Call for Applications: Women in Innovation Fund (WiNFUND)

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The Women in Innovation Fund (WiNFUND), co-founded by Reckitt, HIEx (Health Innovation Exchange), and the Kofi Annan Foundation, is excited to announce the launch of its new cycle, inviting female health innovators across Africa to apply.

They are seeking pioneering organizations with solutions that improve access to healthcare and address climate-related impacts. 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, it is essential to leverage innovation and develop new models for scaling access to healthcare. Health entrepreneurship, particularly women-led models are fundamental to address this gap. The Women in Innovation Fund (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 start-ups in addressing global health challenges.

Women in Innovation Fund Benefits

Targeted Growth Support: Access to funding, training, and mentorship from academia, industry partners, and global health experts.
Market Access: Get connected to a global network of investors, public, and private procurement systems.
Women-Led, Women-Focused: Be part of a movement building healthcare solutions for the most underserved communities.

Eligibility Criteria for Women in Innovation Fund

To ensure the selection of the most impactful and sustainable solutions, the applications’ review process will prioritize the following criteria:

Positive Access to Healthcare
- The innovation must directly address barriers to healthcare access in Africa, such as affordability, availability, or quality of services. Innovations could range from medical technologies and telehealth to supply chain improvements and community-based healthcare delivery.
Female-Led Organization
- The applying organization must be founded/co-founded by a female entrepreneur or any C-level position held by a woman. The leadership should reflect a commitment to advancing women’s health and innovation in Africa.
Revenue Stage Company with Scale-up Investment Readiness
- Organizations must be at a revenue stage, demonstrating a strong track record of growth, a scalable business model, and the ability to make a sustainable impact.
Africa Focus and Priority Locations
- The organization must be based in Africa, with the following countries considered as priority locations: Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda.