African Social Enterprises: $1.3M Funding Opportunity for "Brick-and-Click" Health Solutions

African social enterprises developing solutions to improve access to healthcare have until October 4, 2026, to apply for the Entrepreneurs for Resilience 2027 (E4R27) program by the Swiss Re Foundation. Successful applicants stand to gain up to $1.3 million in funding, along with technical support and access to a robust network of partners.

Program Focus: The "Brick-and-Click" Model

For its 10th edition, the E4R27 program specifically targets enterprises that combine local care delivery with digital tools. The sought-after model, referred to as "brick-and-click," integrates physical care points with a digital layer designed to facilitate access to primary healthcare for low-income or underserved populations.

Key Eligibility Criteria

The program is not open to projects still in the ideation phase. Applicants must meet the following requirements:

Establishment Date: The enterprise must have been established no later than 2023.
Scale of Impact: The organization must currently serve at least 50,000 people.
Sustainable Business Model: The enterprise must have a business model based on revenue generated from its activities.
Target Population: At least 30% of the client base must belong to low-income populations.
Geographic Scope: The enterprise must operate in countries classified by the World Bank as low-income or lower-middle-income.

Funding Structure and Support

Funding will be disbursed in stages to ensure rigorous evaluation and sustainable growth:

Due Diligence Phase: Between six and eight enterprises will receive initial support of up to $45,000 each during the due diligence process.
Finalist Phase: Following this stage, three to four finalists will share up to $1 million over a two-year period.

In addition to financial support, the program offers comprehensive assistance in:

Impact measurement
Financial management
Fundraising
Business development

Partners and Objectives

This edition of the program is led by the Swiss Re Foundation in partnership with:

Digital Connected Care Coalition
AXA EssentiALL
Sanofi Global Health Unit Impact Fund
Philips Foundation

The primary objective is to enable already operational enterprises to strengthen their business models and expand their capacity to provide accessible healthcare in underserved communities.

Application Timeline

Application Deadline: October 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM CEST.
Next Steps: Enterprises selected to proceed will be invited to submit a more detailed dossier at the end of October or in early November.