Better Futures CoLab

What Better Futures CoLab does

Better Futures CoLab is a UK-based non-profit collaborative initiative founded in 2020 by UK International Development to tackle systemic barriers to medical oxygen access in low- and middle-income countries. The organization operates through a "CoLab" model combining convening of multi-stakeholder partners with rigorous experimentation, addressing what it calls the "Missing Middle" between oxygen production and patient access. Its primary program, Oxygen CoLab, incubates and supports a portfolio of local oxygen SMEs — including FREO2, HealthPort, CPHD/Mediquip, Sanrai, and AFHIA — to deliver Oxygen-as-a-Service (O2aaS) subscription models to healthcare facilities across Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, India, and the Solomon Islands.

The organization's core technology stack centers on the O2aaS service architecture, in which local providers deliver bundled oxygen solutions covering equipment, installation, maintenance, monitoring, consumables, and clinical training under subscription or per-usage fees. Better Futures CoLab has invested in proprietary hardware innovations including the Remote Monitoring Unit (RMU) for tracking oxygen purity, flow, pressure, and power availability, and the Low Pressure Oxygen Storage (LPOS) system for electricity-free oxygen backup. It also produces market-shaping artifacts including the Oxygen Concentrator Directory (independent lab testing of 11 concentrators), Target Service Profiles (TSP) for procurement reform, and the Oxygen 101 educational course. The Vaccine Data CoLab sub-program concluded in October 2023; active sub-brands include Fund What Lasts and Repair & Reuse Kenya.

The revenue model is grant-based at the parent entity level (UK International Development, UNITAID, UNICEF), while portfolio companies generate subscription and per-usage fees from healthcare facilities. Reported outcomes include 100% oxygen uptime despite 215 power interruptions, up to 70% cost savings versus cylinders, 95% concentrator functionality in O2aaS models versus 25% without, and a 49% drop in child mortality from hypoxemia across 20 Ugandan facilities. The organization has shaped UNICEF's Oxygen Concentrator Target Product Profile and partnered with Karolinska Institutet, Makerere University, and the University of Melbourne on peer-reviewed evidence generation.

Name

Better Futures CoLab

Legal name

Better Futures CoLab

Website

https://makingbetterfutures.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Better Futures CoLab is a UK-based non-profit founded in 2020 that incubates local oxygen SMEs across Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, India, and the Solomon Islands to deliver subscription-based Oxygen-as-a-Service to healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Health Oxygen Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services (541614)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Oxygen Therapy Systems (Concentrators, Cylinders, Liquid O2, HFNC) (HLAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Logistics, Resource Staging & Distribution (PPE/Medical Supplies) (HLAJAGAK)

Keywords

• Medical oxygen services
• Oxygen delivery infrastructure
• Global health initiatives
• Oxygen market development
• Healthcare equipment leasing

Headquarters

HQ city

Global (Virtual Organization)

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Catalytic Grant Funding: The organization primarily operates through grant funding from development partners (UK International Development, UNITAID) to support the development of oxygen markets and local SME capacity building. Grants fund product innovation, evidence generation, and market development activities.
2. Oxygen-as-a-Service Revenue (Portfolio Companies): Portfolio companies (FREO2, HealthPort, CPHD/Mediquip, Sanrai, AFHIA) generate revenue through subscription fees and per-usage charges from healthcare facilities. Facilities pay fixed monthly fees or per-cylinder/per-usage rates for comprehensive oxygen services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Better Futures CoLab is a non-profit collaborative initiative that supports local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in low- and middle-income countries to deliver Oxygen-as-a-Service (O2aaS) — bundled, subscription-based oxygen delivery including equipment, installation, maintenance, monitoring, consumables, and clinical training to healthcare facilities. It complements this with technology products (Remote Monitoring Unit, Low Pressure Oxygen Storage system), an Oxygen Concentrator Directory, demand aggregation and procurement reform services, regulatory support, SME capacity building, and financing solutions aimed at building resilient, self-reliant medical oxygen markets.

Product overview

Better Futures CoLab operates as a collaborative incubation organization focused on improving oxygen access globally through a portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offering is Oxygen-as-a-Service (O2aaS), a service-based model where health facilities pay for guaranteed oxygen availability from local SMEs who deliver complete solutions. This is supported by technology products including the Remote Monitoring Unit (RMU) that tracks oxygen purity and system performance, and the Low Pressure Oxygen Storage (LPOS) system providing no-electricity-required backup power. The organization also provides the Oxygen Concentrator Directory for market visibility, and complementary services spanning demand aggregation and procurement reform, regulatory support, SME market development, and oxygen financing solutions. Educational offerings include Oxygen 101, a foundational training course on medical oxygen systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oxygen CoLab: Initiative focused on building resilient, self-reliant oxygen markets that work for patients by supporting local oxygen SMEs.
• Vaccine Data CoLab

