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Boehringer Ingelheim rolls out training programme for local health innovators


Some of the innovators from Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria during the Making More Health accelerator workshop

Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, has called on innovators in Africa to adopt viable business models for their enterprises to ensure growth and sustainability.

Speaking during a two-day training workshop for social entrepreneurs Eduardo Lioy, Director Corporate Strategy Development at Boehringer Ingelheim said the firm has invested heavily in training innovators and social entrepreneurs especially in human and animal health in an effort to tackle unmet human and animal health needs.

The 'Making More Health’ (MMH) Accelerator programme was launched last year and brings together African social entrepreneurs, Ashoka, an innovators platform and Boehringer Ingelheim's’ leaders from around the globe to brainstorm on ways to enhance the start-ups business models and identify opportunities for strategic collaboration to improve human and animal health. The programme also aims to review and improve social entrepreneurs’ business models as well as identifying opportunities for partnerships.

“The “co-creation” approach used in the workshop is one of the key tools in realizing our mission of establishing a network of financially sustainable social ventures. Co-creation is about bringing together diverse people and ideas and allowing them to learn from each other while challenging and improving innovative solutions, increasing their chances of success, “said Eduardo.

The programme has pooled innovators from Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria who are working on animal and human health programmes in rural areas in their respective countries. The social ventures will proceed to a pilot phase over the next six months where they will develop a minimum viable product specific to their market needs. It will then culminate in the social entrepreneurs pitching at Boehringer Ingelheim’s headquarters for scale-up funding.

Through the Accelerator program, Boehringer Ingelheim seeks to build a network of financially sustainable social enterprises in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana so as to expand their outreach in remote areas.

The accelerator program aims to bring innovative and passionate entrepreneurs together with the brightest corporate minds from Boehringer Ingelheim with the aim of delivering meaningful sustainable social impact and improve access to healthcare for low-income populations.

Sara Jefferson, Senior Changemaker Manager, Making More Health, Ashoka added, “Further to core business and leadership skills that these workshops provide within the accelerator, we are working across multiple disciplines to ensure that the dreams of these entrepreneurs are materialized, they attract the right investment and have the opportunity and tools to scale up. Working with Boehringer Ingelheim, we are keen to ensure that we are supporting these start-ups in strengthening their value propositions and become successful and sustainable businesses.”

The Making More Health Accelerator is part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s broader strategy to sustainably improve access to healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa under the ‘In Reach Africa’ initiative. It focuses on adding more value to overall health systems by driving access to healthcare, support with the development of innovative health solutions, creating community-based partnerships and raising awareness around key disease areas as well as prevention mechanisms.

The entrepreneurs bring in their vision and passion for improving access to animal and human healthcare for underserved populations in Africa along with new innovative ideas while Boehringer Ingelheim brings more than 125 years of experience on how to set-up and run a successful business.

Boehringer Ingelheim employees are exposed to the challenges, creativity and agility of a start-up and the start-ups are exposed to the tools, methods and people of an established Healthcare business. This common journey makes us all improve and learn from each other.

Through ‘In Reach Africa’, Boehringer Ingelheim works with the partners throughout Africa with the aim of empowering health systems and individuals alike to establish a sustainable and holistic approach that connects to human and animal health priorities.

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