The Fred Hollows Foundation has selected three Kenyan startups—Dot Glasses, Zuri Health, and Mamy Eyewear—for the inaugural cohort of its Africa Eye Health Accelerator. This program, launched in partnership with the IAPB and Criterion Institute, is described as the world's first accelerator dedicated solely to eye health innovation.
The accelerator aims to support eight African businesses developing solutions to improve eye care access and address preventable blindness across the continent. The selected Kenyan startups focus on areas such as affordable prescription glasses, telemedicine, and eyewear designed for specific demographics.
The program will provide the startups with seed funding, mentorship, and business development support over several months. The initiative is part of The Fred Hollows Foundation's broader strategy to strengthen local eye health ecosystems and create sustainable models for care.
Eye care remains a significant challenge in Africa, where a large proportion of vision impairment is preventable or treatable. Accelerators like this seek to bridge the gap by empowering local entrepreneurs to build scalable health solutions.
