STARTUP INCUBATOR

CATALYZING EARLY-STAGE UNIVERSITY STARTUPS FOUNDED ACROSS AFRICA

Cohort 2024 Applications Now Closed

FuturizeU catalyzes early-stage startups with healthcare and climate change-focused innovations to go from prototype to market launch. We help you refine the business model, find product-market fit, and connect you to the funding ecoystem across Africa.

NOT YOUR TYPICAL INCUBATOR - WE PUT YOUNG FOUNDERS FIRST.

WE SUPPORT AFRICA’S TRAILBLAZING VISIONARIES AT THE EARLIEST STAGE AS THEY LAUNCH GAME-CHANGING VENTURES AIMED AT TACLING THE CONTINENT’S TOUGHEST CHALLENGES.

The FuturizeU Incubator propels startup ideas, provides expert coaching and prepares for investment through a rigorous curriculum of workshops & mentorship. In November 2024, startups will pitch to a panel of investors at the Futurize U Demo Day. The selective program admits 10 promising startups to tackle healthcare and climate change in Africa

Our program is tailor-made to cater to your needs as an African founder. Whether it's dynamic workshops, personalized coaching sessions with our top advisors, or hands-on support through our tech, legal, and finance mentors, we've got you covered. Forge connections with fellow founders across Africa and physical hub in Nairobi.

THE 2024 COHORT

Our founders from 15 countries are working on the next big thing in health

  • RWANDA

    Aggregating diagnostic tests from health facilities to tackle the unavailability of diagnostic tests.

  • NIGERIA

    A comprehensive platform for secure health data documentation

  • NIGERIA

    AI-driven diagnostics to prevent vision impairment through early detection and intervention of ocular diseases

  • TANZANIA

    AI and cloud technology to provide accurate, real-time ECG interpretations, enabling early detection of cardiovascular diseases

  • RWANDA

    Transforming Breast Cancer Care in Africa with AI and Community Support

  • EGYPT

    AI-based Automated Radiotherapy Planning Software

  • EGYPT

    A smart wall-mounted pill dispenser which connects to an app accessible by caregivers to monitor usage

  • KENYA

    Non-invasive and highly accurate diagnostic tool that uses serological marker and AI for early detection of cervical cancer.

  • EGYPT

    Medications and counseling via a vending machine and mobile app for those without access to hospitals or pharmacies

  • KENYA

    Building Sote.AI is an artificial intelligence model for the early diagnosis of liver cancer.

  • SOUTH AFRICA

    Customizable probiotic synced to the different phases of the menstrual cycle. for pregnant and postpartum mothers across Africa.

  • KENYA

    A Low-Cost Device and Platform using AI for Early Detection and Prevention of Pregnancy Complications

  • RWANDA

    Online platform to optimize the pharmaceutical supply chain in Africa, improving the availability of pharmaceutical products through streamlined logistics.

  • RWANDA

    AI-powered medical diagnosis, remote follow-up, results delivery, and interoperable medical records to improve healthcare access and quality in Rwanda

We are interested in solutions using technology to push the boundaries of healthcare and climate change. Startups applying should have a clear focus on one of the areas below and operate/ focus on a country or region in Sub-Saharan Africa:

THE TRACKS

HERE IS WHO AND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

An early-stage pre-seed startup. You may or may not have launched your MVP in the market but you have a tested prototype, leveraging AI.

STAGE

DEVOTION

Completing workshops, mentoring and discussions virtually & in person. Not passionate about what you are building? This isn’t for you then.

TEAM

At least two co-founders with complementary skill sets who are dedicated to putting in the time and resources to bring the idea to life.

IMPACT

The startup is focused on healthcare & climate with a scalable business model beyond one country (structured around tech).

What To Expect

Each week of FuturizeU aims to provide world-class workshops and mentoring on the most crucial aspects in the early development of a startup

Week 1

Program Introduction

Team Building & Strategic Goal Setting

Week 2

Idea Refinement Market Research & Data Analysis

Weeks 3-4

Product/Market Fit
and Business Model Canvas Development

Week 5

Marketing and Sales and pricing & customer strategy

Week 6

Healthcare Regulations and Compliance in Africa

Week 7

Fundraising and Finance - preparaing to raise a pre-seed round

Weeks 8-9

Go-to-Market Strategy & Legal and how to scale across countries

Weeks 10-11

Pitching & Demo Day pitch at Futurize Summit in Nairobi, Kenya

WHAT SUCESSFUL COMPLETION LOOKS LIKE:

Business Model and Value Proposition

Having a clear, scalable business model and value proposition by the end of the program.

Target Customer Segment & Strategy

Conducted customer discovery interviews and a validated target customer segment.

