountability.

This initiative supports Nigeria’s targets of reducing malaria prevalence to below 10% and malaria-related deaths to under 50 per 1,000 live births.

Commenting on the partnership with PVAC and NMEP, Dr. Ashifi Gogo, CEO and Founder of Sproxil said:

“We are honored to partner with Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and the Presidential Initiative For Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) in deploying AI-enhanced surveillance infrastructure that transforms every consumer product verification into timely epidemiological intelligence. This partnership demonstrates that African-led solutions, when properly supported, can drive continental health transformation while ensuring affordable anti-malarials reach the children and families who need them most.”

• Boehringer Ingelheim’s Social Engagement Fund celebrated recent investments in 3 companies driving the future of pharmacy across Africa: Dawa Mkononi (a member of the latest i3 cohort), Kasha, and Reach52.

“We are delighted to invest in three additional startups that deliver a strong impact to communities across Africa,” says Dr. Ilka Wicke, Head of Sustainability Social. “These partnerships reflect our belief that sustainable healthcare solutions are best built through collaboration – with local innovators who understand the needs on the ground and with global partners who can help scale their vision. Together, we’re making meaningful progress toward our goal of improving the lives of 50 million people by 2030. We’re thrilled to celebrate progress with our partners who share this vision across the i3 program.”

Since July, i3 has been working closely with leading innovators focused on the future of pharmacy care in Africa – Chefaa, Dawa Mkononi, Meditect, mPharma, MYDAWA, Sproxil and Zuri Health–  completing more than 110 bespoke introductions to customers and investors, generating 15 partnerships with a potential value exceeding $20 million.

At an unprecedented pace of more than one advancing partnership per week, i3 continues to deliver best-in-class growth advisory support to African healthtech innovators.

This year’s A2M brought together 15 leading African healthtech startups, whose innovations already power more than 66,000 healthcare providers across 12 African countries and are on track to reach over 167,000 providers by 2028, demonstrating a powerful channel for improving patient access and strengthening health systems.

A2M also convened 41 prominent investors, global and regional pharmaceutical manufacturers, donors, development finance institutions, and multilateral agencies, including Grand Challenges Canada, IFC, World Bank, Pfizer, Causal Foundry, Proqurable, Federal Ministry of Health, PVAC, and i3’s sponsors, who are all working to accelerate scalable innovations, create jobs, and expand healthcare impact across the continent.

“Leading healthtech startups are an increasingly powerful force across Africa, reshaping the continent’s healthcare landscape. Through Access to Markets, these innovators are linked with strategic, high-impact partners across industry, government, donors, and global health agencies, enabling them to better scale their solutions. This approach is rapidly delivering tangible results, as evidenced by the more than 100 meetings being held at this year’s event and the 3 deals announced today,” said Oladunni Lawal, Investing in Innovation Lead.

The event program also includes senior government participation, notably keynote speaker Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Chain, and Dr. Leke Ojewale, Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister of Health for Nigeria.

Through initiatives like A2M, i3 is helping build a sustainable, digitally enabled future for African healthcare–one where locally led innovation, supported by global and regional partnerships, drives lasting impact at scale. i3 is supported by dedicated sponsors – the Gates Foundation, MSD, Cencora, Endless Health, HELP Logistics, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

This dynamic lineup includes five innovative African startups poised to revolutionize healthcare with AI-driven solutions.

After an extensive selection process that began in May, these startups are at the forefront of leveraging AI to address critical challenges, from early disease detection to improving information accessibility. Their innovations not only enhance the lives of billions but also stimulate robust economic growth.

Yuval Passov, Head of Google for Startups and program leader, expressed admiration for Africa’s innovation in the AI for Health sector, highlighting these startups as a testament to the continent’s global health solution development capabilities. Google aims to support and collaborate with them as they scale and disseminate their groundbreaking solutions.

