Elton John AIDS Foundation and Zipline: $150M US State Department Boost Accelerates HIV Care Innovation

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LONDON, Nov. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) today celebrates Zipline's $150 million funding from the U.S. State Department to triple its lifesaving drone delivery network, a milestone that builds on the Foundation's catalytic early support and cements their role in pioneering drone-enabled HIV care across Africa. The award is based on a first-of-its-kind pay-for-performance model, demonstrating how early philanthropic support helped underscore Zipline's growing impact.

From the outset, EJAF was an early supporter of Zipline's entry into Kenya, paving the way for national and international funders to follow and enable the expansion of Zipline's groundbreaking model across the continent. Rwanda is expected to be the first country to expand under this new model, marking the beginning of continent-wide scale that could triple Zipline's network from 5,000 to 15,000 health facilities and reach 100 million people.

Impact Since EJAF's 2023 Support

Kenya & Nigeria at a glance

• 125,000 people reached with HIV interventions
• 90,000 people reached with prevention tools
• 38,600 adolescents and young adults tested for HIV
• 8,600 at-risk adolescents and young adults initiated on PrEP
• 86,000 antiretrovirals delivered via drone

"From the beginning, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has stood with communities too often left behind, without the healthcare they urgently need and deserve," said Elton John, Founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Zipline's innovative approach to delivering medical care is exactly the kind of work our Foundation exists to champion. We were their first philanthropic partner in Kenya and have helped them build a network there - and in other countries across Africa - that ensures people living with HIV get access to the treatment they need every single day. By reaching people where they are and harnessing technology to deliver care, our program shows what's possible and gives people everywhere a real chance at a future free from HIV."

The Foundation first supported Zipline in 2023, recognizing the potential of Zipline's drone technology to break down barriers to care. The Foundation was Zipline's first partner in Kenya and has since expanded collaboration to Nigeria, ensuring people living with HIV, particularly young people and LGBTQ+ communities, receive testing, prevention, and treatment services directly in their communities.

"Stigma and discrimination keep too many young people in Sub-Saharan Africa from the care they deserve. For someone like 24-year-old Charles Atieno, our partnership with Zipline is a lifeline," said David Furnish, Chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Charles can learn his status, access contraceptives, or pick up a self-test kit right where he plays football - without fear, judgment, or a long trip to a clinic. This is exactly why we backed Zipline early. By supporting their entry into Kenya, we helped generate the evidence and confidence that made this major governmental investment possible. Today's milestone shows what happens when innovation meets compassion: young people thrive, and global partners step up."

Independent research shows Zipline's system also strengthens wider health outcomes - from reducing stockouts to cutting maternal mortality - demonstrating how the same innovation improving HIV care has far-reaching impact.

"Years ago, the Foundation made a bold investment in Zipline's game-changing technology because we knew they could deliver testing and treatment to communities that traditional supply chains simply couldn't reach," said Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. "Today, we're proud to see our support in their pilot has evolved into a self-sustaining system that will outlast any single grant. Our transformative partnership has created something much bigger than a program - it's built into a legacy that will continue to save thousands of lives. This is our path to an AIDS-free world: funding innovations that become permanent solutions."

"The Elton John AIDS Foundation is an extraordinary philanthropic partner. They backed a simple but radical idea: bring HIV medicines to where people are instead of making them come to you, especially in places where stigma keeps too many away," said Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline Africa. "Their early support proved how centralized, on-demand delivery can reach people living with HIV privately, reliably, and cost-effectively - whether that's at home, at work, or on the sidelines of a soccer game. With Zipline's rapid expansion fueled by the U.S. State Department award, there are now dozens of opportunities for donors to follow EJAF's lead - providing catalytic, one-time investments that help African governments solve intractable health challenges and bridge the gap to self-sustainability."

"Imagine ending HIV transmission in a continent. We now have the tools to do it: visionary leaders, medications with 100% effectiveness, and on-demand delivery that can get the right medicine to anyone, anywhere," said Keller Rinaudo Clifton, CEO and Co-Founder of Zipline. "Thanks to bold partners like the U.S. State Department, African governments and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, we're making that dream a reality."

Learn more about the partnership at eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org.

Media Contact: Mary Pavlu | [email protected] 

LINK TO ASSETS HERE

The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and is one of the leading independent AIDS organizations in the world. The Foundation's mission is simple: an end to the AIDS epidemic. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to overcoming the stigma, discrimination and neglect that keep us from ending AIDS. With the mobilization of our network of generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections and provide treatment, as well as informing government strategies to end AIDS. www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org and @ejaf on Instagram.

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