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Lafiya Innovators is a Health Entrepreneurship program for wellness-focused startups in emerging economies, primarily focused on public health and with a direct impact on the determinants of health.
The program seeks to support startups in the incubation and early acceleration stages.
The Lafiya Innovators Program is also a five-month accelerator program operating in Asia, West Africa, and Latin America, aiming to generate impact at scale by focusing on technological innovations and systemic solutions targeting underserved populations, including children, adolescents, and women.
In the 2023 version, we selected 20 startups from Colombia in the incubation and early acceleration stages.
Five of them already went all-expenses paid to explore the Basel, Switzerland, healthcare ecosystem in 2023 and received CHF 10,000 for product development.
The program prioritizes for-profit and nonprofit startups focused on healthcare entrepreneurship.
Companies can focus on any area of health and wellness , including but not limited to clinical care, public health, community health, nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene, among others.
Startups can also focus on operational areas of healthcare , such as logistics or fintech or edtech solutions. Solutions can come from either the public or private sectors and can have a B2B or B2C focus. Intrapreneurship projects from established organizations are also welcome.
Solutions that directly impact one or more determinants of health must clearly explain their impact on health and why being part of the Lafiya Innovators program is strategic for their growth.
Are you leading a health-focused startup that helps your community and stakeholders become healthier?
First Phase
Startups selected for the first phase of the Lafiya Innovators healthcare entrepreneurship program will receive:
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An initial diagnostic of your healthcare startup to define its baseline and refine program support.
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More than 10 group capacity-building sessions on topics such as innovative product development, business model, operational strategy, brand and marketing plan, sales plan, legal strategy and formalization, financial strategy, and management skills.
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Three personalized guidance sessions throughout the program, helping you apply what you've learned from the workshops and giving you access to a network of experts.
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Up to three consultations with local experts on tax strategy, trademark and intellectual property registration, and team management.
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You'll be able to participate in two Speed Networking events to boost your health-focused startup's relationship with the local, national, and international ecosystem.
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You'll receive discounts and free services from program partners such as Amazon Web Services and HubSpot.
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You'll conclude your mentorship by pitching at DemoDay , where you'll be able to showcase your startup to an audience of investors and support organizations from the national ecosystem.
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You will be a Lafiya Innovators Alumni 🙂
Second Phase
Five startups were selected by a panel of judges for the second phase of the Lafiya Innovators program:
This phase allowed startups to access resources to continue developing their product , subject to the approval of a work plan, and to participate in an all-expenses-paid trip to the entrepreneurship and health ecosystem in Basel, Switzerland. During this immersion, the program aims to recognize best practices, articulate with the ecosystem, and create connections with the other Impact Hubs participating in the Lafiya Program.
Changes, restrictions or cancellations of the trip are possible.
Select the titles ↓ for more details
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Be a formalized startup focused on health and wellness in the incubation or early acceleration stage.
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Have a prototype or initial sales level.
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The startup must be located in Colombian territory.
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Have 4 hours available per week , during the 5 months of the program, for the program's activities.
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You must be able to demonstrate that the product or service you offer has a direct impact on the Determinants of Health , according to the WHO.
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The startup must have a direct impact on SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being.
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You must assign one person to be responsible for the program and as a point of contact to ensure that all milestones are met.
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The person in charge must have a level of English that allows them to interact and interact with different spaces and networks within the program.
Sponsoring allies:
Implementing allies:
Do you have any questions or concerns about the process?
Write to us by clicking here .
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