Written by Startups building tech-enabled solutions to address vision and eye-health challenges in Africa can now apply to the 2026 Villgro Africa Eye Health Innovation Accelerator. This programme — run by Villgro Africa in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation — offers catalytic funding, expert support, and market access for innovations that improve access to eye screening, diagnosis, treatment, and care across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
If you’re working on an eye-health tech product — from AI diagnostics to tele-ophthalmology — this could be a major opportunity to scale impact and secure investment.
What the Accelerator Offers (Benefits)
- Catalytic seed funding of USD 100,000–250,000 (depending on stage), with potential follow-on investment.
- Technical assistance and mentorship from experts in ophthalmology, digital health, and health-systems integration.
- Market access support, connecting startups to hospitals, clinics, NGOs, referral networks and public-health institutions.
- In-person bootcamp & peer-learning sessions, helping founders refine business models and scale approaches across African markets.
- Investment readiness preparation, strengthening financial, operational, and regulatory readiness for growth and scaling.
This combination of capital, expertise, and networks can help vetted startups fast-track growth and expand access to quality eye care across Africa.
Who Should Apply (Eligibility)
Startups should meet the following criteria:
- Legally registered in a Sub-Saharan African country.
- Founder or senior leader must be a resident of an African country.
- Offer a proven, tech-enabled, eye-health solution addressing major vision challenges (e.g. screening, diagnostics, tele-ophthalmology, data management, affordable devices).
- Demonstrate traction, adoption, early revenue or active pilots — not just concept or idea stage.
- Show clear potential to scale across LMIC markets, with a viable business model and alignment with public-health needs.
Pre-revenue ideas, academic-only prototypes, or purely donor-funded models without a sustainability model are not eligible.
What Types of Solutions Are in Scope (Focus Areas)
Villgro Africa is especially interested in innovations under these themes:
- AI-driven diagnostic tools and retinal imaging technologies
- Community-level screening and portable diagnostics for eye health
- Digital eye-care platforms, tele-ophthalmology and remote screening services
- Data management, EHR systems, workflow tools, and other digital health infrastructure for eye care
- Affordable optical devices and assistive technologies for low-income populations
Application Deadline & Process
- Deadline: 14 January 2026
- To apply: Submit a completed application via the official Villgro Africa / VC4A portal, including: company pitch deck, brief on solution and impact, details on traction or pilot, team information, and financials (if available).
- Optional but recommended: A short demo video or founder pitch to help illustrate your innovation.