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‘All-female-led’ Pakistani startup raises $2.7m in funding round

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In a groundbreaking achievement for Pakistan’s startup landscape, Sehat Kahani, a female-led health-tech startup, has successfully closed a historic Series A funding round after raising $2.7 million.

“This landmark positions Sehat Kahani as the first all-female-led company in Pakistan to secure Series A funding,” a statement from the company noted.

Amaanah Circle, a Singapore-based health tech fund led by Dr Razi Yousuf, spearheads the funding, joined by key investors including Epic Angels, a female-only investor collective, Cross Fund, USAID Investment Promotion Activity (IPA), Augmentor, Impact Investment Exchange(IIX), and the Elahi group of companies.

Dr Razi said: “Sehat Kahani is an incredible health-tech story led by Dr Sara Saeed Khurram and Dr Iffat Zafar Aga. Amaanah Circle is proud to contribute to the subject matter expertise, and in upscaling regionally and globally to the overall vision of Sehat Kahani in the future of digital health and preventive healthcare.”

Founded by medical doctors Dr Khurram and Dr Aga, Sehat Kahani’s innovative technology ensures a seamless virtual connection between doctors and patients within 60 seconds.

The platform offers on-demand at-home or on-premise laboratory services and online medicine delivery, catering to a diverse nationwide patient base, including B2B clients, B2C consumers, and the underserved population in rural areas.

The unwavering support from USAID has been pivotal in Sehat Kahani’s growth, fueling innovation and enabling impactful expansion in the dynamic Pakistani digital health landscape.

This support fosters a future where accessible healthcare solutions thrive.

Dr Khurram said: “This funding infusion marks a pivotal moment for Sehat Kahani. It will enable us to develop advanced features, including decision support systems, precision medicine tools, and predictive AI models to help our patients live fully by knowing their disease better.

“Grateful to our investors and programs such as Weraise for supporting our mission and championing female founders, setting a powerful example,” she added.

Sehat Kahani extends its corporate application into a comprehensive OPD management solution, providing corporate employees and their families 24/7 hassle-free and cashless access to specialists, online medicine delivery, and efficient claims management.

The holistic 360-degree well-being program for corporations emphasises health promotion and preventative care.

The consumer application, operational in over 310 cities and towns across Pakistan, integrates seamlessly into prominent banking and lifestyle platforms, ensuring affordable and accessible healthcare

Dr Aga said: “Sehat Kahani has shown a significant average year on year growth of 141% in the last 3 years, overcoming the myth that telemedicine was only beneficial during covid as we have seen 5x cumulative growth in the number of consultations in the post-COVID era.”

“This gives us the confidence to expand operations to other countries and take Sehat Kahani global as our next move for expansion,” Dr Aga noted.

Sehat Kahani, known for empowering women doctors, has a global network of 7,500+ healthcare professionals, serving 800+ corporations, and 62 e-health clinics nationwide.

With 2.6 million consultations to date, the new funding aims to accelerate their mission, bridging healthcare gaps, empowering women in medicine, and expanding global impact.

Maaike from Epic Angels, the largest female-only investor collective in the APAC region, stated: “Sehat Kahani embodies what we seek in investments: strong potential for success and impactful innovation.”

“We fully believe in Dr Sara and Dr Iffat’s leadership, envisioning Sehat Kahani as a beacon of innovation and a model for future healthcare solutions.”

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Irfan Siddiqui meets with the PM and informs him about the Senate performance of the parliamentary party.

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The head of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee and the PML-N’s parliamentary leader paid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a visit in Islamabad.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Parliamentary Party’s Senate performance.

Additionally, Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ performance.

He complimented the Prime Minister on his outstanding efforts to bring Pakistan’s economy back on track and meet its economic objectives.

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SIFC Increases Direct Foreign Investment: Investment in the Energy Sector Rises by 120%

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The Special Investment Facilitation Council is intended to help Pakistan’s energy sector attract $585.6 million in direct foreign investment in 2024–2025. The amount invested at the same time previous year was $266.3 million.

This is a notable 120% rise, mostly due to investments in gas exploration, oil, and power. Such expansion indicates heightened investor confidence and emphasizes the development potential in important areas.

The State Bank reports that foreign investment in other vital industries has increased by 48% to $771 million.

This advancement is a blatant testament to SIFC’s efficient investment procedure and quick project execution.

The purpose of the Special Investment Facilitation Council is to establish Pakistan as an investment hub by aggressively promoting regional trade and investment in the energy sector and other critical industries.

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Discos report losses of Rs239 billion.

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When compared to the same period last year, the data indicates that discos have decreased their losses in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

The distribution businesses recorded losses of Rs239 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year, a substantial decrease from the Rs308 billion losses sustained during the same period the previous year.

Additionally, the distribution businesses’ rate of recovery has improved. It has increased to 91% in the first quarter of this year from 84% in the same period last year, indicating success in revenue collection.

Regarding circular debt, the Power division observed a notable change. Last year, between July and October, the circular debt grew by Rs301 billion. Nonetheless, this year’s first four months saw a relatively modest increase in circular debt, totaling about Rs11 billion.

These enhancements show promising developments in the electricity sector’s financial health in Pakistan, where initiatives are being made to accelerate recovery rates and slow the expansion of circular debt.

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