Research Fellow – Mapping Africa’s Assistive Technology (AT) Landscape.

Location: Flexible (Accra, Nairobi, or remote within Africa).

Stipend: $200-$400 per month, based on experience and location.

Duration: 3 months

Supervision: Joint supervision from inAble/Inclusive Africa and Jaza Rift.

Resources: Access to both organizations’ networks, research tools, and databases.

Introduction

Assistive Technologies (AT) remain one of the most under-developed yet high-impact sectors in Africa, despite rapid population growth, rising disability prevalence, aging demographics, and expanding digital infrastructure. Indeed, the successive Inclusive Africa Conferences (IACs) have demonstrated the growing interest of corporates, philanthropies and investors and the growing innovator’s drive to develop homegrown solutions for Africa.

Organizational Overview

inABLE/Inclusive Africa is a pan-African organization dedicated to driving inclusive innovation, with a focus on disability inclusion and assistive technologies (AT).

Jaza Rift is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups across Africa, with a growing interest in scalable, impactful solutions, including AT.

Both organizations are collaborating to map Africa’s AT landscape, identify financing gaps, and unlock investment opportunities.

Objective of the Role

This Research Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to shape Africa’s Assistive Technology (AT) ecosystem, influence investor behaviour, and advance disability inclusion across the continent. The role will generate critical evidence and insights to inform strategies for both inABLE/Inclusive Africa and Jaza Rift, with the potential for long‑term, system‑level impact.

The Research Fellow will contribute to this objective by mapping Africa’s AT ecosystem to identify key actors, gaps, and opportunities; quantifying unmet financing needs and market potential for AT solutions; exploring pathways for adapting successful global AT models to Africa’s unique context; and developing practical training materials to support investors in deploying capital effectively within the AT space.

Scope of Work

Research & Data Collection

• Conduct desk research on Africa’s AT landscape: key startups, NGOs, governments, and investors.
• Identify and interview AT stakeholders (founders, investors, policymakers, users).
• Analyze global AT models (e.g., WHO AT2030, UK AT Fund) for applicability in Africa.

Market & Financing Analysis

• Quantify unmet AT financing needs by region, sector, and user group.
• Assess market potential for AT solutions in Africa, including revenue models and scalability.
• Identify barriers to adoption and investment in AT across the continent.

Pathway Development

• Propose actionable strategies to translate global AT success models to Africa (e.g., public-private partnerships, microfinance, impact investing).
• Develop case studies of successful AT interventions in Africa and other regions.

Investor Training & Advocacy

Co-create with Jaza Rift training modules for workshops on:

• The importance of AT in achieving SDGs.
• How to evaluate AT startups and projects.
• Risk mitigation and blended finance models for AT investment.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the 3-month fellowship, the Research Fellow will deliver:
A comprehensive report on Africa’s AT landscape, including:

• A database of key AT stakeholders.
• Analysis of financing gaps and market potential.
• Recommendations for investors and policymakers.
• A toolkit or training materials for investors on deploying capital into AT.
• A presentation summarizing findings and pathways for both organizations.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Business, Engineering, Public health or related fields.
• 1+ years in research, consulting, or venture capital (ideally in health, tech, or impact investing).
• Strong personal commitment to Assistive Technologies and advancing inclusion within the disability space.

Core Skills and Competences:

• Familiarity with assistive technologies, disability inclusion, or social impact investing.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.
• Experience with stakeholder interviews and qualitative research.
• Ability to synthesize complex information into actionable insights.
• Proficiency in English (French or local languages is a plus).
• Microsoft Office software knowledge, with PowerPoint presentation and Word.
• Some knowledge of financial analysis, investments structures and financial modelling in Excel.
• Good understanding and usage of AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, NoteBookLM etc.

Behavioral Competences:

• Demonstrate integrity, curiosity, and grit in their professional conduct.
• Show a strong passion for inclusive innovation and disability rights.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Be proactive, well‑organised, and able to work with timeliness and stamina to meet deliverables.
• Be open to communication, comfortable asking questions, and committed to continuous learning.
• Be a strong team player with demonstrated leadership qualities.
• Apply analytical rigour in their approach and working style.
• Be able to work independently with minimal supervision in a remote setting, while actively seeking and responding to constructive feedback.

Safeguarding & inclusion

inABLE has zero tolerance for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. All offers are subject to background checks and adherence to PSEA and Child/Adult Safeguarding policies. inABLE is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Women and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply: Fill in the form: https://tinyurl.com/inclusivefellow, and write a writing sample (e.g., research report, blog post) to: careers@inable.org
Deadline: 30^th March 2026
Expected Start Date: 6^th April 2026

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Research Fellow – Mapping Africa’s Assistive Technology Landscape

The Disability Technology report – Chapter 1: Digital assistive technologies (digital AT) | Royal Society