What is Lafiya Innovators?

Technological
innovation

Health
stakeholders

Global
connection

Economic
benefits

Wellbeing
Platform

All of us are influenced by everyday factors in our lives: where we live and go to school, how we buy our food, and whether we have enough money in our pocket. These factors are called the Determinants of Health according to WHO and they help understand how long and how healthy we live.

Lafiya Innovators is a startup incubation and acceleration program created to support and accelerate early- to mid -stage startups in emerging economies, focused on public health, healthcare, or directly impacting the determinants of health.

Are you launching or leading a startup that will make your local community healthier? Lafiya Innovators could be the right fit for you.

 

OPEN APPLICATIONS

Phnom Penh

Application closed

Closed

Dakar

Application closed

Closed

Accra

Application closed

closed

Program Details

Lafiya Innovators is a six-month incubation and acceleration program taking place in three locations throughout West Africa and Latin America. Each regional cohort will combine community collaboration with specialized health and business expertise, providing entrepreneurs with a locally-rooted, globally-connected experience.

Participating startups will be enrolled in a regional cohort hosted in Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal), or Medellín (Colombia). Early-stage startups will grow their professional network, establish a basic business model, and develop a minimum viable product. Mid-stage startups will further iterate and expand on their existing business model and complete the due diligence process for fundraising.

 

Ready to get started? Applications for the 2021 cohort open the 1st of June and close on the 30th of June!

Who are We Looking For?

Aiming to deliver impact at scale, the program focuses in particular on technological innovations and systemic solutions targeting underserved populations, including children, adolescents, and women. Specific criteria is listed below:

  • Open to for-profit and non-profit startups.
  • Startups may be focused in any area of health and wellbeing, including but not limited to clinical care, public health, community-based health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Startups may also focus on core operational areas, such as health-focused logistics, fintech, or edtech solutions.
  • Solutions directly impacting a determinant of health must be able to clearly explain the health impacts of their business, and why creating connections in the health space would be strategic for their growth.
  • Solutions may be focused on both the public or private sectors and may have a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) approach.

Lafiya Innovators at the Geneva Health Forum

6 of the startups from the past versions of the Lafiya Innovators program were able to present their business and innovations. Our goal was to facilitate the continuity of their process, opening their minds and also nurturing and planting the seeds for potential future relevant relationships. Take a look at the video and get inspired by these changemakers.
 
 
Watch the video

Program Details

Lafiya Innovators is a six-month incubation and acceleration program taking place in three locations throughout West Africa and Latin America. Each regional cohort will combine community collaboration with specialized health and business expertise, providing entrepreneurs with a locally-rooted, globally-connected experience.

Participating startups will be enrolled in a regional cohort hosted in Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal), or Medellín (Colombia). Early-stage startups will grow their professional network, establish a basic business model, and develop a minimum viable product. Mid-stage startups will further iterate and expand on their existing business model and complete the due diligence process for fundraising.

Ready to get started? Applications open soon!

Who are We Looking For?

Aiming to deliver impact at scale, the program focuses in particular on technological innovations and systemic solutions targeting underserved populations, including children, adolescents, and women. Specific criteria is listed below:

  • Open to for-profit and non-profit startups.
  • Startups may be focused in any area of health and wellbeing, including but not limited to clinical care, public health, community-based health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Startups may also focus on core operational areas, such as health-focused logistics, fintech, or edtech solutions.
  • Solutions directly impacting a determinant of health must be able to clearly explain the health impacts of their business, and why creating connections in the health space would be strategic for their growth.
  • Solutions may be focused on both the public or private sectors and may have a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) approach.

LAFIYA IN THE NEWS

Here you can find some of the appearances in the different media of Medellin, Accra, Dakar and Phnom Pehn.

Full article here
Full article here
Full article here

Lafiya Innovators
implementing partners: 
Know more here!

Ready to start something innovative in the health & wellbeing ecosystem in your country?

EXECUTING PARTNERS

FUNDING PARTNERS

Developed by Impact Hub Basel – and implemented in collaboration with Impact Hub Accra, Impact Hub Dakar, Impact Hub Medellín, and Impact Hub Phnom Penh – the program supports ambitious entrepreneurs throughout the venture lifecycle, from determining a basic business model to completing the due diligence process. Lafiya Innovators is financially supported by Fondation Botnar and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Global Programme Health.

Verein Impact Hub BaselHorburgstrasse 105CH-4057 Baselbasel@impacthub.net ORlafiya.innovators@impacthub.net +41 76 500 40 53