African-Led Assistive Technology Fund gains momentum at Skoll World Forum side event
Date: 2026-04-28
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
At
the Skoll World Forum, the Assistive Technologies for Disability Trust hosted a
side event titled “Dreaming, Daring, Doing: How the First African-Led Assistive
Tech Fund Was Born at Skoll,” bringing together founders, ecosystem builders,
and funders to discuss financing assistive technology innovation across Africa.
The
session focused on shifting perceptions around investment in assistive
technology startups, with organizers emphasizing that African-led funding
models are viable and that disability-centred governance can improve
development and investment outcomes.
Following
the acceleration of 88 assistive technology founders through the Innovate Now
programme, the initiative has moved from questioning talent availability to
assessing investability at scale, concluding that the ecosystem has strong
entrepreneurial capacity.
The
newly introduced Momentous Fund Pilot was highlighted as a key step in testing
new financing approaches for the sector, supported by the Judith Neilson
Foundation. Organizers noted that the fund was designed to address gaps in
early-stage investment for assistive technology ventures across Africa.
Contributors
to the discussion included innovators such as Elly Savatia and Brian Mwenda,
alongside ecosystem participants who emphasized the importance of inclusive
dialogue in shaping sustainable funding mechanisms.
The
conversation reinforced growing momentum toward building structured investment
pathways for assistive technology innovation on the continent, with a focus on
scaling impact for persons with disabilities.
