Pandemics are increasing in frequency and severity, with devastating social and economic costs. COVID-19 highlighted persistent gaps in health systems that hinder many African country's ability to respond, notably low healthcare capacity and a reliance on external supply chains.

African home-grown solutions have the potential to make Africa more resilient to future outbreaks, with local products and services that address these gaps in health systems. Currently, many of these promising African companies face challenges in scaling operations and impact, particularly cross-border and into adjacent business lines.

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with support from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and other leading public and private organizations have launched the Home-Grown Solutions Accelerator for Pandemic Resilience in Africa that aims to strengthen Africa's ability to respond to future disease outbreaks. The accelerator is run by a committed team with expertise in healthcare, manufacturing, and supporting businesses in Africa. In 2021, the initiative was successfully piloted in East Africa, where it supported its first cohort of Home Grown Solutions. The accelerator is now in a Pan-African expansion which will be operationalized by AUDA-NEPAD, JICA and BCG with the help of Villgro Africa.

Our goal is to accelerate home grown solutions to strengthen Africa's pandemic resilience, in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063 aspirations

Our approach is to provide tailored acceleration planning and support for companies that can meaningfully improve pandemic resilience across the continent

We welcome African health-related growth-stage and mature business to apply

				Topic / Sector		Health sector that contributes to pandemic resilience
				Priority Solutions		Products and services that address fundamental gaps in the health system, such as improving healthcare capacity and localizing medical supply chains
				Company stage		Growth and/or mature stage companies Registered for -profit entity Demonstrated market traction and customer base Ambition to scale further
				"Home gown" definition		Africa-focused operations with employee base in Africa Preference for African leadership team and solutions truly originating from Africa
				Geography		Pan-African markets with preference for companies with multi-country operations

We are able to provide support across four areas, tailored to your specific business needs

If selected, we will work closely together across six months and stay connected beyond

Where members of our advisory panel work

We are actively growing our accelerator's network. If your organization is interested in engaging with these exemplary companies, by serving as advisors or providing direct support, or if you are a qualifying African home-grown solution, please contact us by reaching out to George Murumba, the accelerator project lead via GeorgeM@nepad.org and pandemicresilience.africa@gmail.com.

Home Grown Solutions Accelerator

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