Africa Oxford Health Innovation Platform (AfOx-HIP) 2024 for African Innovators

AfOx-HIP is a University of Oxford collaborative platform supported by key researchers and led by the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx). 

Application Deadline: 31st May 2024 by 23:59 BST

About the Award: The Africa Oxford Health Innovation Platform (AfOx-HIP) is a multi-disciplinary programme to support African innovators develop new solutions to Africa’s health challenges. It does so by connecting research to industry to tackle prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment through impact investment and innovation.

AfOx-HIP is an extension of Africa-Oxford collaborations aimed at connecting research to industry to solve intractable societal challenges. AfOx-HIP helps ideas come to life as real solutions to big challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship by pursuing a broader purpose for sustainable futures. The shifting societal perceptions aligned to creating and sustaining value in the world provide an opportunity for promoting pursuit of purpose through impact investment and innovation.

• In each cohort, up to 50 successful applicants benefit from a relevant and robust teaching course on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health for Africa. The training including systems thinking, making financial projections, writing and delivering a pitch, and navigating intellectual property and regulatory hurdles. 
• The training is delivered through a series of web-based sessions over 16 weeks. The self-paced interactive programme and weekly workshops requires 8–10 hours/week in total. The programme is designed for optimal accessibility and ease of use for busy innovator-entrepreneurs. 
• Personalised mentorship and support is provided to help fellows develop their ventures. 
• The programme integrates the use of virtual workrooms for small group engagement and co-creation, so the whole cohort of African innovators learns together, creating an interactive network of peers. 

Eligible Field(s): AfOx-HIP is open to work in any scientific discipline, including outside life sciences and engineering sciences, and any type of technology leading to the creation of solutions towards disease prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment.

Examples of technologies include:

1. Therapeutics
2. Vaccines
3. Devices
4. Digital technologies
5. Diagnostics

Type: Contest

Eligibility: Solutions should demonstrate strong potential for health systems strengthening, and particularly, significant improvement in healthcare equity and access. Applications are open to all areas relevant to Africa’s health challenges.  Novel solutions relating to maternal and neonatal care to improve mortality and morbidity outcomes; medical laboratory-related testing and diagnostic capacity to support treatment, monitoring and control of pathogens and to increase resilience to endemic diseases; and zoonotic disease-related solutions are highly encouraged.

Applications from female and under-represented innovator/entrepreneurs are highly encouraged. 

Eligible Countries: African countrie

Value & Number of Awards: AfOx-HIP will work with African innovators in the co-development of skills ranging from creative problem solving, translational research, entrepreneurship, and venture acceleration.

• 50 outstanding emerging African researchers and innovators
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health for Africa
• 15 innovators will be awarded AfOx Innovation for personalised support
• Networking

How to Apply: This call for applications is for the AfOx Innovation and Entrepreneurship Scheme. Applications should be submitted through the AfOx on-line submission portal at the latest by 23:59 BST 31 May 2024. Outcomes of the application will be communicated in Aug 2024.

• It is important to go through the FAQ & all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
• GOODLUCK

Visit Award Webpage for Details