Four medical students from the University of Benin have been selected as finalists in the Federal Government’s N50 million Student Venture Capital Grant (SVCG), a programme aimed at supporting innovative, student-led businesses.
Gatekeepers News reports that the initiative, launched in 2025 in partnership with the Bank of Industry, is designed to provide equity-free funding to student ventures that have reached the commercialisation stage.
The four finalists from UNIBEN which are all sixth-year medical students, developed a health-tech solution known as “UpCare,” a platform that creates a decentralised digital health diary for patients. The system allows individuals to own and manage their medical records across different healthcare facilities.
The innovation is expected to improve access to healthcare by reducing waiting times and enabling faster retrieval of patient information, especially during emergencies. It also promotes continuity of care as patients move between hospitals.
Nationwide, 65 student innovators emerged as finalists from over 30,000 applicants across more than 400 tertiary institutions, highlighting the competitiveness of the programme.
Federal Government described the initiative as a strategic investment in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs and job creators, with the potential to drive innovation and economic growth in the country.
The selected finalists are expected to undergo further evaluation and development processes before beneficiaries of the N50 million grant are announced.
