Assistive Technology Impact Fund

Combines grant capital with expert-led venture-building support, to support Assistive Technology innovators launch and scale solutions in Africa.

• From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
• Published: 10 February 2021
• Last updated: 24 May 2022 — See all updates

• Funds: Open
• Countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana and Burkina Faso
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  Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo (Democratic Republic), Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, The, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
• Sector: Disabilities, Innovation, Private sector/business and Technology
• Eligible organisations: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UK-based non-profit organisations, UK-based small and diaspora organisations, Companies, Educational institutions and Humanitarian relief organisations
• Value of funding: £10,001 to £100,000 and £500,001 to £1,000,000

The deadline for applications has now past.

Overview

The AT Impact Fund (ATIF) enables innovative technology solutions to better reach people with disabilities in Africa, by supporting AT ventures with up to £200K in grant capital, to test business models that can enable AT innovators to scale. Selected ventures receive 6+ months of tailored venture building support, expert coaching, brokering of partners and connections to investors to help them scale and access to a network of disability pioneers. Our programme runs for 18 months, starting September 2020, with each company having our support over a 6 to 12 month window within this period.

What the fund will achieve

The AT Impact Fund aims to increase each grantee’s chance of long term sustainable success, by supporting them each on a path to scale, and overcoming known barriers to scale within the AT sector.

You will be eligible for AT Impact Fund support, if you:

• are an entrepreneur committed to bringing AT innovations (e.g. hearing assessment and hearing aid devices, eye testing and eyeglasses, prosthetics solutions and innovative means of their production, mobility solutions etc.) to people with disabilities in Africa
• are looking to scale your AT innovation in an African market(s)
• have some evidence of business model traction in an African market

or if you:

• are an entrepreneur growing a distribution, financing or innovative manufacturing venture that could play a role getting AT to the populations in Africa

Background information on the fund

The AT Impact Fund is a collaboration between GDI Hub, Brink and Catalyst Fund. The partnership combines deep expertise in AT, innovation and venture building in Africa, respectively. The fund forms part of the UK Aid-funded AT2030 programme, led by the Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub. AT2030 tests ‘what works’ to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology for all; investing £20m over 5 years to support solutions to scale. AT2030 will reach 9 million directly and 9 million more indirectly, driving a lifetime of potential. AT2030 is operational in 31 countries globally.

Contacts

The AT Impact Fund is led by GDI Hub, under the UK Aid funded AT2030 programme.

Published 10 February 2021
Last updated 24 May 2022 + show all updates

1. 24 May 2022

   Closing date foe applications has now past

2. 10 February 2021

   First published.