The Million Lives Collective establishes its first Regional Hub in East Africa
Exciting news - the Million Lives Collective (MLC) has launched its first Regional Hub in East Africa! This strategic expansion is part of MLC's ongoing efforts to enhance its model by forming partnerships with organisations that are optimally positioned to foster stronger ties with country and regional ecosystems, identify innovative solutions, and provide more tailored, contextually relevant support for their scale-up.
The East Africa Regional Hub will be managed by a consortium of three respected organisations in the innovation ecosystem: Villgro Africa, E&K Consulting, and Insight Health Advisors. This collaboration aims to strengthen and deepen the MLC’s engagement with innovation ecosystems at country and regional levels, actively identifying and showcasing innovations that address regional development challenges, providing more customised support to innovators and acting as trusted advisors to potential innovation adopters.
In its initial year, the East Africa Regional Hub will identify innovations that effectively address regional development challenges and support MLC members in promoting their innovations and contributing to knowledge dissemination and policy conversations related to innovation. In addition, the Hub will prioritise identifying innovations in health and related sectors, and aiding their scale-up within the public sector.
The establishment of this Hub marks a strategic step forward for the MLC, underscoring its commitment to collaborative innovation and development. This move reinforces the MLC's dedication to fostering meaningful change through sustainable partnerships and contextually tailored solutions.
About the Regional Hub Partners
Villgro Africa is an incubator and impact investor that supports health and life science startups on the African continent to transform product and process innovations into viable, scalable businesses that impact the base of the economic pyramid.
E&K Consulting Firm is a pan-African advisory, innovation platform support, ecosystem engagement and investment firm providing turnkey solutions in the healthcare, finance, innovation, technology, climate and energy sectors.
IHA works with government players to distill health needs into actionable problem statements through a process known as demand articulation. Further IHA has experience working with governments to scan, assess and select innovations through a public sector-owned and driven approach.
