AstraZeneca unveils FuturizeU healthcare incubator for Africa

Today, Futurize and AstraZeneca (www.AstraZeneca.com) made an official announcement about the beginning of FuturizeU, their ground-breaking HealthTech incubator program. The program will run from September 12 to November 17, 2023, in cooperation with AstraZeneca through the A.Catalyst Network, with Bristol Myers Squibb providing additional funding.

The goal of FuturizeU is to support university businesses in Africa’s healthcare industry at an early stage. Its primary goal is to provide the necessary tools for the next generation of healthcare entrepreneurs to successfully traverse the challenges of startup. By utilizing the continent’s enormous untapped potential, the program seeks to develop ground-breaking solutions that address crucial healthcare disparities and early non-communicable disease (NCD) detection concerns.

FuturizeU healthcare incubator for Africa

FuturizeU accelerates significant healthcare improvements while cultivating a fertile foundation for innovation by utilizing cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Teams from partner colleges in Sub-Saharan Africa are welcome to participate in the program, which prioritizes students, alumni, and teams from the first two cohorts of Fuel Africa and their revolutionary healthcare company ideas.

FuturizeU is primarily a hub for information exchange, mentoring, and teamwork. The program’s curriculum delves into crucial startup principles over the course of eight weeks, addressing topics including product-market fit, finance methods, and workable go-to-market plans. Aspiring business owners will receive mentoring from seasoned advisors and subject-matter specialists as well as networking opportunities, assuring the success of their ideas.

According to Rhea Singhla, CEO of Futurize, incubator programs are crucial for African youth because they are less accessible. These programs serve as dynamic launchpads, sparking the untapped potential of our budding entrepreneurs and equipping them with the resources, guidance, and skills they need to transform their ground-breaking concepts into useful solutions.

At the FuturizeU Demo Day in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 17, 2023, participants will get the chance to present their companies to a diverse network of industry partners, investors, and stakeholders. By bridging investment and cooperation, this platform supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem while supporting growth and sustainable development.

“Our partnership with Futurize is integral to our unwavering commitment to improve health equity and create sustainable impact in Africa,” said Jonathan Calder, Head of Digital and IT for the African Cluster at AstraZeneca. At AstraZeneca, we collaborate daily with a wide range of African stakeholders to tackle some of the most urgent healthcare problems that affect our communities. I am happy that we will now be able to offer young African innovators through the FuturizeU HealthTech Incubator program a fantastic launchpad opportunity to join us in our aim to provide ground-breaking solutions to enhance patient outcomes.

Aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs from all over the continent applied to the program after it received an overwhelmingly positive reaction. The ten startups with the following outstanding concepts have been chosen from among them:

• Vectorgram (Kenya)
• Pulsesetters (Kenya)
• Tawi (Kenya)
• Trakafya (Kenya)
• MariTest (Uganda)
• CanisaHealth (Ghana)
• TensorScan (Nigeria)
• SuperOriginals (Nigeria)
• Health4Moni (Nigeria)
• PharmaGoods (Tanzania)

“By supporting young entrepreneurs through initiatives like FuturizeU, we are not only fostering innovation but also nurturing a generation of capable leaders who will drive positive change and support the expansion of Africa’s healthcare sector and beyond,” said Moritz Gripp, COO of Futurize.

Future cooperative collaboration prospects between AstraZeneca A.Catalyst and Futurize will be actively pursued in order to promote healthcare entrepreneurs in Africa and improve healthcare systems throughout the continent and beyond. On November 17, 2023, investors and potential partners are cordially invited to attend the FuturizeU Demo Day.