The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its timbuktoo initiative and the timbuktoo HealthTech Hub in Kigali, Rwanda, is inviting Africa's most promising health technology startups to join its timbuktoo LaunchPad. If you are building solutions that transform healthcare across the continent, this is your opportunity to be incubated, mentored, and connected to a continent-wide network of partners, experts, and investors. This call is open Pan-African-wide: HealthTech startups from anywhere in Africa are welcome to apply, whether or not an accredited incubator is yet based in their own country.

About programme

Healthcare is one of Africa's most pressing priorities, with the continent carrying a significant share of the global disease burden while millions of people still lack access to quality, affordable care. Patients, health workers, and health systems continue to face challenges, including limited access to services, shortages of skilled health professionals, fragmented and inefficient supply chains, and constrained access to finance for health innovators. Technological innovation is increasingly playing a critical role in addressing these challenges and unlocking new opportunities across the healthcare value chain. Through the timbuktoo HealthTech Hub hosted in Rwanda, UNDP is supporting the next generation of African entrepreneurs building solutions that can transform healthcare at scale. Selected HealthTech startups will join the timbuktoo LaunchPad, a distributed ecosystem of incubators, innovation hubs, mentors, and investors working together to support startups across Africa.

Startups admitted to the programme will receive structured incubation support delivered by an accredited incubator — formally, an Entrepreneurship Support Organisation (ESO) — within the timbuktoo LaunchPad network — matched to the applicant's own country where an accredited ESO is available there, or to an ESO in another participating country with support delivered virtually where it is not, alongside access to the broader continental network of founders, ecosystem partners, and investors. Participants will also gain access to the timbuktoo LaunchPad digital platform, powered by Seedstars' SIGMA platform, which is designed to provide founders with structured tools, mentorship matching, learning resources, and AI-powered guidance to accelerate startup growth and prepare for investment readiness; the specific features available will be confirmed ahead of the September 2026 cohort.

Programme Benefits

Health Tech Startups selected for the programme will benefit from a combination of incubation support delivered through an accredited incubator (ESO) within the timbuktoo LaunchPad network — including virtual or cross-border support where no accredited ESO is yet available in-country and pan-African ecosystem access, including:

• Structured incubation programmes delivered by leading African incubators
• Access to experienced mentors, entrepreneurs and sector experts
• Participation in a pan-African network of founders, incubators and ecosystem partners
• Access to the timbuktoo LaunchPad digital platform (powered by Seedstars’ SIGMA) for startup development and progress tracking
• Receive investment readiness support, including pitch development and investor engagement
• Participate in demo days and ecosystem events across Africa (format — virtual, in-person, or hybrid — communicated per event; where in-person participation is offered, travel costs are not automatically covered unless expressly confirmed)
• Access potential pathways to acceleration programmes and early-stage investment opportunities (access to opportunities, not a guaranteed grant, investment, or acceleration place)

Who Should Apply

We are looking for high-potential HealthTech startups from across Africa working in areas such as:

• Telemedicine and digital health
• Artificial intelligence for healthcare and health data
• Medical devices and diagnostics
• Biotechnology
• Nutrition and wellness technology
• Health supply chain and logistics solutions
• Any technology-driven solution addressing Africa's healthcare challenges

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible startups must: 

• Be based in Africa or building solutions targeting African healthcare markets
• Have a prototype or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) 
• Have a committed founding team
• Address a clearly defined challenge within healthcare or the healthcare value chain
• Demonstrate potential for growth and scalability

How to Apply

Applications are open on a rolling basis, with startups admitted through quarterly cohorts. The Cohort 1 application window has now closed; applications received from this point are being considered for Cohort 2 (December 2026) onward.

• Cohort 1 — starts September 2026. (application window closed).
• Cohort 2 — starts December 2026. (To be announced)
• Cohort 3 — starts March 2027. (To be announced)
• Cohort 4 — starts June 2027. (To be announced)

Before applying, please note the following:

• Programme duration: Up to 12 months per cohort — beginning with a 3-month core curriculum, then self-paced progression through the remainder of the year to complete the incubation stage.
• Delivery format: Hybrid — virtual or in-person depending on the incubator to which the startup is matched.
• Expected time commitment: This will vary according to the startup's needs and the incubation plan agreed with the assigned ESO.
• Working language: Determined by the startup's country and the specific incubator to which it is matched (e.g., incubators in Senegal deliver in French).
• Indicative cohort size: Approximately five startups per incubator.
• Main selection stages: Eligibility screening, shortlisting/interview, and final selection.

Interested startups can submit their applications via the dedicated platform:

 Apply Here

For technical or eligibility questions, please contact: loretta.awiapo@undp.org.

About timbuktoo

Timbuktoo is UNDP’s flagship platform to position Africa as a global leader in innovation. 

Building on a continental network of Tech Hubs, University Innovation Pods, and ecosystem partners, timbuktoo aims to mobilize US$1 billion over 10 years, support 10,000 startups, scale 1,000 high-growth enterprises, contribute to improved livelihoods for 100 million people, and generate US$10 billion in value across the continent. 

The timbuktoo HealthTech Hub, hosted in Rwanda, serves as a pan-African centre dedicated to advancing innovation in health and healthcare systems. The Hub supports startups, ecosystem actors, investors and policymakers to strengthen HealthTech solutions, enable market adoption, catalyse investment and accelerate Africa's health transformation.