i3 unveils new healthcare partnerships set to strengthen supply chains across Africa

Agreements announced at the Access to Markets event highlight scalable models with potential impact on South Africa’s health system

Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative focused on transforming healthcare supply chains, has announced three new strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating access to essential health services across the continent. The deals were revealed during i3’s third Access to Markets (A2M) event, a two-day forum designed to connect high-potential African e-health startups with global industry players.

Backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and supported by organisations including MSD, Cencora, Sanofi’s Global Health Unit, HELP Logistics and Chemonics, i3 works to help early- and growth-stage healthcare companies move from innovation to large-scale commercialisation. Seven startups were selected for the programme’s latest cohort earlier this year.

The newly announced partnerships focus on three critical areas of care: cervical cancer prevention, malaria diagnosis and treatment, and expanded access to pharmacy services. Together, they demonstrate how collaboration between African innovators and global manufacturers can strengthen healthcare delivery models that are highly relevant to markets such as South Africa, where equitable access, last-mile delivery and supply chain resilience remain ongoing challenges.

Among the announcements, MSD revealed a collaboration with digital health platform MYDAWA to expand concierge-based services supporting cervical cancer prevention efforts. In another agreement, Sproxil partnered with Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme and federal health authorities to improve access to diagnostics and treatment through better supply chain transparency. In parallel, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Social Engagement Fund highlighted recent investments in three pharmacy-focused companies , Dawa Mkononi, Kasha and Reach52, all working to modernise medicine distribution across Africa.

While the partnerships span multiple regions, their implications extend to South Africa’s healthcare ecosystem, particularly as the country continues to explore digital health solutions, decentralised pharmacy models and public-private collaboration to improve patient access. The initiatives showcased by i3 offer scalable frameworks that could inform similar approaches within South Africa’s public and private health sectors.

“These collaborations show what is possible when local innovation meets global scale,” said Dr Ilka Wicke, Head of Sustainability Social at Boehringer Ingelheim. “By working alongside African entrepreneurs who understand community needs, we can build sustainable healthcare solutions that deliver measurable impact. Through the i3 programme, we are moving closer to our ambition of improving the lives of 50 million people by 2030.”

As South Africa continues to position itself as a hub for health innovation on the continent, the models emerging from i3’s latest deals underscore the growing role of cross-border partnerships in shaping the future of African healthcare delivery.