Malaica, a maternal health startup active in Sub-Saharan Africa, has successfully closed a $1M pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Markus Gemuend, former Managing Director of Roche Africa, with participation from Silicon Valley-based Kapor Capital, known for their substantial experience in the maternal health space.
Malaica’s approach to maternal health combines personalized care, hybrid models, simplicity, advanced technology, and community support to address the high maternal mortality rates in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company offers a hybrid care model that includes both online programs and physical checkups, allowing mothers to deliver their babies with Malaica’s support.
The company’s pilot program in Garissa, Kenya, which has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, has shown promising results, leading to discussions with donors to scale the offering for low-income mothers. The company is also signing its first contract with a health insurer, highlighting the dual benefit of improving pregnancy outcomes while reducing costs for payers through decreased C-section rates.
Dr. Lorraine Muluka, Co-Founder and CEO of Malaica, commented: “We have quickly seen that Malaica can have massive impact. However, it took a lot of iterations to get to a sustainable business model, something that is obviously more challenging in Sub-Saharan Africa than it may be in the US. We are excited to have laid the ground for fast future growth.”
Malaica’s vision extends beyond individual care to encompass systemic change as the company, co-founded by Dr. Lorraine Muluka and Pascal Koenig in 2021, aims to reduce maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. With this latest funding round secured, Malaica is now well positioned for growth and impactful change in the maternal health landscape.
