The Women in Innovation Fund (WiNFUND), a non-profit initiative is calling upon women health innovators across Africa who are tackling some of the continent’s health challenges to apply for its latest funding cycle. This call marks the beginning of a new cohort, with a mission to support and scale ventures that deliver impactful and sustainable healthcare innovations for women, by women.
With one in two people lacking access to essential healthcare, leveraging innovation and developing new models for scaling access to healthcare is critical. Health entrepreneurship, particularly women-led models, is fundamental to addressing this gap. WiNFUND is on a mission to transform healthcare access to the most vulnerable by leveraging the power of female entrepreneurship. It advocates for equitable access to financing and invests in the power of women-led startups addressing global health challenges.
WiNFUND is more than just a financial partner; it’s a movement to amplify women’s voices in healthcare innovation. By supporting female-led initiatives, they seek to drive meaningful change in the health sector while promoting gender equity in entrepreneurship.
The non-profit initiative is searching for ambitious and innovative women entrepreneurs whose solutions are already making a difference in healthcare across Africa. Here are the key criteria:
- Ventures must be women-led, emphasizing the power of women in shaping the future of healthcare.
- Solutions should directly address access to healthcare in Africa, tackling pressing challenges such as affordability, availability, or quality of services.
- Applicants should be operating ventures at the revenue stage, ready to scale, and able to demonstrate their investability.
- WiNFUND values innovative and sustainable business models that ensure long-term success while delivering measurable social and economic benefits.
Selected entrepreneurs will receive up to USD$250,000 (approx. UGX925.5 million) in funding. This significant financial boost is designed to help ventures scale their solutions, reach more communities, and achieve greater impact.
The prize goes beyond financial gain —as WiNFUND opens doors to an expansive network of industry partners, investors, and other entrepreneurs. This ecosystem is vital for building collaborations, securing additional resources, and navigating the challenges of scaling a business. In addition, WiNFUND provides bespoke support to help businesses thrive. From strategic guidance to operational advice, entrepreneurs gain access to the tools and expertise needed for sustainable growth.
WiNFUND’s initiative has already demonstrated the transformative potential of supporting women entrepreneurs. Previous funding cycles have enabled startups to expand their reach to underserved communities, innovate & scale solutions that improve maternal health, chronic disease management, and health education, and build sustainable models that attract additional funding and partnerships.
Women play a critical role in Africa’s healthcare ecosystem, often as caregivers, nurses, and community health workers. However, their contributions as innovators and entrepreneurs remain underrepresented. Supporting women in leadership positions ensures diverse perspectives in problem-solving, leading to more inclusive and effective healthcare solutions.
The WiNFUND initiative is a remarkable example of how technology and innovation can drive social impact, especially in the healthcare sector, which is critical for the growth and development of any nation. By supporting women-led health startups, WiNFUND is empowering women entrepreneurs to solve complex healthcare challenges, create jobs, and make a positive difference in their communities —in other words, it’s fostering systemic change that benefits entire communities.
WiNFUND is partly financed through the sale of WiNFUND non-fundable tokens (NFTs) designed by Rwandan artist Christella Bijou. The collection has been supported and made available in close collaboration with Tokenproof.
The deadline to apply for the fund is December 13, 2024, at 3pm CEST (5pm EAT). APPLY HERE (LINK)
