Ekincare raises strategic investment from pharma giant MSD

HYDERABAD: Integrated digital health startup EkinCare on Tuesday said it raised a strategic, undisclosed investment led by global healthcare giant MSD (more popularly known as Merck & Co Inc of USA) through MSD IDEA Studio Asia Pacific, which is an initiative by the MSD Global Health Innovation Fund (MGHIF). The pre-Series-C funding round also saw participation from EkinCare’s existing investor, HealthQuad, which is a venture capital fund focused on healthcare innovation.

The Hyderabad-based startup, which raised a total funding of $22 million since it was founded in 2015, said it plans to utilise the fresh capital to expand its cashless OPD network and enhance AI-powered analytics to drive better preventive care, chronic disease management, and employee wellness outcomes. Since inception, EkinCare partnered with over 1,000 companies and built a network of over 40,000 healthcare providers across India.

“Healthcare in India is at a turning point. Lifestyle diseases are on the rise, demand for preventive care is growing, and digital solutions are becoming a necessity. This investment from MSD IDEA Studio, with continued support from HealthQuad, is a visionary step forward for us. Their expertise in medicines, vaccines, and digital health, combined with our AI-driven, customer-centric approach, will help us deliver seamless, personalised healthcare to millions,” said Kiran Kalakuntla, co-founder & CEO of EkinCare.

The healthtech startup was set up in 2015 by Kiran Kalakuntla along with Srikanth Samudrala, co-founder & CTO, and Noel Coutinho, co-founder & CBO. The startup leverages AI, data analytics, and telemedicine to make preventive healthcare personalised and accessible.