Founded in 2016, the Bengaluru-based startup services the long-term healthcare needs of patients with chronic ailments. Its services are available at its care centres, as well as through at-home care services.
Sukino plans to use the funds primarily for expanding its presence to more regions and to add more services to its offerings, chief executive Rajinish Menon told ET.
“We will use the funding to grow and expand across South India in cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Hubli,” Menon said. “We currently have 11 centres, and we have a target to add eight centres in the next fiscal year.”
Its care centres typically have 75 to 90 beds. About 15-20% of the beds are kept aside for long-term acute care patients. These centres are located between major hospitals and residential hubs.
Its patients typically require long-term care for chronic ailments, including stroke, as well as rehabilitation for neurological, orthopaedic and oncology conditions, among others.
As part of its expansion, Sukino will be adding more therapy offerings for its patients and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into them. “As we expand our services, we would also include AI and robotics in passive therapy to ensure the patients are emotionally connected when doing their exercises,” Menon said.
“Our belief in Sukino is rooted in our conviction that high-quality healthcare, especially in the single speciality space, will lead to better clinical care and outcomes for Indian consumers,” said Vishal Gupta, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, in a prepared statement.
“Most patients in India get medical attention for surgeries in hospitals. But there is a greater need for continued care and support once they get discharged from hospitals, especially for critical patients. Sukino is solving a real problem here by bridging the gap between hospital discharge and full recovery,” said Nitin Kamath, chief executive of Rainmatter.
