KIGALI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, launched the first cohort of 40 startups for the Timbuktoo HealthTech Hub's healthtech accelerator program on Saturday in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.
Hosted at the HealthTech Hub, the accelerator aims to empower entrepreneurs and startups developing cutting-edge health technologies to address Africa's most pressing healthcare challenges.
Speaking at the launch, UNDP Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa Ahunna Eziakonwa, praised the hub as a transformative step for Africa's healthcare innovation landscape. "This hub is about building African solutions for global health challenges," she said.
Eziakonwa underscored the potential of Africa's youth and tech entrepreneurs to drive healthcare advancements across the continent, highlighting the crucial role of partnerships in supporting young talent to create sustainable healthcare solutions.
The program targets sectors such as telemedicine, healthcare logistics, diagnostics, and mobile health, focusing on scalable, impactful solutions to address Africa's healthcare needs.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame also spoke at the event, lauding the initiative and emphasizing Africa's resourcefulness and the potential of young innovators to drive meaningful change.
"The diversity on our continent is in itself a huge resource, and we are as capable, if not more so, than anyone else, anywhere," he said, adding that young people need guidance to refine and enhance their ideas.
The program provides early-stage startups with comprehensive support, including mentorship, funding, and state-of-the-art resources. It forms part of the broader Timbuktoo initiative, which aims to mobilize one billion U.S. dollars in catalytic and commercial capital over the next decade to ignite Africa's startup revolution.
The HealthTech Hub in Kigali, one of Timbuktoo's 10 thematic hubs, unites government agencies, private sector partners, and academic institutions to create a dynamic environment for innovation. The hub also fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the continent to ensure that health technology innovation drives sustainable and inclusive healthcare solutions for all Africans.
The initiative seeks technology-driven entrepreneurs and startup founders who are building or have already developed health-tech solutions that meet the application criteria. Targeted sectors include telemedicine, healthcare logistics, diagnostics, and mobile health. ■