Kasha, a Rwandan digital platform for last-mile health access, has received equity capital from Sanofi Global Health Unit’s Impact Investment Fund to help it grow into other African nations.
In order to support its growth, Kasha completed a US$21 million Series B funding round last year. Now, it has received additional capital from the Impact Investment Fund, which is managed by the global health unit of the multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi.
Since its launch in 2016, Kasha has provided authentic, inexpensive items to consumers, resellers, pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics through its digital retail and last-mile distribution platform for medicines and fast-moving consumer goods.
By utilising its data analytics, e-health services, sales and last-mile distribution network, and consumer insights, Kasha also acts as a channel partner for businesses, helping pharmaceutical companies and international health organisations expand access to high-quality healthcare products through marketing, consumer insights, and end-to-end distribution visibility to the last mile.
With the knowledge that women are the most influential market for household and health products, but they are also the most underserved, the company has optimised for women as its target consumer category.
“It’s an exciting milestone for Kasha to partner so closely with Sanofi who is an important strategic partner for us. Over the years and across our countries of operations in Africa, Kasha has seen the fast growing demand for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension. With this investment, we will scale up the awareness of NCDs and other health issues and make it easier and more affordable for people to get the medications they need, especially lower income and rural customers,” said Joanna Bichsel, Kasha’s founder and CEO.
“Within Africa, Kasha and Sanofi can revolutionise the pharmaceutical industry by utilising Kasha’s technological platform to propel access through customer- and data-driven methods, ultimately facilitating full access to high-quality medications.”
The head of Sanofi Global Health Unit, Jon Fairest, expressed his excitement about being an investor and partner in Kasha’s scaling-up process.
“Kasha has developed a distinctive technological and physical infrastructure for the last mile, utilising an optimised supply chain and an extensive agent network to enable increased access to basic health items even in the most remote places. We understand the value of funding regionally based entrepreneurial ventures that enhance and support long-term healthcare delivery models and lead to better results. For the most vulnerable people with the greatest unmet medical requirements, Sanofi’s Global Health Unit is committed to enhancing access to sustainable healthcare, Fairest stated.
The investment will help Kasha expand into new African nations, improve the functionality of its technological platform, and strengthen its position as a leader in promoting fair access to medical supplies across the continent.
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