Deadline: March 18, 2026.

AfOx-HIP is open to work with any type of technology and in any discipline, including outside life sciences and engineering sciences, to create solutions for disease prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment. This includes vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, therapeutics and surgical devices. 

Solutions with high impact potential that offer opportunities for transformative health delivery in Africa will be prioritised. They especially encourage solutions aimed at:  

• reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases amongst African populations  

• optimising diagnostic and prognostic tests for African contexts  

• novel diagnostic tools to increase resilience to endemic diseases  

• preventing, diagnosing or treating zoonotic diseases  

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The applicant must be:

1. A national of an African country or have indefinite leave to remain in an African country for example holding dual citizenship.
2. Domiciled in an African country in which they must be a legal resident.
3. Developing the proposed health innovation in their host country.
4. Applications from individuals or innovators leading small teams are eligible.
5. Being an academic or a researcher is not a requirement. However, a robust foundation in the science or technology behind your innovation is expected.
6. The solution must be a science-based innovation for disease prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment. This includes vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, therapeutics and surgical devices.
7. Your venture must have legal presence in domicile country. Founders that do not have a venture ( are yet to register a formal legal entity) are eligible.

BENEFITS

1. AfOx-HIP works with African innovators to equip participants with skills, networks, and confidence to successfully navigate their entrepreneurial journey.  
2. Successful applicants are first enrolled in the Phase 1 Virtual Programme – an online training course in innovation and entrepreneurship. After completing Phase 1, selected innovators are invited to Phase 2, where they are awarded an AfOx Innovation Fellowship that includes personalised technical support from Oxford collaborators, advanced training, and a week-long boot camp in Oxford. 

PHASES

Phase 1: Virtual Programme in innovation and entrepreneurship: Each cohort welcomes up to 50 innovators who take part in a robust and practical course on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health for Africa. The training covers topics such as negotiation roleplay and simulation, entrepreneurial finance and literacy, science entrepreneurship, pitching, business strategy, fundraising and exit options, and product development.  

Delivered over 16 weeks, the programme blends self-paced learning with live, interactive workshops and small-group discussions. Participants dedicate around 8-10 hours per week, with a structure designed for accessibility and flexibility to support busy innovator-entrepreneurs across the continent. 

Virtual workrooms enable small-group collaboration and peer learning, fostering a connected community of African innovators advancing health impact together. Throughout the programme, participants receive personalised mentorship and tailored support to their ventures. 

Phase 2: Oxford-based fellowships for personalised technical support : After completing the virtual programme, selected innovators whose projects demonstrate strong potential for venture development and health impact are awarded AfOx Innovation Fellowships. Fellows receive personalised technical support from Oxford collaborators across all University Divisions expressing interest in collaborating with our innovation fellows. 

During Phase 2, Fellows are invited to a week-long boot camp in Oxford, featuring hands-on workshops and opportunities to engage with peers and mentors. The boot camp covers essential topics for deep science start-ups including intellectual property rights and regulatory considerations, financial projections, fundraising strategies, negotiating deals, building the team and how to run an effective board.  The boot camp offers an opportunity to stress test the ventures and integrate critical technical and business strategy feedback. 

Find more information on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE