Meet Eight Startups Changing Sexual and Reproductive Health Across Africa

Intrepid Entrepreneurs is pleased to announce eight innovative startups selected to participate in the latest cohort of the Next Health Accelerator. All these startups are female/co-led, except for one. This cohort includes 21 entrepreneurs representing six countries (Benin, Côte D’Ivoire, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal, and Togo). Together, they are united in their missions to improve sexual and reproductive health on the continent.   

Next Health Accelerator is a six-month-long program designed to catalyze startups for investor readiness and value chain access. Our focus on sexual and reproductive health and self-care is founded on the premise that the unmet need for sexual education, menstrual hygiene management, family planning, medication abortion, and STI diagnosis and treatment will be most sustainable when delivered by local African businesses. While participating in the accelerator, startups receive access to a streamlined curriculum for startup growth designed by experts, bespoke executive coaching and mentorship, up to $20,000 capital investment, and access to an extensive network of partners. Upon graduation from the accelerator, startups remain part of the Intrepid Entrepreneurs alumni community.  

Here are the startups joining the 2022 Next Health Accelerator: 

  • 犀利士 “https://afiapharma.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Afia Pharma (Rwanda) is a certified pharmaceutical e-commerce platform that allows patients to get medicine delivered to their homes at a lower cost with just a few clicks.   
  • ApiAfrique (Senegal) manufactures sustainable, quality menstrual hygiene products that reduce waste, protect health, and foster women’s empowerment by ensuring safe and legal working conditions for the women who make them. 
  • Bisa Health (Ghana) is a telemedicine phone app that provides customized medical advice and healthcare information to reduce cost, wait times, and stigma while ensuring access to care for all.  
  • Maisoin (Côte D’Ivoire) connects patients to a network of qualified health professionals who provide online consults or home-based care with ease.  
  • OPISMS (Côte D’Ivoire) is an online platform that tracks vaccination records and provides reminders for upcoming vaccinations to reduce preventable health incidents and protect women and children’s health. 
  • PharMap (Benin) is a digital solution that helps people find pharmacies near them and the product they are looking for without wasting time.  
  •  Reyha TV (Togo) is an online television platform that broadcasts talk shows to reduce stigma, raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health and domestic violence, and to create change in society. 
  •  Urukundo Initiative has created an evidence-based health education board game to educate youth and stimulate conversations about sexual and reproductive health. 

Sexual and reproductive health issues directly affect the health of 300 million women and girls on the continent and indirectly impacts on education and economic productivity. The startups of the Next Health Accelerator will scale, enabling them to contribute to fulfilling these vast needs while normalizing and enhancing sexual and reproductive health across the continent. We look forward to sharing their progress on this journey.

For more information about the Next Health Accelerator, please visit https://www.intrepidentrepreneurs.org/program/.