Applications are now open for the 2026 Villgro Africa Eye Health Innovation Accelerator Program. The Eye Health Innovation Accelerator is a Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) program aimed at supporting companies that are developing scalable, affordable, and high-impact innovations in the eye health space. The Accelerator provides technical assistance, catalytic capital, and deep market access to help startups validate solutions, strengthen business models, and scale across LMICs.
WORTH
- Participation in the program focused on growth, market access, and investment readiness
- Technical assistance from leading eye-health and digital health experts
- Eligibility for catalytic seed investment of between $100k to $250k, with the possibility of follow-on funding
- Access to partner and co-investor networks for potential investment
- In-person bootcamp and peer-learning sessions
- Mentorship from clinicians, technologists, and health system experts
- Support to navigate government engagement and public health pathways
- Connections to hospitals, NGOs, research institutions, and referral networks
ELIGIBILITY
The Accelerator seeks African startups with validated solutions and demonstrated traction. Applicants should:
- Be legally registered in a Sub-Saharan African country
- Have a founder or senior leader who is a resident of an African country
- Offer a proven, tech-enabled eye-health solution addressing major vision challenges
- Demonstrate adoption, partnerships, and early revenue
- Shows clear potential for scale across LMIC markets
- Align with responsible innovation principles, data protection requirements, and public health priorities
DEADLINE: January 14, 2026
To apply and for more information, Visit here