A-Lite Uganda
A-Lite Uganda is a Ugandan social enterprise that manufactures and sells the A-Lite Vein Locator, a portable red-light medical device that helps healthcare practitioners in Sub-Saharan Africa locate veins for blood draws, IV insertions, and injections.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersMbarara, Uganda
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What A-Lite Uganda does
A-Lite Uganda is a privately-held social enterprise founded in 2018 in Mbarara, Uganda, that designs, manufactures, and sells the A-Lite Vein Locator — a portable, rechargeable medical device using Red Light Technology to illuminate patient veins in real-time for blood draws, IV insertions, and injections. The device is targeted at healthcare facilities (hospitals, mobile clinics, and emergency settings) across Sub-Saharan Africa and is positioned as a low-cost, time-saving alternative to traditional vein location methods, with the company claiming a 70% reduction in procedure time. Technically, the product is a compact, handheld hardware device with proprietary red-light illumination and a rechargeable battery system; no AI/ML, software platform, or recurring SaaS component is described in the available data.
The company's revenue model is hardware sales of the Vein Locator to healthcare facilities, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Distribution is through a direct sales motion targeting hospitals and clinics, supplemented by an extensive development partner ecosystem — including UNDP, Villgro, ASME, IDRC, Mastercard Foundation, CAMTech, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Timbuktoo, AII, moICT, and H2i² — which provides credibility, grant support, and market access. GTM is sales-led with a website-driven lead capture funnel and a "Get In Touch" call-to-action, leveraging partner networks for top-of-funnel awareness. Customer logos are not disclosed, and there are no patents, trademarks, regulatory clearances, or third-party clinical validations referenced in the source data.
A-Lite Uganda firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A-Lite Uganda
- Legal name
- A-Lite Uganda
- Website
- https://aliteuganda.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- A-Lite Uganda is a Ugandan social enterprise that manufactures and sells the A-Lite Vein Locator, a portable red-light medical device that helps healthcare practitioners in Sub-Saharan Africa locate veins for blood draws, IV insertions, and injections.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A-Lite Uganda industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Devices
- NAICS
- Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vascular Access Devices (AV Grafts, Catheters, Fistula Accessories) (HLAHAKAE)
Keywords
Where A-Lite Uganda is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mbarara
- HQ country
- Uganda
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
A-Lite Uganda business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- A-Lite Vein Locator Device Sales: The company generates revenue through the sale of its medical device, the A-Lite Vein Locator. As a physical medical device with hardware components, the primary revenue model is one-time product sales to healthcare facilities. The device is positioned as low-cost, suggesting a focus on affordability-driven volume sales rather than premium pricing.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
A-Lite Uganda product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A-Lite Uganda manufactures and sells the A-Lite Vein Locator, a portable, rechargeable medical device that uses Red Light Technology to illuminate patient veins in real-time. The device helps healthcare practitioners quickly identify optimal veins for blood draws, intravenous insertions, and injections, reducing patient discomfort and minimizing multiple needle pricks. It is positioned as a low-cost, durable, and reliable solution targeted at hospitals, mobile clinics, and emergency medical settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Product overview
A-Lite Uganda offers a single unified product — the A-Lite Vein Locator. This is a portable, rechargeable medical device designed for healthcare professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa. The device uses Red Light Technology to illuminate veins in real-time, helping practitioners identify optimal injection sites quickly and reducing patient discomfort. The company positions the product as low-cost, time-saving, durable, and reliable, targeting hospitals, mobile clinics, and emergency situations across the region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- A-Lite Vein Locator A portable, rechargeable medical device that uses Red Light Technology to illuminate patient veins in real-time, enabling healthcare practitioners to quickly identify optimal veins for blood draws, IV insertions, and injections. Designed for healthcare facilities, hospitals, mobile clinics, and emergency medical settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saves 70% time during vein location procedures
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use A-Lite Uganda
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
A-Lite Uganda technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
A-Lite Uganda partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreUNDP partnership provides global development credibility and potential market access for A-Lite Uganda's healthcare technology solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- VillgrocoreVillgro is an African healthcare and climate innovation incubator that supports early-stage enterprises, providing mentorship, funding, and market access for A-Lite Uganda.
- ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)coreASME recognized A-Lite Uganda through its ISHOW program, providing international visibility and credibility as an innovative healthcare technology company.
- CAMTechminorCAMTech (Consortium for Affordable Medical Technology) focuses on developing and scaling affordable medical technologies in low-resource settings.
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST)coreLocal university partnership providing research collaboration, clinical expertise, and access to healthcare talent in Uganda.
- TimbuktoominorTimbuktoo is a pan-African innovation initiative supporting African startups and entrepreneurs in scaling their solutions.
- AII (Africa Innovation Institute)minorAII supports African innovation and entrepreneurship through funding, mentorship, and capacity building programs.
