Staircase Ventures Announces Investment in MedEssist

We are thrilled to announce that Staircase Ventures has led the most recent funding for Toronto-based MedEssist. 

MedEssist enables pharmacies to become health clinics in order to better meet the needs of their customers.  MedEssist’s comprehensive solution enables pharmacists to diagnose and prescribe medication for over 50 conditions including weight loss, insomnia, strep throat, and pink eye.  In addition, the platform enables payment, delivery, ongoing education, appointment booking, refill reminders, and full marketing support.

MedEssist is addressing the urgent access-to-care issue that millions of North American consumers are facing.  While governments spend billions of dollars on healthcare, the system is failing them.  Over 6 million Canadians (15% of the population) do not have access to a primary care physician, and the situation is more acute in the US.  Yet 90% of North Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy and 95% of trust their pharmacists.  Governments are recognizing the critical role that pharmacies can play in delivering effective, low-cost health care and are adjusting regulations accordingly, enabling pharmacists to play a larger role in delivering health care.  Yet this transition requires new capabilities and systems.  MedEssist is the only end-to-end, turnkey tech platform that enables pharmacies to play this role.

The MedEssist platform is used in over 700 pharmacies across Canada and recently launched in the US.  It is delivering a clear ROI for pharmacies by attracting new customers and better serving their existing customers.

We met the CEO, Joella, at a pitch event in Calgary and immediately saw the potential of MedEssist as we have been following the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and retail trends for many years.  As we got to know Joella and her co-founder, Michael, we were convinced that this was a team who had the industry experience, operating discipline, hustle, and vision to build a massive business.

We are honoured to be able to work alongside Joella, Michael, their entire team, and existing investors including Samara from Hyperplane, as they expand across North America

Founders: Joella Almeida and Michael Do