Cameroonian e-health startup Waspito has raised US$2.5 million in funding, extending its seed round to US$5.2 million in order to expand in existing markets and launch in new ones.
Founded by Jean Lobe Lobe in 2020, Waspito connects users with medical doctors via instant video consultations from their smartphones. It also provides mobile laboratory services, with a lab technician collecting samples from a user’s home and results received digitally.
To date Waspito, which also has a health-focused social network where users can interact anonymously with medical doctors who provide preventive care tips and answers to health-related questions, has served over 100,000 patients in Cameroon and Ivory Coast, and it plans to expand to Senegal and Gabon in the coming months.
Waspito will be funding its growth plans via its oversubscribed US$2.5 million seed extension round secured from DP World via Newtown Partners, Saviu Ventures, AAIC Investment, Axian ventures and Health54. This follows a US$2.7 million seed round raised in March 2022.
The funding will also be used to expand Waspito’s service offering, as it strives to connect Africa’s health ecosystem online to relieve the shortage of medical doctors and other health system challenges across the African continent.
“My team is focused on the big picture while thoroughly executing our growth strategy. This additional funding will enable us to hit the ground running in the new markets and solidify our leadership in the current ones,” said Lobe. “We are happy to see existing investors renew their confidence in the project by doubling down on their investment, and we are excited to welcome new investors – Health54, AAIC and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – bringing their network and experience at our disposal to enable us to improve access to healthcare across Africa.”
