Botswana Harvard Health Partnership

What Botswana Harvard Health Partnership does

Botswana Harvard Health Partnership (BHP) is a non-profit clinical research institute incorporated in Botswana since 2007, founded in 1996 as a partnership between the Botswana Ministry of Health and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Headquartered at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, the organization operates approximately 350 full-time staff across laboratory services, pharmacy, data management, clinical research sites, regulatory affairs, and community engagement. Its mandate is to combat HIV/AIDS and emerging public health challenges in Botswana through clinical research, laboratory science, capacity building, and policy influence. The institute has conducted more than 80 studies spanning HIV prevention and treatment (including prevention of mother-to-child transmission), COVID-19, oncology, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and pathogen genomics. Its laboratory team was the first to identify the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant in November 2021.

BHP's research platform integrates specialized genomic sequencing and pathogen surveillance capabilities, an on-site clinical pharmacy supporting antiretroviral and study drug dispensing, and data management infrastructure covering the full clinical research lifecycle from protocol design to publication. Core technical differentiators include a pathogen genomics program conducting systematic SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, HIV viral reservoir research in early-treated infants, evaluation of dual broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) as an ART alternative in pediatric HIV, point-of-care HIV testing for high-risk neonates, and early infant antiretroviral treatment protocols initiated from the first week of life. Supporting services include the KITSO training program, Master Trainer initiatives, MSc/PhD training pipelines, and community advisory boards that connect research activities with local stakeholders.

BHP's revenue model is grant-based rather than commercial. Primary funding comes from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), with additional grants from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), Wellcome Trust, NIH Fogarty Training Programme, and the European Development Capacity Training Programme. The Botswana Ministry of Health provides regulatory oversight, policy alignment, and physical infrastructure, while the organization also accepts donations from within Botswana and internationally via Myriad USA and Every.org. Research services are provided at no cost to study participants, and BHP does not commercialize products; its "customers" are study participants (pregnnant women and infants, adolescents living with HIV, general and key populations, and cancer patients) and its "buyers" are institutional funders. Outputs are disseminated through scientific publications, monthly and quarterly newsletters, annual reports, peer-reviewed journals, and policy guidance to the WHO and UNAIDS.

Name

Botswana Harvard Health Partnership

Legal name

Botswana Harvard Health Partnership

Website

https://bhp.org.bw

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Botswana Harvard Health Partnership is a non-profit clinical research institute in Gaborone, Botswana, founded in 1996 with the Botswana Ministry of Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It conducts ~80 HIV, COVID-19, cancer, and public health studies, funded primarily by NIH and EDCTP grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Research Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Partnerships (HLAJAOAG)

Keywords

• Clinical research studies
• HIV/AIDS research
• Public health research
• Infectious disease surveillance
• Health capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaborone

HQ country

Botswana

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: Primary funding from National Institutes of Health (NIH), with additional grants from EDCTP, Wellcome Trust, European Development Capacity Training Programme, and NIH Fogarty Training Programme. Botswana government also provides support including building infrastructure.
2. Donations: Accepts donations from within Botswana and internationally through partnerships with Myriad USA and Every.org (501(c)(3) public charities) for US-based donors to receive tax benefits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Botswana Harvard Health Partnership (BHP) is a non-profit health research organization founded in 1996 that conducts clinical, laboratory, and translational research focused on HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, cancer, and other public health issues affecting Botswana and the region. It delivers clinical research studies, laboratory diagnostic services, pharmacy support, data management, capacity-building programs, and community engagement activities in partnership with the Botswana Ministry of Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Product overview

Botswana Harvard Health Partnership (BHP) is a world-renowned research institution established in 1996 as a collaboration between the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Botswana Ministry of Health. BHP operates as a unified research services platform rather than a commercial product company. The core offering consists of clinical research study infrastructure encompassing laboratory services (including genomic sequencing), pharmacy services, data management, clinical research sites, and regulatory capabilities. Supporting services include capacity building/training programs, community engagement activities, and dissemination of research through publications and newsletters. BHP has approximately 350 full-time employees and has conducted landmark research that has influenced global health policies, particularly in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Research Studies

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced vertical HIV transmission from 40% (2001) to less than 1% (2020)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DiagnofirmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Signed Memorandum of Understanding in June 2026 for collaboration in health research and diagnostic capabilities.
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of BHP established in 1996. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health provides scientific leadership, training, mentorship, and research expertise. The partnership aims to build Botswana's capacity to research and treat AIDS in Africa.
• Botswana Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner that established BHP in 1996. The Ministry provides regulatory oversight, policy guidance, and national health research agenda alignment. Botswana government built the building that houses BHP.
• Every.org (Myriad USA)minorOthersBHP partnered with Myriad USA and their Every.org platform to accept international donations. Both organizations are 501(c)(3) public charities enabling US-based donors to receive tax benefits for contributions to BHP.
• Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with BHP through BOTSOGO (Botswana Oncology Global Outreach) program established in 2012 to facilitate bilateral exchanges in cancer care and treatment, support tumor board discussions, and facilitate training.
• University of BotswanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHP collaborates with University of Botswana on research, academic training, and capacity building. Dr. Joseph Makhema appointed as Adjunct Professor at University of Botswana.
• CAPRISA (Centre for AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with CAPRISA including courtesy meetings with Prof. Salim Abdool Karim and Prof. Quarraisha Karim for networking on research opportunities.
• Africa CDCminorOthersReceived sequencing machine from Africa CDC to strengthen genomic surveillance capabilities in Botswana.
• Brigham and Women's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based partner institution participating in BOTSOGO tumor board and cancer care collaboration. Dr. Shahin Lockman serves as site director for BHP partnership.
• Harvard Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based academic partner institution involved in BOTSOGO program for cancer care training and collaboration.
• Ragon InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Ragon Institute on HIV cure research. Dr. Sikhulile Moyo is a collaborator with Ragon members Mathias Lichterfeld and Xu Yu on HIV reservoir studies in early-treated infants and adolescents.
• African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplements the Good Grant Practice Virtual Academy (GGP-VA) program to strengthen capacities of African institutions in grant management, governance, and sustainability. BHP participating in workshops for GOLD Tier GFGP certification.
• TESA (Trials of Excellence in Southern Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDCTP-funded consortium established in 2009 connecting 9 African and 3 European countries for clinical trials of excellence. BHP holds four EDCT grants supporting at least 10 projects associated with HIV/AIDS research.
• Gaborone Private HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hospital in BOTSOGO program providing cancer care, brachytherapy services, and participation in monthly tumor board discussions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard: Boston-based immunology institute collaborating with BHP on HIV cure research in early-treated infants and adolescents. Comparable HIV cure science focus, though BHP contributes the African cohort side of the partnership.

Direct peers

• MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit: Ugandan HIV research collaboration between UK Medical Research Council and LSHTM with similar structure to the Harvard-Botswana partnership. Operates HIV clinical trials and cohort studies with comparable funder mix.
• Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI): Wellcome-funded research institute in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, conducting HIV/TB clinical research with population-based surveillance. Directly comparable scope, funding model, and HIV research focus to BHP.
• Desmond Tutu Health Foundation: Cape Town-based HIV prevention and treatment research organization. Similar non-profit research institute structure with HIV focus and strong ties to Western academic partners.
• Aurum Institute: South African non-profit conducting HIV, TB, and vaccine clinical trials across multiple African countries. Comparable clinical research scope with broader multi-country scale than BHP.
• Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme: Blantyre-based clinical research programme with Wellcome Trust core funding, conducting HIV, TB, and infectious disease trials. Closely analogous to BHP's northern academic partnership anchored research model.
• CAPRISA (Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa): South African HIV/AIDS research consortium conducting clinical trials on prevention, treatment, and cure. Listed as BHP's active research collaboration partner with shared scientific leadership across Southern Africa.
• KEMRI (Kenya Medical Research Institute): Kenya's national medical research institute with similar breadth across infectious diseases, lab capacity, and clinical trials infrastructure. Comparable government-affiliated non-profit research model across East Africa.

Broad incumbents

• South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC): National medical research council of South Africa with broader mandate and larger budget across all health research areas. Functions as a regional incumbent that both competes and collaborates with smaller country-specific institutes like BHP.

Regional players

• Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ): Zambian non-profit affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, conducting HIV/TB clinical research. Comparable southern African research institute with academic northern partnership structure analogous to BHP-Harvard.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AidsHarvard
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTkPwjlGpXJeZBvQa81KXGw
• Facebookfacebook.com/BotswanaHarvardPartnership
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/botswana-harvard-aids-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Botswana Harvard Health Partnership