Connect, Co-create, Learn
with the next generation of African Health Entrepreneurs
About AfyaFest 2025
AfyaFest 2025 is a flagship event of the Africa Health Collaborative—a bold, pan-African platform bringing together young innovators, health entrepreneurs, higher education institutions, health professionals, and private & public sector partners from Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia, and Canada to co-create and scale transformative solutions for primary healthcare (PHC).
This inaugural gathering is your launchpad to turn big ideas into impact. Co-create and accelerate bold, scalable innovations that:
- Improve healthcare access for vulnerable populations
- Create dignified jobs, especially for women and youth
- Integrate solutions into national and regional health systems
- Celebrate African ingenuity and cultural relevance
Hosted by Amref Health Africa
Who Can Participate
Participants will include invited student-led teams and early-stage entrepreneurs from Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia, and Canada—ensuring a rich mix of perspectives and experiences.
- Student-led teams from AHC Partner Universities (apply as established teams with solutions in development).
- AHC-affiliated early-stage health entrepreneurs with a minimum viable product (MVP) and demonstrated traction.
The Experience
Three days. One goal: Transform ideas into impact.
- Inspiring Plenaries & Panels – Hear from youth innovators, sector leaders, and policy influencers on health as an economic driver and the future of primary healthcare in Africa.
- Thematic Tracks & Studio Time – Dive deep into Maternal & Child Health, NCDs & Mental Health, Climate & Health, and Global Health Security through fireside chats, venture “quests,” and one-on-one mentor sessions.
- Masterclasses & Technical Workshops – Build skills in investment readiness, business model development, and navigating policy and regulation for solution adoption.
- Solution Showcases & Pitches – Experience venture storytelling at its best, from live innovation showcases to high-energy pitch sessions before expert juries.
- Networking & Collaboration Spaces – Connect with investors, incubators, government representatives, and fellow changemakers in dedicated networking sessions, dinners, and informal meetups.
- Celebration & Awards – Honour outstanding innovations and close AfyaFest with recognition of the ideas ready to scale across Africa.
FAQ
We’re spotlighting solutions in four urgent health priorities:
- Maternal and Child Health (RMNCAH) – Better access and quality of care for women, children, and adolescents.
- Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) & Mental Health – Prevention tools, patient-centered care, and stigma reduction.
- Climate & Health – Climate-resilient PHC infrastructure, services, and nutrition solutions.
- Global Health Security – Disease surveillance, early warning systems, One Health approaches, and diagnostics.
We’re seeking bold, scalable solutions that can transform PHC in Africa:
- Medical & Biomedical Devices – Affordable tools for screening, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring; indigenous solutions (e.g., traditional medicines) that improve inclusive healthcare access.
- Digital Health Technologies – Telehealth, AI tools, provider training, community engagement platforms, and data innovations for smarter decision-making.
- Service Delivery Innovations – New models that improve care quality, efficiency, and patient experience.
- MSME Models – Community-based enterprises with local relevance and strong growth potential.
- Showcase Your Innovation – Put your solution in front of experts, investors, and potential partners.
- Strengthen Your Business Model – Get real feedback to validate your product-market fit.
- Expand Your Network – Build connections with innovators from Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia, and Canada
- Accelerate Your Growth – Meet policy leaders, funders, and incubators who can help you scale.
Scenes from AfyaFest 2025
More News & Events
Skip scroller content
Apply for KNUST’s CPD-Eligible Short Courses in Health Systems and Services Management
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the scholarship: Short Courses and Timelines 23rd – 27th February 2026: Emergency Preparedness and Response to Epidemic/Pandemic-Prone Diseases 10th – 14th February 2026: Community Emergency Care 24th – 27th February 2026: Palliative Care Module 1 23rd – 27th March 2026: Introduction to Healthcare Quality Improvement (IQI) […]
Call for Insights & Stories: Frontiers Opens Special Collection for AHC Partners
The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) is pleased to share an exciting opportunity for all AHC institutional partners to share original research, reviews, case studies, policy briefs, perspectives, and reflective pieces in a new article collection titled “United in Partnership: Academic Collaborations for Primary Health Care Transformation” by Frontiers in Medicine. This special collection is being […]
A New Chapter of Collaboration: AHC Welcomes Prof. Joachim Osur as Executive Steering Committee Chair
The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) has announced Prof. Joachim Osur, Vice Chancellor of Amref International University, as the new Chair of the Executive Steering Committee (ESC). The symbolic handover took place during the closing ceremony of the 2025 AHC Convening in Rwanda, held in October 2025. This marks a significant leadership transition from Prof. Nhlanhla […]
Africa Health Collaborative 2025: Driving Transformative Change in Primary Healthcare Future
Last October, over 170 policymakers, health experts, academics, and youth innovators from 14 countries came together for the Africa Health Collaborative’s (AHC) 2025 Annual Convening, hosted by the African Leadership University (ALU) in Kigali, Rwanda.
Engineering Dignity: Designing Low-Cost Prosthetics in the University of Cape Town’s MedTech Lab
Read about how Jemila Abdulai’s internship at UCT’s MedTech Lab strengthened her commitment to human-centered engineering, demonstrating how affordable innovations like the ADL Arm can expand access, restore dignity, and transform lives in underserved communities.
Graduate Scholarship Opportunities at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Apply for graduate (MPh, MSc, MPhil, PhD) scholarships at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Digital Storytelling & Co-Design in Africa’s Healthcare Landscape
Join this webinar to explore how Digital Storytelling (DST) and Co-Design can transform health systems by centering the people who live the stories.
Africa Health Collaborative Convening to Spotlight Youth, African-Led Innovation, and Systems Change in Primary Health Care
The 2025 Convening will bring together leaders and innovators from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to explore practical solutions for strengthening Africa’s primary health care systems through workforce development, entrepreneurship, institutional collaboration, and innovation.
Young Innovators Reimagining Ethiopia’s Health Future
The Africa Health Collaborative at Addis Ababa University brought youthful energy and big ideas to the spotlight at its Health Startups Panel Discussion and Pitch Competition.
Health Entrepreneurship Dialogue- The Journey of a Health Entrepreneur
The Health Entrepreneurship Dialogue by Amref Health Africa brings together bold thinkers, innovators, and changemakers shaping the future of health across Africa and beyond.