Susu, a global health-tech company, focused on making healthcare accessible and affordable for every African, has completed a €2 million pre-seed funding round which included angel investors. Part of the funding was raised as debt and grant financing from BPI France, the French government’s public investment bank.
Currently operational in Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Senegal, Susu offers bundled health services that provide patients with planned, long-term health support, in order to ensure optimal monitoring of their health conditions, including pregnancy, child care, and chronic disease management.
The healthcare industry in Africa is currently facing a multitude of problems. A growing population increased lifespan, and urbanisation have all contributed to a sharp rise in the mortality of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. In addition, most people do not have access to quality healthcare and are in urgent need of solutions to manage their healthcare needs.
Susu was founded in 2019 by Bola Bardet, after she lost her father to complications of a chronic health condition due to poor management. Her experience with her father’s condition inspired Bola to help others avoid the same fate. Alongside her co-founders, Laurent Leconte; Chief Technology Officer and Sandrine Egron; Chief Operations Officer, Bola has built the startup to serve thousands of Africans.
Studies show that the medical insurance penetration rate is less than 3% in Africa, leaving 97% of the population having to pay medical expenses out of pocket. Susu intends to mitigate this problem by supporting beneficiaries’ healthcare journeys through care bundles, while using an integrated approach to better connect the patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals.