The African startups in the Google for Startups Growth Academy cohort, listed alphabetically, are as follows:

• Eden Care (Rwanda): Blending AI and digital health to transform health insurance and corporate well-being.
• iZola Limited (Kenya): Providing enhanced support for families with neurodivergent children through an AI-integrated therapeutics platform.
• mDoc (Nigeria): Uplifting personal health practices through virtual health mentorship.
• Pharmarun (Nigeria): Bringing regional pharmacies together with an innovative, patient-centric platform.
• Zuri Health (Kenya): Pioneering patient care with an all-encompassing digital toolkit.

Beyond Africa, the selected startups include Biocam, offering a real-time digestive system scanning capsule, Mindstep with an app focused on enhancing brain and mental health, and Rayscape, providing radiologists with an AI-equipped digital assistant for better decision-making.

This initiative aligns with Google’s broader vision of supporting startups and accelerating their growth. In August, Google introduced the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First, a 10-week, equity-free accelerator program aimed at assisting African startups in leveraging artificial intelligence to tackle local challenges.

Since launching Google for Startups Accelerator programs in Africa in 2018, Google has backed 106 startups from 17 African nations, collectively raising over $263 million in funding and creating more than 2,800 jobs.

Launched in 2021, Zuri Health makes medical care affordable and accessible to everyone, especially the underserved. 

The company utilizes a mobile app, website, WhatsApp chatbot, and SMS to make its services reachable. The app allows patients to chat and consult with doctors, buy medication from pharmacies, book labs and diagnostic tests, and schedule home visits with licensed medical doctors.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for telemedicine has become increasingly clear. Traditional in-person medical appointments can be risky, especially for vulnerable populations. This healthcare telemedicine startup offers a safe and convenient alternative that allows patients to receive the care they need without leaving their homes.

UM6P Ventures’ investment will be used to support the growth and expansion of Zuri Health while it enhances its current technology, hires additional staff, and expands the services and markets available to patients. With this investment, Zuri Health will be able to reach more patients and improve the quality of care they receive.

Zuri Health has already seen significant success, with a growing number of patients turning to virtual consultations. The telemedicine platform is easy to use and offers a wide range of services, including remote diagnostics, virtual consultations with specialists, and prescription delivery. The platform is also fully integrated with electronic medical records, making it easy for patients to share their medical history with their doctor.

Zuri Health has onboarded over 600+ doctors to its platform and acquired over 16 pharmacy partners and 29 lab partners, including PharmaPlus and Ilara Health. Through these partnerships, Zuri Health has recorded over 10,000 lab and pharmacy orders and 24,000 WhatsApp Bot interactions.

Since its inception, Zuri Health has garnered up to 19 awards and recognitions. It was the winner of the Villgro Africa Healthcare Innovation Challenge in collaboration with Johnson and Johnson Impact Ventures to support front-line health workers. It also won the SANKALP Awards 2022.

UM6P Ventures is excited to be a part of this innovative healthcare solution and looks forward to supporting the growth of the startup in the future. With this investment, the startup will be able to make a positive impact on the healthcare industry and improve the lives of patients all over the world.

Zuri Health’s Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Titilola Olaolu-Hassan shared: “Being at the helm of a rapidly growing and evolving company like Zuri Health is an interesting challenge. The company’s growth rate shows that we are doing something right. We will continue to improve our operations and services to serve people better.”

Yasser Biaz, CEO at UM6P Ventures stated: “Several healthcare providers and facilities are still centralized in major cities or urban centres. Our investment in Zuri Health is what will help us in filling that gap, increase efficiency in the pharma supply chain, and broaden our reach. There’s no way enough hospitals will be built to reach everybody with the health care that they need.”

This partnership is a step towards a more accessible and efficient healthcare system, where patients can receive the care they need regardless of their location. UM6P Ventures believes that telemedicine is the future of healthcare and is committed to investing in companies that are making a positive impact on the industry.

UM6P Ventures’ investment in Zuri Health is a significant step in the right direction for the future of healthcare and we look forward to the positive impact it will have on the lives of patients everywhere.