This week in Tanzanian Startup 🔥🔥

The Launch Of Mobile Testing Units in Tanzania.

Improving Healthcare Access in Tanzania.

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We’re excited to share news in the Tanzanian health-tech space. LyfPlus, a Dar-based startup, is rolling out mobile testing units to provide comprehensive medical testing services for outpatients across Tanzania.

Addressing Critical Challenge

'‘80% of the 25 million outpatients visiting health facilities annually in Tanzania require medical testing during their initial visit. For chronic patients or patients undergoing long-term treatment regular checkup often constitutes a number of medical tests to assess treatment effectiveness, medication response and disease progression.'‘

William Andrew Mduma, Founder & CEO LyfPlus

Photo Credit : Lyfplus

key benefits

  • Comprehensive Tele-Diagnosis: The mobile units perform essential tests like urinalysis, GFR, cholesterol, and ECG, complementing teleconsultation services.

  • Integrated Care: The mobile units will extend LyfPlus’s network of partner health facilities, allowing them to reach more patients beyond their premises and coordinate health services for better experiences and outcomes.

  • Enhanced Accessibility: Mobile units can reach remote and underserved areas, as well as patients with mobility issues, ensuring that healthcare is accessible to everyone.

The first-ever Energy Efficiency Innovation Challenge Boot Camp

Last week was marked as a historical week in the energy landscape calendar with the first-ever Energy Efficiency Innovation Challenge Boot Camp that started from June 10th to June 14th, 2024.

The challenge is supported by the European Union (EU), the Embassy of Ireland, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and managed by the Tanzania Energy Efficiency Action Plan through the Ministry of Energy.

The intensive week-long program brought together 20 innovative ideas focused on advancing energy efficiency practices. Participants had the opportunity to showcase and refine their solutions with the guidance of industry experts, receiving invaluable mentorship aimed at enhancing their projects and preparing them for the final presentation.

The Boot Camp was finalized by a pitching session on Friday, June 14th, 2024 where finalists presented their refined projects to a panel of judges. The top 10 outstanding projects will be awarded seed grants of up to 25,000,000 TZS each, providing crucial funding to bring their innovative ideas to fruition while benefiting from mentorship to refine their innovations and navigate the path to market.

Photo Credit: Tanzania Energy Efficiency Action Plan

What is Energy Efficiency?

  • As of 2023, Tanzania’s contribution to global CO2 emissions was about 0.04% (according to Our World Data).

  • With rapid urbanization, energy demand is expected to increase by 8% per year against a stable supply in the short term, potentially leading to an energy deficit.

In support of Tanzania’s 2015 energy policy, the government has set goals for energy efficiency and conservation in areas including energy production, transformation, transport, and end-use.

Energy efficiency means using the same amount of energy to provide more services or perform more activities—this implies reduced operational costs as well as environmental protection through minimal energy consumption.

Energy efficiency helps to reduce demand, allow better services to end-consumers, and enable Utility companies such as Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) to reduce their financial and technical losses. In realizing energy efficiency goals, solutions that ensure minimal carbon emissions and reduce Tanzania’s overall contribution to global carbon share have great potential and opportunities in different areas including transport, cooking, electricity, industrial production, and so forth.

Looking for an idea to make an impact within the community? Consider energy efficiency!

Serengeti Business Angel Network (S-BAN) launches a feasibility report on Tanzania Angel Investment Landscape

Serengeti Business Angel Network (S-BAN) is a Tanzania-based network of early-stage angel investors.

Founded in 2021, S-BAN brings together local and international angel investors dedicated to supporting early-stage startups across East Africa and Central Africa.

This June, S-BAN launched a feasibility study on the Tanzania Angel Investment Landscape. The newly launched report highlights a significant pre-seed funding gap, especially for young and women-led startups in Tanzania.


According to the World Bank, this funding gap ranges from $1.3 billion to $2.6 billion annually. Traditional financial institutions often view early-stage startups as high-risk investments due to their lack of financial history and collateral, with young and female entrepreneurs facing even greater challenges.

Photo Credit : Embassy of Kingdom Of Netherland

To address this gap, SBAN initiated the Tanzania Angel Accelerator (TAA) – a program aiming at increasing the number of angel investors in Tanzania through training, together with Ennovate Founders. TAA is supported by the European Union D4t program and implemented by the UNCDF.

To date, SBAN has trained over 20 angel investors, with 50% of them actively engaged in investment activities. Nevertheless, the SBAN team believes in scaling these numbers as a means to unlocking more potential in angel investment across all regions in Tanzania through TAA.

The Tanzania investment landscape potential

Photo Credit : Embassy of Kingdom Of Netherland

The report estimates that there are around 600 prospective angel investors in Tanzania, with the potential to contribute $1 million annually in pre-seed and seed investments. These investors come from various backgrounds:

  • People in corporate organizations (64%): these work full-time in corporate organizations

  • New Gen Founders (15%): these are under 40 years old individual interested in venture funding

  • Individuals in retirement (6%): these include retired or retiring individuals

  • Professionals in transition (15%): these include individuals changing jobs or interested in launching their own startups

In terms of region distribution in participating in TAA training, Dar es Salaam presents the highest potential accounting for 60% of TAA training participants, followed by Arusha with 10%, Zanzibar and Mwanza with 10%, other regions with 5% and the diaspora representing 15%.

Zanzalu Startup Weekend 2024 pitch competition

The Zanzalu Startup Weekend 2024 pitch competition was an event that offered startups a unique opportunity to present their startups to a panel of esteemed judges, investors, and industry experts.

The competition was fierce, with numerous innovative startups competiting for the top spots. Each participant had the chance to pitch their business ideas, demonstrating their potential to make a significant impact in their respective fields.

Photo Credit : Nyika Venture, Second winners.

Think Like Investor : Funding Round Cheat Sheet

Funding opportunities 🎇🎇🎇

2024 Ecopreneur Network Application

The Ecopreneur Network, part of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, is now accepting applications for its Class of 2024. This network provides lifetime support for ocean startups with a mission to foster systemic change on a global scale.

Global good fund Fellowship
Are you ready?? Applications for the 2025 is accepted. This fellowship is annual in-person Summit! The summit is a 12-month Fellowship, a pivotal moment when entrepreneurs transition from working one-on-one with their professional leadership coach to collaborating closely with their executive business mentor.

Black Founders Programme

The Black Founders Programme is a 13-week accelerator aimed at pre-seed or seed-stage, Black-founded companies creating innovative products and services in the creative industries. This programme is designed to fast-track high-growth potential startups by providing the support needed to increase their investment readiness level.

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