Fifty health entrepreneurs from Africa and Asia could soon find themselves pitching to investors and regulators in Abu Dhabi. That is the promise behind a new programme launched by Abu Dhabi's Future Health during the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, in partnership with Bridge for Billions, a social enterprise that designs and manages online incubation programmes for entrepreneurs.
The programme runs in two phases. The first focuses on identifying around 50 early-stage founders whose health innovations have moved past the idea stage but need structured support to grow. Ventures will be assessed on maturity, scalability, market potential and alignment with priority healthcare needs. Selected entrepreneurs will then enter a tailored online incubation covering regulatory navigation, business model validation, health system integration and investor readiness.
A smaller group from that cohort will advance to an in-person acceleration phase in Abu Dhabi, where they will meet regulators, healthcare providers, research institutions and investors. Application guidelines and eligibility criteria are expected to be announced at a later date.
Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi, put it plainly: "Entrepreneurs with a deep understanding of the communities they serve can develop solutions grounded in real health needs, local realities, and affordability. Access to the right expertise, networks and investment can help turn that potential into lasting impact."
The timing matters. African governments are under growing pressure to find new healthcare financing as donor funding continues to fall, making homegrown, scalable health solutions more urgent than ever. Watch this space for when applications open.
Originally published by African Business.