Kasha is a Rwandan online store and last-mile delivery tool for women’s health needs. In a Series B funding round, the company raised $21 million. The new money will be used to help the business grow its platform for getting health care in Africa.
Knife Capital, a South African venture capital company, led the round of funding. Finnfund, Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Tim Koogle, the former CEO of Yahoo, Beyond Capital Ventures, Altree Capital, Bamboo Capital’s BLOC Smart Africa Fund, and Five35 Ventures were among the other companies that took part in the round.
In the current economic situation, it is refreshing to find a high-growth, capital-efficient firm that is female-led and geared to service Africa’s vast mass market segment, particularly women clients. This purpose-driven workforce will help us expand into Africa.
Female healthcare that broadly addresses women’s menstrual and reproductive health has been a subcategory in the African startup ecosystem that has been subtly neglected. This is despite the huge attention investors have given to the African startup ecosystem and private healthcare startups.
Kasha’s investment shows Africa’s growing interest in women’s health. Only 55% of sub-Saharan African women have contemporary contraception, according to research. Kasha’s platform could close this gap and benefit the health of millions of African women.
Kasha Founder and CEO Joanna Bichsel stated: We have always known that women are the most influential health customers since they have the highest health requirements and are household health decision-makers, unlocking the rest of the population. Kasha offers a wide range of products, including soap, contraception, and rice, to avoid stigmatizing women’s health products.
Read also: Payday returns to Rwanda using SpaceX’s Starlink
African women’s support system Kasha
In 2018, Joanna Bichsel began Kasha. With its direct-to-consumer model, the company sent health products to Rwandan women and babies. But small stores soon started getting the same things.
After getting permission to sell drugs to pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics, Klasha went into the wholesale market. Kasha has products that help with the health of newborns, mothers, menstrual cleanliness, family planning, sexual and reproductive health, and diseases that aren’t spread from person to person.
Kasha is now a digital retail and last-mile distribution tool for pharmaceuticals and FMCGs, with a focus on women’s health and home needs.
Customers include consumers, small dealers, hospitals, pharmacies, and clinics. This group of people can use Kasha’s website or USSD service to buy sanitary pads, birth control, diapers, and cleaning supplies.
Telehealth and credit are two important parts of B2B e-commerce that Kasha has. Kasha connects people who don’t have prescriptions to doctors to show how much they care about proper drug use and health care. The company also gives pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals store credit, which helps them sell more FMCG.
Joanna Bichsel, the founder who was also a former technology adviser to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, stated that their core strategic focus lies in the health sector, where they aim to excel.
Rwanda approves Smart Africa Alliance for 2030 Digital Single Market
Expansion plans
After closing our Series B, we’re more determined to become Kasha Africa’s leading digital platform for last-mile health access. Joanna Bichsel said East Africa’s mass market need for excellent, affordable health and household products validated our company concept and team.
Kasha has raised $5 million in startup capital since its founding. After entering Kenya, it was raised in late 2020. After expanding, Kasha received a $3.6 million Series A from Finnfund, Swedfund, DFC, and Mastercard Corporate.
Rwanda, South Africa, and Kenya have Kasha. The company will expand into other African countries later this year with the fresh capital. Kasha wants to use the cash to develop new goods and services and strengthen existing telemedicine and financial services for women.
