#37: mPharma - How the HealthTech supply chain platform is providing services to pharmacies & patients across Africa
Afrobility: Africa Tech and BusinessShow Notes
Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about mPharma - the Ghanaian prescription drug inventory management company. We’ll explore the mPharma story across 6 areas:
African Health care status & context
mPharma founding and early history
Fundraising & Growth
Product & monetization strategy
Competitive positioning & potential exit options
Overall outlook.
This episode was recorded on Sep 5, 2021
Companies discussed: mPharma, Novartis, DrugStoc, Medsaf, Helium Health, Golden Palm Investments, Novastar ventures, CDC & Gates Foundation
Business concepts discussed: Healthcare Logistics, drug distribution, Healthcare technology, Health insurance coverage, Health platforms, IFC & Public policy
Conversation highlights:
(01:14) - Why we’re talking about mPharma
(05:18) - Background of Healthcare in Africa
(19:41) - Healthcare and Pharmacy / Drugs access in Nigeria
(26:05) - Healthcare context and insurance in Ghana
(27:15) - mPharma founding and early history - Gregory Rockson background
(43:56) - Fundraising - Seed, Series A, B, C
(56:00) - Traction - users, reported revenue, etc.
(1:01:50) - Product strategy - Quality (Shop) Rx, Mutti, etc.
(1:11:57) - Monetization strategy
(1:14:17) - E-Commerce logistics vs healthcare logistics
(1:21:48) - Competition
(1:34:22) - Options for exit - mergers, acquisitions
(1:36:56) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook
(1:45:36) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook
(1:55:47) - Recommendations and small wins
Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:
Recommendation: The World After Capital (Albert Wenger)
Small win: Setup Galaxy Z Flip3. Different experience.
Other content: Life expectancy (World Bank database)
Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:
Recommendation: Donald Shoup on the economics of parking & Heaven and Hell - Kanye West
Small win: Attended a wedding in New Jersey this past weekend. Lots of fun celebrating with friends. Happy Married Life Joan & Chris!!!
Other content: Accelerating improvements in Health Product Distribution by Salient Advisory & How the QWERTY Keyboard Broke the Chinese Language
Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Please email [email protected] with your feedback!
Founders & Operators: We'd love to hear about you & what you're working on, email us at [email protected]
Investors: We'd also love to link up with you, to partner to drive the ecosystem forward. Contact us at [email protected]
Join our insider mailing list where we get feedback on new episodes & find all episodes at Afrobility.com
More from Afrobility: Africa Tech and Business
Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Afrobility. We’ll explore the Afrobility story across the following areas: Why we started Afrobility
Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Cellulant, the African payments infrastructure company. We’ll explore the story across the following areas
Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about MNT-Halan, the Egyptian lending & financial services company. We’ll explore the MNT-Halan story across the following areas
Overview: Today, we’re going to explore PiggyVest - the Nigerian savings and investment platform. We’ll discuss the story across the following areas:
Overview: Today, we’re going to explore IHS Towers - the African telecommunications infrastructure company. We’ll discuss the story across the following areas: