Value-based healthcare in South Africa is entering a new phase of growth with Alignd’s landmark partnership with E Squared Investments. The women-led healthcare business, founded with a mission to solve systemic challenges, is shifting the focus from volume-driven care to a model that prioritises patient dignity, outcomes, and well-being.
Since its inception, Alignd has built strong partnerships with medical schemes such as GEMS, Fedhealth, Bonitas, and AECI Medical Aid Society. Today, more than 2.9 million scheme beneficiaries have access to meaningful palliative care benefits, with over 4,900 patients directly supported.
Expanding into critical areas of need
Backed by E Squared Investments, Alignd is set to broaden its reach into maternity care and kidney disease, two areas that continue to see rising demand and high treatment costs. These expansions underscore the organisation’s belief in creating sustainable, person-centred solutions.
“Alignd seeks out ‘win-win-win’ solutions by holding the needs of providers and funders alongside the voices of patients,” says Sharon Dlomo, Strategic Finance Lead at Alignd. “What drew me in was this ability to hold tension in service of building sustainable healthcare systems, together with the experience, passion, and humanity of the people at Alignd.”
A partnership rooted in equity and inclusion
For E Squared Investments, this deal is about more than financial returns; it’s about impact. “Alignd exemplifies what it means to create economic value and social impact in equal measure,” says Tshilidzi Matlala, Chief Portfolio Officer at E Squared. “Supporting women-led businesses is not merely a gesture for us—it is a deliberate, long-term investment strategy rooted in equity and inclusion.”
Alignd’s palliative care model has already reduced unnecessary hospital admissions, alleviated financial pressure on families, and eased the burden on healthcare providers. With the new investment, its mission-driven approach is set to reach even more South Africans.
A local solution with global relevance
While the immediate focus is on South Africa, Alignd’s model offers global relevance. Many emerging markets face similar challenges: over-medicalisation, fragmented systems, and unaffordable care. E Squared’s investment highlights the potential of purpose-led entrepreneurs to redefine healthcare, both locally and abroad.
