Kenyan health tech startup, Ilara Health, has secured $4.2 million in debt-equity funding in a pre-Series A round led by DOB Equity, with participation from the Philips Foundation and existing investors. The funds will be utilized to scale operations within Kenya, aiming to enhance healthcare access through a B2B health and occupational service.
Ilara Health, initially focused on leasing diagnostic devices to clinics, has evolved to provide health centers with pharmaceutical products and essential items on credit. This strategic shift aims to empower private healthcare operators to offer quality primary healthcare services by overcoming challenges related to diagnostic devices and clinic furnishings.
The startup has established partnerships with various manufacturers, including Butterfly Network, to equip clinics with affordable, portable ultrasound tools. Additionally, Ilara Health offers a monthly subscription-based practice management software, enabling clinics to digitize operations, manage their businesses efficiently, and contribute to data-driven decision-making.
Emilian Popa, Ilara Health’s CEO, emphasized the company’s commitment to addressing the quality of care in Kenya, especially in private healthcare, which has become a preferred option due to underinvestment in government-run facilities.
“In Kenya, quality of care, not access, is the issue, and our goal since launch has been to improve the standards of care; these clinics could not provide some services because of lack of diagnostic devices or do small procedures because they lacked the furniture. That is how, over time, we have become a provider or financier of all clinic needs,” Popa stated.
Ilara Health currently serves 3,000 clinics out of an estimated 15,000 operational clinics in Kenya, focusing on providing easily accessible healthcare alternatives within residential areas. The startup plans to leverage the latest funding to further expand its operations and introduce a B2B health and occupational service, partnering with employers to offer outpatient services to employees through their network of clinics.
In a country where only 2.7% of the population is privately insured, Ilara Health aims to bridge the healthcare gap by reaching patients directly. With the funding secured, the startup intends to use data gathered from its practice management software for credit rating, supporting plans to provide up to $15,000 in working capital to clinics.
Ilara Health’s approach aligns with the evolving landscape of healthcare in Kenya, focusing on holistic clinic support services to enhance the overall quality and accessibility of healthcare for the masses.
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