The Britam Betalab Regional Startup Challenge 2025, launched by Britam in partnership with Hindsight Ventures, aims to support innovative, high-potential startups in East Africa. This initiative is designed to strengthen the insurance value chain by identifying and supporting technology-driven ventures across Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. Selected startups will participate in a four-week bootcamp, culminating in a demo day and opportunities for further acceleration.
About BetaLab
- Corporate Innovation Hub: BetaLab serves as Britam’s platform for reimagining insurance and financial services in Africa.
- Focus Areas: The hub fosters collaboration among startups, tech talent, and industry leaders.
- Activities: Initiatives include incubation programs, mentorship, hackathons, product development, and innovation-driven events.
Program Overview
- Challenge Objective: To identify hi-tech startups building innovative solutions within the insurance value chain.
- Geographic Scope: Open to startups operating in Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.
- Format: A four-week Venture Development Bootcamp followed by a virtual demo day, with selected ventures progressing into an accelerator.
Key Themes
- FinTech: Digital financial solutions for credit, savings, payments, embedded finance, and financial literacy for underserved individuals and SMEs.
- Insurtech: Technologies improving insurance access, underwriting, distribution, and claims management.
- Agritech: Solutions digitizing agriculture value chains, enhancing productivity, and providing access to markets or insurance.
- Retail and Supply Chain: Innovations facilitating retail access to credit and insurance.
- Healthtech: Services linking healthcare to micro-health insurance, telemedicine, or digital health wallets to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Program Benefits
- Venture Bootcamp: 15 startups (five per country) will participate in mentorship and leadership sessions delivered by founders, experts, investors, and Britam executives.
- Virtual Demo Day: Participants showcase solutions to potential partners and investors.
- Partnership Opportunities: Exposure to Britam and Hindsight Ventures’ networks.
- Technology Credits: Support to help scale solutions.
- Accelerator Phase: Five startups will advance to a 60-day accelerator after the bootcamp.
Eligibility
- Startups must be registered in Tanzania, Uganda, or Rwanda.
- Ventures must have been operational for at least 24 months.
- Eligible solutions must fit into one or more of the challenge’s thematic areas.
Selection Criteria
- 30% – Business potential to scale.
- 25% – Differentiation from existing solutions.
- 20% – Traction in the home market or other emerging markets.
- 10% – Technology readiness for scaling.
- 15% – Other relevant factors.
Timeline
- 4 September 2025 – Program announcement.
- 12 September 2025 – Applications close.
- 30 September 2025 – Cohort announcement.
- 15 October 2025 – Bootcamp begins with 15 startups.
- 7 November 2025 – Bootcamp ends.
- 14 November 2025 – Grand Demo Day.
- 15 November 2025 – 15 January 2026 – 60-day accelerator for five shortlisted startups.
The Britam Betalab Regional Startup Challenge 2025 provides a platform for startups in East Africa to scale innovative solutions that align with the insurance value chain. By combining mentorship, exposure, and acceleration, the program supports ventures tackling key challenges across fintech, insurtech, agritech, retail, and healthtech sectors.