Boehringer Ingelheim, a German pharmaceutical company, has expanded its Social Engagement Fund portfolio with new investments in Kasha Global and Reach52, two fast-growing Kenyan health startups focused on solving some of the region’s most persistent healthcare access challenges.
- •The investments are part of Boehringer’s broader commitment to improve the lives of 50 million people worldwide by 2030 through partnerships, with the latest funding round targeting scalable innovations that bring medicine, health education, and trained personnel directly to underserved communities.
- •Kasha Global, headquartered in Nairobi, operates a digital and offline health platform delivering pharmaceuticals and personal care products to low-income populations.
- •Boehringer also invested in Dawa Mkononi, a Tanzanian health startup that uses data-driven supply chain solutions to ensure timely delivery of essential medicines to local pharmacies.
“Kasha is excited to partner with Boehringer in our shared mission of realizing last mile access to health products for the mass market. With Boehringer’s expertise in creating innovative healthcare solutions, and Kasha’s focus on customer-centered access, choice and trust, I look forward to a long-term partnership that wins at all levels,” Joanna Bischel, Founder and CEO, Kasha Global said.
The company’s last-mile distribution model reaches areas with limited pharmacy access, using a combination of online ordering, local agents, and discreet delivery logistics.
The funding is expected to support Kasha’s expansion into new territories across Africa, build out its logistics infrastructure, and deepen its product offering in Rwanda and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Reach52 provides a complementary solution by training community health workers, running mobile health campaigns, and facilitating access to affordable medicine in regions where formal healthcare systems are weak or absent. The platform collects health data, offers digital health services, and links patients to essential treatment through a growing network of frontline workers.
With the new investment, Reach52 is set to expand operations in Kenya, enhancing its ability to deliver healthcare interventions at the community level.
“As a founder building an impact business, having mission-aligned investors that truly care about health impact and sustainable business is critical. Working with Boehringer has been exactly that,” said Edward Booty, CEO and Founder, Reach52.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the hardest-hit regions globally in terms of healthcare access. An estimated 615 million people, 52% of the population, do not receive the care they need. At the same time, nearly a quarter of available medicines are counterfeit or substandard, contributing to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths annually.