Seven African healthtech startups have been selected for the latest cohort of the Investing in Innovation Africa (i3) program. Each will receive up to $225,000 in grant funding and tailored support to scale solutions that improve medicine access.
Backed by the Gates Foundation, Merck & Co. Inc. (MSD), Sanofi, and others, i3 supports growth-stage startups working to close critical health care gaps. This cohort emphasizes pharmacy-related solutions, a vital part of health care in many African countries, where pharmacies handle up to 70% of initial patient visits, according to Urban Geekz.
The selected startups, which are dedicated to developing a range of scalable, tech-enabled solutions, include:
- mPharma
- Chefaa
- Dawa Mkononi
- Meditect
- myDawa
- RxAll
- Sproxil
Their offerings include AI-powered prescription refills, last-mile medicine delivery, cloud-based pharmacy systems, embedded financing, inventory management, and product authentication to reduce fraud and improve drug safety.
“It is an honor to be selected as part of the i3 cohort focused on growth-stage companies,” said Dr. Ashifi Gogo, Sproxil’s founder and CEO, in a press release announcing the cohort. “The support of leading global life sciences and logistics companies, alongside forward-thinking foundations, is encouraging as we scale our impact. The i3 program continues to differentiate itself through the transformative power of local innovation, and I am eager to see the significant impact this cohort will undoubtedly make.”
As part of their participation in the i3 program, these African healthtech startups will also engage in i3’s Access to Markets event in December 2025, a platform designed to forge high-impact partnerships between innovators and major health care stakeholders, including governments, donors, and multinational health companies.
Over its first two years, i3 has provided $3 million in direct funding to 60 startups across 18 African countries, according to the press release. The initiative has prioritized inclusive innovation, with women leading 43% of the supported startups and Francophone founders representing 20% of the total.
The program has already facilitated 450 strategic connections — including 122 contracts and pilots — and helped unlock over $11 million in business partnerships. It has also created nearly 1,000 jobs, half of which are held by women.
This cohort is expected to drive an additional 150 strategic partnerships and unlock up to $30 million in business opportunities through connections with health care purchasers and systems partners.
For more information on the i3 program, visit its website.