Products and services

• Oxygen-as-a-Service (O2aaS) Subscription-based oxygen delivery service where healthcare facilities pay for ongoing oxygen availability from local SMEs who deliver bundled services including equipment, installation, maintenance, monitoring, consumables, and clinical training. Targets hospitals, health centres, and clinics in low- and middle-income countries.
• Remote Monitoring Unit (RMU) Hardware device that tracks oxygen purity, flow, pressure, and power availability, enabling more efficient maintenance and lower operational costs for oxygen service providers.
• Low Pressure Oxygen Storage (LPOS) System No-electricity-required oxygen backup system that activates automatically when power goes out, operating without batteries, switches, or human intervention.
• Oxygen Concentrator Directory Market visibility resource comparing the performance of oxygen concentrators in low-resource settings through independent lab testing, establishing a market standard for equipment selection by healthcare providers and procurement agencies.
• Oxygen 101 Foundational training course on medical oxygen systems designed for participants with limited prior exposure to medical gas systems, enabling risk-appropriate oversight by health system stakeholders.
• Target Service Profiles (TSP) Strategic procurement framework that defines the comprehensive package of services required for reliable, facility-level oxygen delivery, aligning public health goals with market incentives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% oxygen uptime achieved despite 215 power interruptions in 3 months
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Key implementation partner for oxygen concentrator development. Oxygen CoLab shaped UNICEF's Oxygen Concentrator Target Product Profile and collaborated on advancing oxygen access globally.
• Dev-Afrique (Nigeria)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCountry partner in Nigeria for Vaccine Data CoLab and ongoing oxygen market mapping activities. Contributed to mapping over 140 verified oxygen suppliers in Nigeria.
• Infectious Disease Institute (Makerere University, Uganda)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCountry partner in Uganda for Vaccine Data CoLab and evidence partner for oxygen research. Co-author on academic evaluations of O2aaS models.
• The Behavioural Insights Team (Indonesia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing behavioral innovation and data expertise for vaccine and oxygen initiatives in Indonesia.
• Karolinska InstitutetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic evidence partner leading evaluation of O2aaS models and co-authoring peer-reviewed publications on oxygen-as-a-service delivery.
• University of MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic evidence partner contributing to evaluation research on oxygen concentrator performance and service delivery models.
• Primus Deus ConsultscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNigeria-based consulting partner that conducted extensive oxygen market mapping, verifying 140+ suppliers and surfacing 1,500 market leads.
• Aig-Imoukhuede FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports HealthPort's PHC upgrades in Nigeria and is a key partner in advancing Nigeria's National Oxygen Scale-Up Policy through the United for Oxygen consortium.
• GE FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with CPHD/Mediquip Kenya implementing maintenance support and critical care equipment training programs.
• PATHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational health organization partnering on medical technology access and operational sustainability in Kenya.
• CHAI UgandamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton Health Access Initiative partner supporting implementation of oxygen and medical device programs in Uganda.
• Every Breath Counts CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on accelerating progress toward universal access to oxygen, with Leith Greenslade providing leadership and advocacy.
• BRINKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner and communications platform for sharing organizational updates and sector insights.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Every Breath Counts Coalition: Coalition of organizations advocating for universal access to medical oxygen, co-led by Leith Greenslade. Directly comparable as a peer advocacy and convening organization in the global oxygen ecosystem.
• Living Goods: Non-profit that operates a network of community health workers in Africa using a service-delivery franchise model analogous to BFC's SME incubation approach. Comparable as a peer non-profit that supports local entrepreneurs to deliver health services in LMICs.

Direct peers

• Hewatele: Kenyan medical oxygen producer and distributor that scaled oxygen-as-a-service delivery to hospitals in East Africa using a hub-and-spoke model. Directly comparable as another LMIC-focused oxygen SME working to close the same 'Missing Middle' BFC addresses.
• Assist International: US-based non-profit that operates oxygen programs in East Africa, including equipment procurement, training, and oxygen delivery to hospitals. Highly comparable as a peer non-profit tackling the same medical oxygen access challenge in LMICs.
• FREO2 Foundation: BFC portfolio company delivering O2aaS to 67 facilities across Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Solomon Islands. Directly comparable as a peer oxygen-as-a-service operator and BFC's flagship demonstration partner.
• Sanrai International: Medical device company delivering oxygen equipment and services across LMICs, including as BFC's portfolio partner in India. Comparable as a peer oxygen-as-a-service operator serving community health centres in Uttar Pradesh.
• HealthPort: Nigerian on-site oxygen generation and hub-and-spoke distribution company serving Lagos and Ogun State facilities. BFC portfolio partner but also a directly comparable peer operating O2aaS in the same Nigerian market.

Broad incumbents

• PATH: Global health non-profit that designs and advances medical technologies including oxygen concentrators and works on oxygen access in LMICs. Comparable as a peer operating in the same oxygen device and access space with broader portfolio.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): Large global health non-profit operating across multiple LMIC health system priorities including medical oxygen market shaping, procurement reform, and pricing. Overlaps with BFC in oxygen access work in Uganda and Kenya and as a peer convening organization.
• UNICEF Supply Division: UN agency responsible for large-scale procurement of medical supplies including oxygen concentrators and related devices for LMICs. Highly relevant peer as BFC shaped UNICEF's Oxygen Concentrator TPP and operates within the same procurement ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/better-futures-colab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Better Futures CoLab