UNFPA in Tanzania launched the iAccelerator, Amua, a six month mentorship-driven acceleration project, in collaboration with Sahara Sparks. Amua Accelerator supports young entrepreneurs with seed funding, training and skills development. The project is geared to generate innovative solutions to sexual and reproductive health-related challenges.

The trainers, mentors and judges are a diverse team of experts who are successful entrepreneurs, government representatives, innovation experts and specialists in sexual and reproductive health and youth and gender. They will apply their expertise in working with and mentoring the entrepreneurs in the following:

• Ideation
• User-centred design
• Team building
• Financial management and administration
• Research and development
• Products and services development
• Business model development
• Legal, IP and company registrations
• Communication pitching and soft skills

The top 10 teams received intensive training in a boot camp, to develop and refine their ideas or products. On the last day, they pitched their innovations. The top 6 teams then receive further mentorship to develop these into minimum viable products.

On the highly anticipated ‘demo day’ on August 10, these teams are to present their innovations. The top four teams will be identified and awarded seed funding.

Read more about Amua Accelerator.

Read about our other Innovation Accelerators:
Kenya iAccelerator: the I.AM campaign
Rwanda iAccelerator
Uganda iAccelerator: Up Accelerator