HEALTHCARE
INCUBATOR AFRICA
CATALYZING EARLY-STAGE HEALTH STARTUPS FOUNDED
IN AND FOR AFRICA
2025 Cohort Applications Open Soon
The Futurize Incubator catalyzes early-stage startups with health, medtech and biotech-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 ecosystem across Africa.
NOT YOUR TYPICAL INCUBATOR - WE PUT YOUNG FOUNDERS FIRST
The Futurize Incubator propels startup ideas, provides expert coaching and prepares for investment through a rigorous curriculum of workshops & mentorship. At the Futurize Summit, founders pitch to a panel of investors looking to secure funding. The selective program admits 20 promising startups to tackle healthcare and climate change across Africa.
WE SUPPORT AFRICA’S TRAILBLAZING VISIONARIES AT THE EARLIEST STAGE AS THEY LAUNCH GAME-CHANGING VENTURES
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.
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).
APPLY IF YOU ARE WORKING ON…
1. AI FOR EARLY-DETECTION OF CANCER OR OTHER NCDs
Data-driven models that can identify high-risk patients and enable early interventions, particularly in low-resource settings across Africa.
How might we use AI to develop low-cost, accurate diagnostic tools for communicalble or non-communicable diseases in underserved communities, specifically for cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases?
How might we create AI-powered platforms to enable real-time disease screening, enhance the accuracy of medical imaging and diagnostics in remote areas?
2. IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE THROUGH TECH
Aiming to leverage technology to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery, making quality care accessible and affordable for all.
How might we design mobile-based platforms to connect patients with healthcare providers and insurance, and improve access to specialists in rural areas, in real-time?
How might we use scalable digital interventions that improve medication adherence, patient education, and remote care models for chronic disease management?
FROM VISION TO IMPACT: MEET OUR ALUMNI
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
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
Past Funders
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.
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