- moICT (Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, Uganda)minorGovernment ministry partnership providing local regulatory support and potential market access within Uganda.
- H2i² (Health Innovation Hub)minorHealth innovation hub providing support for healthcare technology development and commercialization.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
A-Lite Uganda competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Smiths Medical (ICU Medical acquisition): Smiths Medical provides vascular access, IV infusion, and patient monitoring devices to hospitals globally. Comparable to A-Lite via the same procedural workflow (vein access for IV therapy), even though their product portfolio does not include vein visualization devices.
- Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD): BD is a global leader in vascular access devices (catheters, needles, IV sets) and serves the same end-procedure use cases (blood draws, IV insertions) that A-Lite's vein locator supports. Broad incumbent rather than direct competitor because BD does not sell vein visualization devices, but its scale and distribution shape hospital purchasing behavior relevant to A-Lite.
- ICU Medical: ICU Medical specializes in IV therapy, infusion pumps, and vascular access devices, serving the same clinical workflow of IV insertion and medication delivery as A-Lite. Broad incumbent comparable on customer and use-case overlap; not a direct competitor in vein visualization.
- B. Braun Medical: B. Braun is a major medical device manufacturer with deep presence in IV therapy and vascular access products globally. Indirect comparable for A-Lite given shared customer base (hospitals, IV teams) and overlapping vascular-access workflow, though B. Braun does not compete in vein visualization hardware specifically.
Direct peers
- AccuVein: AccuVein is the global market-leading manufacturer of vein visualization devices using near-infrared technology. Directly comparable to A-Lite's A-Lite Vein Locator in core product category (vein illumination), although AccuVein targets premium global hospital markets while A-Lite targets resource-constrained Sub-Saharan Africa at lower price points.
- Christie Medical Holdings (VeinViewer): Christie Medical's VeinViewer is a flagship NIR-based vein visualization system widely deployed in US hospitals. Direct peer in device function and clinical use case (vein access); competes with A-Lite in the same product category but at the premium end with different distribution reach.
Emerging players
- BRCK: BRCK is a Kenyan hardware/connectivity company building rugged technology for African markets, with a healthcare-clinic connectivity product line. Comparable to A-Lite as a Sub-Saharan African social-enterprise hardware business targeting institutional healthcare buyers with locally engineered products.
- d.light: d.light designs and distributes affordable solar/energy and health products across Africa and emerging markets using a pay-as-you-go distribution model. Comparable to A-Lite as an African-headquartered social enterprise selling affordable, durable hardware to under-served bottom-of-pyramid healthcare/energy users through partner-led channels.
- Wello (WaterHealth International): Wello focuses on affordable water purification hardware in low-resource settings via a franchise distribution model across Africa and Asia. Comparable to A-Lite as a low-cost durable-goods social enterprise serving institutional buyers in Sub-Saharan Africa, even though the underlying product category (water vs. medical devices) differs.
- Mobicure / Omomi: Mobicure is a Nigerian digital health company focused on maternal and child health across Africa. Comparable to A-Lite as an Africa-headquartered health-impact venture targeting African public-health buyers, though Mobicure focuses on software/service delivery rather than hardware.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
A-Lite Uganda social profiles
Digital presenceA-Lite Uganda financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A-Lite Uganda leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
A-Lite Uganda funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A-Lite Uganda M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about A-Lite Uganda
What does A-Lite Uganda do?
A-Lite Uganda manufactures and sells the A-Lite Vein Locator, a portable, rechargeable medical device that uses Red Light Technology to illuminate patient veins in real-time. The device helps healthcare practitioners quickly identify optimal veins for blood draws, intravenous insertions, and injections, reducing patient discomfort and minimizing multiple needle pricks. It is positioned as a low-cost, durable, and reliable solution targeted at hospitals, mobile clinics, and emergency medical settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Is A-Lite Uganda a public or private company?
A-Lite Uganda is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was A-Lite Uganda founded?
A-Lite Uganda was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is A-Lite Uganda based?
A-Lite Uganda is headquartered in Mbarara, Uganda, in the Africa region.
How does A-Lite Uganda make money?
One revenue line is on record: A-Lite Vein Locator Device Sales.
Who are A-Lite Uganda's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Smiths Medical (ICU Medical acquisition), Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), ICU Medical and B. Braun Medical. Direct peers are AccuVein and Christie Medical Holdings (VeinViewer). Emerging players are BRCK, d.light, Wello (WaterHealth International) and Mobicure / Omomi.
Does A-Lite Uganda have an API?
No public API is recorded for A-Lite Uganda.
What industry is A-Lite Uganda in?
A-Lite Uganda's product category is Medical Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAKAE, Vascular Access Devices (AV Grafts, Catheters, Fistula Accessories). Its NAICS code is 339112 and its SIC code is 3841.