SOUTH AFRICA – Locumbase, an independent online medical booking platform, has secured an undisclosed funding round from Grindstone Ventures to speed its expansion plans.
Founded in 2016 by Zulé Vuuren, the start-up connects freelance medical professionals and practices in South Africa to build their career and supports them to grow their practices on their terms.
The Locumbase platform revolutionises the medical service as a whole and aligns it to an ever-changing environment where digital technologies are transforming home and office life, according to the startup.
The healthtech firm announced that their promising health tech model will further improve their service offering with the funding secured while enhancing the local industry as they prepare for international expansion and growth.
“This health-tech SaaS (Software as a Service) company is one of success, ambition, and high growth that envisions a future where people-centered healthcare is easily and efficiently accessible to all,” Locumbase highlighted.
Commenting on the latest investment, Vuuren expressed her appreciation of the company’s growth and success to date while expressing her eagerness about what the future holds with this new funding.
“As a practice owner or primary practitioner, you need to rest and revive in order to provide the very best care to your patients. You need a simple, seamless way to manage your temporary team and find the best new locums to grow your business,” she said.
She further said that LocumBase completed the Grindstone Accelerator programme in 2020/2021 and celebrated its graduation as Cohort Winner for exhibiting substantial growth and achievements during the programme.
Vuuren pointed out that LocumBase allows for more focused job creation and accurately finding the right fit for the job seeker and the practice, which in turn creates a cohesive team in the workforce.
“We see more and more interest from untapped industries where our core software can have a positive impact on workforce efficiency and employment opportunities, from day one implementation,” she noted.
She observed that LocumBase promotes job satisfaction and allows for well-rested medical professionals and the opportunity to grow the business of one-on-one medical practices, pharmacies, hospitals and clinics.
“This is the foundation of creating an attentive approach to patient care. Finally, a population whose medical needs are sufficiently met means a stronger workforce all-around, a stronger economy and a healthcare ecosystem,” she added.
Aspiring to raise the standards of primary healthcare in South Africa, she noted that the domino effect of this brilliant concept will reverberate far into the future of South Africa both in the medical sector and as a leading example of ideation and execution.
The Locumbase Founder further reaffirmed that more SMEs and entrepreneurs will have the gusto and confidence it takes to bring their own ideas to fruition.
“LocumBase’s tech stack has unlimited application. We are geared up to scale across South Africa and look ahead to expand across boarders before the end of 2023,” Vuuren added.
Catherine Young, Managing Partner of Grindstone Ventures, stressed that providing equal investment opportunities for women-founded businesses is foundational to the Grindstone Ventures ethos.
“LocumBase, as a Grindstone Accelerator alumni company, has grown exponentially since graduating as the overall winner of their cohort in 2021,” she said.
She expressed her excitement about the opportunity to make an investment into a business that is disrupting the traditional way of allocating locums to medical practices.
“As a woman-founded company, they have contributed towards achieving gender diversity and equality in the South African business landscape. Grindstone Ventures is proud to be a part of the LocumBase journey and eagerly awaits to witness its inevitable success,” the Managing Partner concluded.
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