With Powerful Backers, HaloDoc wants to Improve Access to Healthcare in Indonesia

09 September 2017

Indonesia’s healthcare system leaves a lot to be desired, especially in rural areas where qualified doctors and medicine are hard to find. Some believe taking healthcare online can help solve the problem. Everyone could access basic health information, consult with doctors, and order medicine online.

A number of startups want to make this a reality. Sites like Klikdokter, Alodokter, Prosehat, Tanyadok, Udoctor, and Dokter.id each offer combinations of health advice, doctor and hospital reviews, one-on-one online consultations, or medicine delivery.

And there’s HaloDoc, a relatively new player with big plans to improve all facets of online healthcare. The app launched early this year.

HaloDoc’s origin 

HaloDoc is run by Jonathan Sudharta. To call it a startup may be inaccurate. Jonathan is the son of the founder of Mensa Group, one of the country’s largest pharmaceutical and medical equipment suppliers. Under the wings of the group, Jonathan had previously launched services like Apotikantar for medicine delivery, and LabConx to connect patients with medical laboratories.

Now, Jonathan wants to bring everything together in one app: HaloDoc. The app is available for Android and iOS and offers a full range of services: online consultation, medicine delivery, on-demand lab tests, a hospital and doctor directory, as well as an appointment scheduler. There’s no web version of it, just the app.

Very well funded

Mensa Group, naturally, is one of HaloDoc’s early investors, but Jonathan says it’s an independent company to which he owns majority shares.

Today, HaloDoc announced that it’s raised money from Singaporean private equity firm Clermont and NSI Ventures, an early-stage investment fund part of North Star Group.

With this round, the company has pocketed a total of US$13 million to work on its mission to bring better healthcare to Indonesians, Jonathan says.

Surprisingly, two other local startups are also named as HaloDoc’s investors: on-demand app Go-Jek and ecommerce platform Blibli. Both have invested twice, Jonathan says, first in a pre-series A round and now, together with Clermont. Jonathan won’t disclose the terms of the deal he has with the startups, but says both are strategic partners in HaloDoc’s future development.

The app works with Go-Jek’s motorcycle delivery to send out medicine, and Go-Jek will have its own medicine delivery feature, called Go-Med, linking with HaloDoc.

Blibli helps HaloDoc with tech support and advice on how to scale. “Blibli is a tech powerhouse, together with Go-Jek, this will help us speed up the learning curve,” Jonathan says

Powerful network

It’s hard to tell at this point how HaloDoc’s services compare with those offered by other online healthcare companies. With its wide range, it’s definitely the most complete. It works together with over 18,600 licensed doctors and 1,000 certified partner pharmacies, Jonathan says. The app has about 75,000 installs, he adds, but won’t reveal an active user count.

What could work in HaloDoc’s favor when it comes to scaling fast is its access to the health industry through its connection with Mensa Group. Jonathan also has a powerful network: the app’s launch was attended by Indonesia’s IT minister Rudiantara and the president of the Indonesian Doctors Association.