Three ground-breaking agreements announced by African healthcare supply chain initiative I3

At its third flagship Access to Markets (A2M) event, a two-day gathering intended to link Africa’s most promising e-health companies with strategic partners, Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative for startups building the future of healthcare supply chains, announced three ground-breaking deals.

i3 is committed to helping promising early- and growth-stage businesses commercialize. It is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and supported by MSD, Cencora, Endless Foundation, HELP Logistics, Sanofi’s Global Health Unit, and Chemonics. Back in May, the initiative chose seven startups for its third program.

i3 announced three new, game-changing agreements between top African e-health startups and international manufacturers on the first day of its third A2M event. These partnerships will improve malaria treatment, pharmacy-based access, and cervical cancer prevention.

MSD and MYDAWA announced a partnership to help MYDAWA improve its concierge channel services in order to bolster efforts to eradicate cervical cancer. Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), the Federal Ministry of Health’s Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), and Sproxil signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fight malaria by expanding access to diagnosis and treatment.

Additionally, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Social Engagement Fund commemorated recent investments in three businesses that are advancing pharmacy in Africa: Reach52, Kasha, and Dawa Mkononi, a member of the most recent i3 cohort.

“We are delighted to invest in three additional startups that deliver a strong impact to communities across Africa,” said Dr. Ilka Wicke, head of Sustainability Social. “These partnerships reflect our belief that sustainable healthcare solutions are best built through collaboration – with local innovators who understand the needs on the ground and with global partners who can help scale their vision. Together, we’re making meaningful progress toward our goal of improving the lives of 50 million people by 2030. We’re thrilled to celebrate progress with our partners who share this vision across the i3 programme.”