Lahore-based Healthwire, a health-tech startup aspiring to tread the healthcare superapp road, has closed $3.3 million in Series-A funding.
Investors in Healthwire’s new round included Dilsons Private Limited, 47 Ventures, Habib Bank Limited and angel investors from Silicon Valley. Profit has seen internal documents which confirm that the amount raised was $3.3 million.
Founded by Hamza Iqbal and Muhammad Nabeel in 2014, Healthwire started off by providing software solutions, digitising the operations of doctors, clinics, hospitals, labs and pharmacies in Pakistan. It now plans to focus on end customers, providing them end-to-end healthcare service on its app.
“The platform is already connecting over 10,000 patients with doctors every single day. The startup intends to use the funding to further fuel its growth and become the healthcare super app of Pakistan,” reads a statement from the startup.
The fresh funds in this regard will be deployed towards expanding the network of doctors, labs and pharmacies, building the super app capacity and marketing to end patients.
In the health-tech space, Healthwire’s competitors include OlaDoc, Ailaaj and Marham to name a few, all of them having superapp ambitions.
On how Healthwire plans to compete, Hamza Iqbal, co-founder and CEO of Healthwire said: “Adoption has to happen faster to stay ahead of others. In our case, we have better access to hospitals, doctors and labs because of our digital solutions already deployed at hospitals, clinics and labs. We have built the foundations and are positioned very well to become a superapp.”
In a statement, Healthwire co-founder and CTO Muhammad Nabeel said: “The patient-doctor interaction is the point where the whole healthcare ecosystem converges. By having this interaction on our health-tech platform, we can ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to patients in the remotest areas of the country. The economies of scale of the tech platform allow us to ensure that this access is affordable and inclusive.”
Khurram Zafar, managing director of 47 Ventures and a seed investor in Healthwire, said, “We are excited to be doubling down on one of the stars in our portfolio. The growth and momentum that Healthwire has built even during the tough COVID period is a testament to the strength and resilience of the team. It is destined to become the health-tech leader of Pakistan.”
The Healthwire funding comes as Pakistan’s startups close the year on a record high. 2021 alone witnessed over $370 million raised by Pakistan’s startups which is more than the past few years combined.
In the health-tech space, Sehat Kahani announced raising $1.5 million, Ailaaj $1.6 million, Marham $1 million and Dawaai claimed raising $8.5 million in 2021.
I have been following them for a while now, really happy for them to secure this crucial funding. Now sky is the limit