The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) has announced the return of its flagship innovation platform, the Health Innovation Festival (HIFest) 2026 — formerly known as AfyaFest — which will take place in Accra, Ghana, from June 4–6, 2026.
Co-hosted by Ashesi University and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the festival will bring together over 100 participants from nine countries across Africa and Canada—including Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Senegal, Zambia, and Canada. Among them will be 36 young health entrepreneurs, innovators, and students, joined by investors, mentors, researchers and ecosystem leaders to foster collaboration, learning, and innovation.
As Africa’s health and innovation ecosystems continue to evolve in response to rising healthcare demands, workforce shortages, and climate-related health risks, HIFest 2026 will spotlight and support locally driven solutions that are strengthening health systems, improving community health outcomes and expanding opportunities in health and innovation.
Organized by the Africa Health Collaborative in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the festival reflects growing recognition that young innovators are central to shaping the future of healthcare across the continent.
What to Expect at HIFest 2026
Over three days, participants will engage in hands-on innovation labs, masterclasses, industry visits, coaching clinics, investor engagement sessions, and cross-border collaboration with peers and ecosystem leaders.
The festival is designed to support early-stage and idea-stage ventures selected from AHC partner institutions, helping innovators strengthen prototypes, refine business models, and build pathways to market access, sustainability, and growth.
Building on the success of AfyaFest 2025, hosted by Amref Health Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, HIFest 2026 continues to expand opportunities for youth-led ventures to connect with mentors, investors, researchers, and health systems leaders. The 2025 edition supported 51 ventures through pitching sessions, workshops, mentorship, and networking engagements, with winning teams receiving seed funding to advance their solutions.
“[Last year’s festival was] a life-changing experience. My mentor helped me to really brainstorm deeper on the foundations of my business. He helped me understand the exact problem that we are solving at WeCure Pharmacy, and who our target market is, so that our approach is more targeted, said Dumisani Newton, Founder of WeCure Pharmacy and winner of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Category.
The 2026 edition will spotlight emerging and high-impact areas shaping the future of healthcare. These include digital and AI-driven health solutions; maternal and child health; mental health; climate and health resilience; water, sanitation, and environmental health; innovative medical devices and services; and indigenous medicine.
“Health innovation on the continent cannot be built in silos. It requires young people, researchers, entrepreneurs, institutions, and investors working together across borders to solve problems that are deeply local but widely shared.
Hosting HIFest ’26 in Ghana reflects Ashesi University’s belief that Africa’s future in healthcare will be shaped by collaborative leadership, ethical innovation, and solutions grounded in the realities of our communities. We are excited to help create a space where promising ideas can be challenged, strengthened, and connected to the ecosystems that will help them grow into lasting impact,” said Jessica Boifio, Associate Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, Ashesi University
“Health entrepreneurship is not only about building businesses; it is about building transformational solutions that save lives, strengthen communities, and create a healthier future for generations to come. True leadership in health innovation begins with compassion, empathy, vision, and the courage to transform manifold challenges into opportunities,” said Prof. Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah, Lead for Health Entrepreneurship, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
The festival will be hosted in person in Accra, Ghana, with virtual participation available through YouTube.
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