Google for Startups Growth Academy: AI for Health has today unveiled its 2023 cohort spotlighting innovative global startups set to reshape healthcare with AI-powered solutions. The 30 startups selected from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa include Kenya’s Zuri Health and iZola Limited.
The three-month program consists of virtual workshops, mentorship, networking events and equity-free support combined with access to Google products and resources.
Zuri Health seeks to revolutionize patient healthcare with an all-inclusive digital toolkit. iZola Limited is enhancing support for families with neurodivergent children via an AI-integrated therapeutics platform.
Three other African startups have also been selected for the program namely: Eden Care from Rwanda which is merging AI with digital health to reshape health insurance, mDoc and Pharmarun from Nigeria. mDoc seeks to elevate personal health practices through virtual health mentorship while Pharmarun offers a patient-first platform aimed at unifying regional pharmacies.
Yuval Passov, Head of Google for Startup and lead of the program, remarked: “Africa’s innovative spirit in the AI for Health domain is profoundly inspiring. These startups stand as a testament to the continent’s ability to develop global health solutions. We aim to stand alongside them, offering support and partnership as they strive to scale and disseminate their groundbreaking solutions.”
Among the selected startups outside Africa, Biocam has introduced a capsule that scans the digestive system in real-time to identify potential threats. Mindstep offers an app focused on enhancing brain and mental health, while Rayscape provides radiologists with a digital assistant equipped with AI tools for better decision-making.
Google for Startups Accelerator programs in Africa
Google recently unveiled the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First accelerator program aimed at supporting African startups to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve local challenges.
Since introducing Google for Africa Accelerator programs in Africa in 2018, Google has supported 106 startups from 17 African countries. According to Google, these startups have collectively raised over $263 million in funding and created over 2,800 jobs.
