Alignd, a healthcare business founded and led by women, has recently secured investment from E Squared Investments. This funding will enable Alignd to expand its services into maternity care and kidney disease, both of which have seen increasing demand and rising costs.
Since its launch focusing on palliative care, Alignd has partnered with several medical schemes, including GEMS, Fedhealth, Bonitas, and AECI Medical Aid Society. Currently, over 2.9 million scheme beneficiaries have access to palliative care benefits, with more than 4,900 individuals receiving direct support.
Alignd sees significant opportunities to enhance person-centred outcomes in healthcare. This investment also marks a notable milestone for the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellowship. Sharon Dlomo, an Allan Gray Fellow and former investment professional at 3 Capital Ventures—Alignd’s first institutional funding partner—has joined the company to oversee its strategic finance function.
Dlomo expressed that Alignd aims to create “win-win-win” solutions by balancing the needs of healthcare providers and funders with patient voices. She was drawn to Alignd’s approach of managing complexities to build sustainable healthcare systems, emphasising the passion and humanity of the team.
Tshilidzi Matlala, chief portfolio officer at E Squared Investments, stated that Alignd exemplifies the combination of economic value and social impact. He highlighted the investment as a celebration of women’s achievements, affirming their belief in the potential of women-led ventures to challenge existing systems and deliver innovative, people-centred solutions.
Alignd’s palliative care model has already shown success in reducing unnecessary hospital admissions, alleviating financial burdens on families, and supporting overextended healthcare providers. While the immediate focus is on South Africa, Alignd’s model holds global relevance, particularly in emerging markets facing similar challenges of over-medicalisation and fragmented healthcare systems.
For E Squared, this investment aligns with its mission to support purpose-driven entrepreneurs who are committed to creating a more inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable South Africa.