Villgro Africa Eye Health Innovation Accelerator Program 2026

About

The Villgro Africa Eye Health Innovation Accelerator Program 2026 is designed for registered startups in Sub-Saharan Africa focusing on scalable and impactful eye health technology solutions, offering substantial funding, expert mentorship, and market access support to enhance business growth and investment readiness.

Benefits

• Up to $250,000 in catalytic seed funding based on business stage
• Access to technical assistance and mentorship from experts in ophthalmology, digital health, and health system integration
• Support for market access, connecting to hospitals, clinics, NGOs, referral networks, and public health institutions
• Participation in in-person boot camps and peer learning activities to refine business models and expand markets
• Enhanced investment readiness and capabilities in finance, operations, and regulatory aspects

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a legally registered startup in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Founder or senior leadership must be African residents
• Must have a validated eye health technology solution with initial adoption or revenue
• Demonstrated scalability potential in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) with a viable business model
• No pure concept stage or academic prototypes without sustainable business models