Deadline: 20 June 2025
UVU Bio invites biotech and agritech startups to apply for their Business Incubation Programme.
The UVU Bio Ideas to Impact Biotech Incubation & Acceleration Programme is designed to fast-track high-potential, registered biotech startups from idea or prototype stage to market readiness.
Focus Areas
- Indigenous Knowledge-Based Biotech: Supporting the transformation of traditional knowledge into validated, market-ready biotech products.
- Health Biotechnology: Advancing diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, and biologics tailored for African healthcare needs.
- Pharmaceuticals & Cosmeceuticals: Developing evidence-based medical and cosmetic products, including those from natural or indigenous ingredients.
- Agri-Biotech: Enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability through biotech solutions for food security and resilience.
- Industrial Biotechnology: Promoting bio-based industrial processes and circular economy innovations for sustainable development.
- HealthTech & AI in Biotech: Integrating digital tools and AI to improve biotech innovation, diagnostics, and healthcare delivery.
- Other biotechnology-related products and services
Benefits
- Strategic and continuous specialised mentorship based on needs of company
- Investor readiness and pitch training
- Support with funding and grant applications
- Access to affordable laboratory and office infrastructure (Cape Town)
- Networking with peers, funders, and biotech industry experts
- Access to innovation competitions
Learning Outcomes
- Understand how to position their biotech company for growth and investment
- Have a clear roadmap to bring their product/service to market
- Strengthen their pitch, financial strategy, and operational approach
- Identify and address key gaps in their venture’s business and technical readiness
- Be connected to a network of mentors, funders, and innovation partners
- Affordable access to Cape Town’s shared lab infrastructure to further product development
Eligibility Criteria
- A biotech-related company (eg. health, agriculture, environmental, industrial biotech, indigenous knowledge, cannabis products, cosmeceuticals, pharmaceuticals, health tech including AI)
- Be working on a product or service at TRL 2/3 or above
Application Requirements
- Submit the following:
- Complete application form
- Concise 2-minute pitch video on product/service offered by your company
- CVs of founders
For more information, visit UVU Africa.