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

MVP or prototype developed with support from our Technology Partner

Storytelling & Pitch Deck

A clear and compelling pitch deck ready to be used for your first round of investments (pre-seed)

Investor Meet & Introductions

Through our strategic partnerships with VCs and Angel Investors, you’ll pitch for investment in person.

BECOME A MENTOR FOR THE 2025 COHORT

We invite you to contribute your expertise as a mentor to young founders on transforming healthcare in Africa. Your guidance will be crucial in refining startup ideas, ensuring they are impactful and ready for launch.

Duration: Mentoring sessions from August 19 to November 3 (Weeks 2-8).

Commitment: Six hours total, with flexible scheduling options.

Sessions: One-hour sessions with six different teams, extendable at your discretion.


Requirements for Mentors:

  • Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in fields such as population health, medicine, healthcare supply chain, medical device industry, climate change, technology, business, innovation, health policy, or financing.

  • Understanding of Africa’s health systems or climate change challenges.

  • Motivation to support entrepreneurs pre-launch, aiming to validate and scale their innovations to address major health challenges.

  • Fluent in English with a reliable internet connection.

GET INSPIRED THE 2023 COHORT

VECTORGRAM

Vectorgram provides cutting-edge AI tools that ensure accurate and timely diagnosis of breast cancer to under-resourced diagnostic centers in Kenya.

KENYA

TAWI DIGITAL HEALTH

Digitizing medical records and providing a way to share them securely in a decentralized manner across various health systems.

KENYA

MARI TEST

Developing a blodless diagnostic device that offers a non-invasive, automated method for malaria detection using AI and advanced sensor technology.

UGANDA

TRAK-AFYA

A software monitoring drug-resistant infections to strengthen hospitals to combat antimicrobial resistance using data-driven insights.

KENYA

CANISA HEALTH

Personalized care platform for hypertensive patients in Africa that offers healthcare plans and access to data-driven insights for patients and health ecosystem.

GHANA

DAWA MFUKONI

Offering prescribed drugs through an installment payment system, especially for underserved markets, enabling them to live within their means.

KENYA

TENSORSCAN

AI-powered web application that revolutionizes breast cancer diagnosis by using deep learning algorithms to detect malignant cells in histology micrographs.

NIGERIA

HEALTH4MONI

Health4Moni is a digitally enabled platform that provides affordable health insurance to informal sector of women in Nigeria who remain uncovered by NHIS.

NIGERIA

PHARMA GOODS

Pharm-Tech startup based in East Africa, that provides provide cutting-edge pharmacy software for drug inventory management and sales recordings.

TANZANIA

HEALTHRIX

AI mobile app solution that collects data from health bands to notify individuals of their health status while connecting them to health professionals.

NIGERIA

FuturizeU Official Partner

Driven by innovative science and our entrepreneurial culture, we are focused on the delivery of life-changing medicines that are fuelling growth and contributing value to patients and society. At the same time, the world around us is changing and the burden of disease is increasing. We focus on innovative science and leadership in our three main therapy areas: Oncology; Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism; and Respiratory diseases. Backed by a global presence, with strength in Emerging Markets, we have a portfolio of specialty and primary care medicines.We are responding by increasing our focus on growth through innovation - being more patient-centric, doing more with technology, digital and data, and advancing more cutting-edge science.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • You should be pre-seed startup focusing on a country across Africa. You should not have received any equity-based investments thus far - grants and non-financial aid is accepted.

    You should have a clear understanding of the problem you are solving, have done extensive market and customer research for at least 2-3 months, and have a prototype in place. This will be mandatory to show in the application.

  • 2 founders are mandatory, no more than 5 on the founding team.

  • Founders must be current students or alumni of Futurize partner universities across Sub-Saharan Africa; teams of the Fuel Africa program please indicate this during the application.

    At least one technical founder on the team (if the solution requires a high degree of software development/technical knowledge)

    We are looking for a balanced skillsets of the founding members of healthcare expertise, software engineers and creative minds ready to tackle big challenges!

  • You are tackling early-detection of cancer (any type), early-detection of other non-communicable diseases, or improving access to healthcare using AI and Machine Learning. In 2024 there is also a new track for ideas tackling Climate Change and mitigating its impacts.

  • August 12 - November 15. The physical Demo Day is on Novemer 29th in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Travel and eligibility to attend the Demo Day will be assessed individually.

  • November 29th in Nairobi Kenya as part of the Futurize Summit. If physical attendance is not possible, there is a virtual pitching session.

  • Yes, our technical partner of the program will assist you in building your models.

  • Yes. At least two members per team must attend every session and mentoring session throughout.