Berry health, a consumer health startup, announced that it has raised a pre-seed investment of $1.6 million to democratise healthcare in Africa. The funding round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst. Other investors include Reddit COO Jen Wong, Thirty Madison co-founders Demetri Karagas and Steven Gutentag, New York tech lawyer and VC Ed and Betsy Zimmerman, and former US Surgeon General ’09 to ’13 Dr. Regina Benjamin.
Founded by Dr. Fredua Akosa, a British-Ghanaian medical doctor, public health expert and former VC, Berry Health offers remote diagnosis and treatment for chronic medical conditions. Its mission is to improve lives by treating important but underserved and stigmatised conditions, while increasing patient agency. Members of the Berry Health team includes: VP of Marketing Lusiana Castiglione (ex-WPP), VP Product Management Gaurav Kumar (ex-Instacart), Director of Design Daniel Harvey (ex-Babylon Health), and an expert clinical team.
Africa currently has the highest rate of clinically diagnosed depression and suicide globally according to the WHO, the second highest incidence of STIs, and a rapidly accelerating chronic disease burden.
It will also start serving customers in Ghana, offering remote diagnosis — for conditions such as anxiety, depression and sexual health (e.g., birth control and erectile dysfunction), dermatology and hair loss — through telemedicine and treatment via online consultations and home delivery services
Through the platform, individuals have the opportunity to engage in conversations with licensed medical doctors or clinical psychologists. They can receive personalized treatment plans tailored to their specific conditions and conveniently have their medications delivered to them.
Operating on a subscription-based model, the platform intends to offer its comprehensive services at an annual fee of 299GH ($26). This subscription grants users unlimited access to all the platform’s features. Additionally, consultations with clinicians will be available at a fee of $5 per session.
“Lightspeed understands what it takes to build a successful technology-based healthcare business in various markets around the world,” said Paul Murphy, Partner at Lightspeed. “Our experience and longstanding relationship with Fredua, coupled with his unique insights on the gaps that exist for patients across sub-Saharan Africa, made us extremely excited to partner with Berry Health. We can’t wait for Fredua and the team to bring access to world-class healthcare to patients in Africa.”
As Berry Health prepares to emerge from stealth mode, the funding it has secured will be instrumental in advancing its platform, enhancing its network of medical professionals, and extending its reach to a wider audience within Ghana and beyond. The received funds will play a pivotal role in supporting the growth and development of Berry Health as it strives to provide accessible healthcare solutions to a broader population.
