Global entrepreneurship program, Ampion (of the Venture Bus fame) is turning some of its attention to ehealth startups with the help of international healthcare tech organisation Merck. The two have partnered to launch an accelerator that will cater specifically for entrepreneurs in the sector.

The ehealth accelerator will be located in Nairobi, Kenya, where entrepreneurs will receive support, mentorship and the opportunity to pilot their products or services from the Merck headquarters’s innovation centre in Germany.

“The launch of the first healthcare accelerator in Africa is designed to be a major boost to healthcare innovation on the continent. Africa has many of the fastest growing technology markets world-wide,” Alexander Hoffmann, Project Manager at Merck said in a statement. “For us at Merck, the support of healthcare technology on the continent is important not just in terms of social impact but also as a long-term business investment”.

Applications for the ehealth accelerator will begin accepting applications on its website soon. Applications will be accepedted on a recurring basis and startups will be hposted for three months.

The ehealth accelerator announcement also coincides Ampion announcement that it has moved its headquarters from Germany to Nairobi.

[Image – CC 2.0 by GotCredit]