Nephrocare India Bags Pre-IPO Round Funding, Targets 300 Clinic Expansion

The capital raised in this round will support Nephrocare India's ambitious initiative to duplicate its effective hub-and-spoke strategy, aiming to set up 300 Nephrocare centres nationwide within the next eight to ten years.

Kolkata-based kidney care provider, Nephrocare India, has raised INR 8.08 Cr in a pre-initial public offering (IPO) round, led by HDFC's Deepak Parekh. The company plans to utilise the funds to establish 300 comprehensive kidney care clinics across India over the next eight to ten years.

In addition to Deepak Parekh, notable investors participating in the funding round include Bharat Shah, chairman, HDFC Securities, and Rajendra Agarwal, founder and MD, Macleods Pharmaceuticals, among others.

Founded in 2014, Nephrocare India currently operates three kidney care clinics in West Bengal, along with a flagship holistic healthcare facility in Salt Lake, Kolkata. The company's vision is to positively impact the lives of nearly one million patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.

The funds raised in this round will support Nephrocare India's ambitious plan to replicate its successful hub-and-spoke strategy by establishing 300 Nephrocare centres across the country over the next eight to ten years.

Further, Nephrocare aims to open 22 high-end comprehensive kidney care facilities by March 2026, with the launch of four centres by the end of the current financial year.

India faces a significant challenge in kidney care, with the country contributing the highest number of renal failure patients globally. It is estimated that one out of every eleven Indians is at risk of renal failure, primarily due to diabetes and hypertension.

Often referred to as the 'Diabetes Capital of the World,' India adds approximately 250,000 new patients requiring dialysis support each year due to advanced kidney failure.

Despite around 70 million patients suffering from chronic kidney diseases, there are only about 12,881 hemodialysis centres capable of performing dialysis across the country, indicating a substantial gap between the demand and supply of kidney care units in India.

Nephrocare India's pre-IPO funding marks a significant step toward achieving its goal of addressing the pressing need for comprehensive kidney care facilities in the country. The company is exploring various fundraising options, including a potential IPO, and this successful round serves as a positive indicator of investor confidence in Nephrocare India's vision and strategic plans.

In a similar development, in August this year, multi-speciality hospital chain Jupiter Life Line Hospitals concluded its pre-IPO placement, securing a whopping INR 123 Cr. Further, Jupiter received capital markets regulator SEBI's approval to raise funds through IPO.