Hexa, the Paris-based startup studio, has announced the launch of a new vertical focused on revolutionizing the healthcare system. This expansion comes as the company recently secured $22 million in funding. To spearhead this initiative, Julien Méraud, a former senior team member of the French unicorn startup Doctolib, has joined the startup studio.
Key Takeaway
Hexa Startup Studio is diversifying into the healthcare sector, with a focus on addressing inefficiencies and enhancing care pathways. The company aims to leverage the expertise of medical professionals to drive innovation and improve the quality of healthcare.
Expanding Horizons
Originally known as eFounders, Hexa initially concentrated on B2B software-as-a-service startups. The studio is renowned for conceptualizing startup ideas, identifying suitable founders, providing initial funding, and supporting them with its core team. Gradually, these startups transition from the studio and operate as independent entities, with Hexa retaining a stake in its portfolio companies. Notable companies that have emerged from Hexa include Front, Aircall, and Spendesk.
Focusing on Healthcare
As Hexa ventures into new verticals, it is reevaluating its strategy. For its health vertical, the startup studio is not only enlisting the expertise of Julien Méraud but also collaborating with a full-time medical doctor to assess future projects. The approach for each healthtech startup will involve seeking two co-founders – a specialized doctor with practical experience and an operational founder skilled in scaling companies.
Specialized Approach
Hexa Health will adopt a vertical approach, with each company concentrating on a specific pathology. The initial startups emerging from the studio will center on weight loss and skin cancer detection.
“Innovation in healthcare should be driven by doctors. Tech shouldn’t just enable faster care. It should also enable better care,” emphasized Méraud. The objective is not to disrupt the healthcare industry entirely but to identify inefficiencies and enhance care pathways, particularly in light of the growing imbalance between Europe’s aging population and the available medical resources.
