Amazon acquired Health Navigator

Amazon.com Inc. has acquired Health Navigator, a medical technology startup, in an effort to bolster its health care offerings for employees.

The start-up will be wrapped into a clinic for workers that launched last month at the company’s Seattle-based headquarters. Called Amazon Care, the program offers virtual and in-person consultations, and delivery of prescriptions to employees’ offices and homes.

The company’s ambitions in health care have been the subject of fevered speculation in the industry and among investors well versed in Amazon’s record of disrupting established industries. Amazon has partnered with Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. to launch Haven, a non-profit working on ways to halt the rise in employee health-care costs.

Separately, the company is working to build on nascent businesses that sell to health-care providers and consumers. Amazon last year bought PillPack, an online pharmacy. It also sells office and medical supplies through its Amazon Business program.

Infosys to acquire WongDoody

IT services firm Infosys Ltd will acquire WongDoody Holding Co., a US based digital creative and consumer insights agency, for a total consideration of up to $75 Million. The move would strengthen the company’s creative, branding and customer experience capabilities.

Previously, Infosys had announced the acquisition of Brilliant Basics, a London-based digital design and customer experience innovator that works with clients across Europe and Middle East. The addition of WongDoody strengthens Infosys’ ability to fulfill the needs of global clients for comprehensive digital transformation solutions required to meet customer demand for next-generation, enhanced customer experiences.

Founded in 1993, WongDoody is headquartered in Seattle and has an office in Los Angeles. It has clients across industries like telecommunications, consumer electronics, healthcare and consumer packaged goods. WongDoody’s expertise in driving innovative creative solutions is already yielding significant results in Infosys’ initial collaborations with clients, and this acquisition will further enhance the company’s capabilities in this space.

CureFit acquires controlling stake in Cult

CureFit, a healthcare and fitness start-up has acquired a controlling stake in Cult, which operates two fitness centres in Bengaluru for $3 Million. Started in 2015, Cult tries to differentiate itself from traditional gymnasiums by offering fitness training in the form of martial arts, kickboxing, and other such activities. It doesn’t use traditional gym equipment such as trademills and weights.

Cult, which will continue to run as an independent brand run by Telang, plans to expand to five centres by the end of the year and 25 centres by December 2017. Cult has a unique training model where the trainers mix and match various formats to deliver a holistic fitness regime. The traditional fitness formats are a thing of the past and trainer led group classes are something which will change the face of the fitness industry.

People are moving towards functional training from the traditional ways of gymming. Cult offers a differentiated solution which is very attractive for customers who are bored with gyms. In July, CureFit raised as much $15 Million in Series A funds from Kalaari Capital, Accel Partners and IDG Ventures, one of the most largest early rounds of funding even by an Indian start-up.

CureFit, which has 12 employees, plans to launch an app in the March quarter of next year that will first offer preventive healthcare services. The company is finalizing tie-ups with offline health and fitness service providers before its launch. It may make more acquisitions to boost its offline presence.

Wipro to buy HealthPlan Services

Wipro Ltd has agreed to buy HealthPlan services, a Florida, US based company that caters to the health insurance sector for $460 Million. This is the third buyout by India’s third largest software services exported in less than three months.

Earlier in December, Wipro spent $78 Million to buy Cellent, a German Technology Company that implements and maintains SAP (Systems Applications and Products) software for clients in automobile and manufacturing segments. Later, it bought a securities processing and fund administration services provider Viteos Group for $130 Million as the company looks to expand its portfolio of services to financial companies.

Both HealthcarePlan services and Viteos Group offer solutions over cloud computing platforms or what is called as Business process as a service. The partnership with HealthPlan services positions Wipro to participate in the shift of the US Health insurance industry towards a customer centric business model.

HealthPlan services strengthen Wipro position in the health insurance exchange market while offering synergies with Wipro presence in the Managed Medicare and commercial group insurance markets. This is Wipro fourth acquisition in last 12 months. 

Practo Acquires Fitho

Practo Technologies Pvt. Ltd., an online doctor booking portal had acquired Delhi-based health and fitness solutions firm Fitho Wellness Services Pvt. Ltd, which runs the Fitho Mobile app. Bengaluru based Practo is looking to launch services in preventive healthcare by the end of this year. This acquisition will provide it access to Fitho proprietary algorithm and recommendation engine, which will help expand Practo offerings.

Practo will launch a new preventive healthcare product that will leverage some of the technology from Fitho, whose service will phase out over the next six months. Practo raised $30 Million in a second round funding in February to fund its expansion in 35 cities in India and overseas.

Fitho was founded in 2010. The technology solutions help users manage weight and lifestyle diseases. The products provide personalized advice to millions of consumers on nutrition and physical activity. As the part of deal, Fitho current offerings will be phased out over the next six months and the founders will take on roles in preventive health and new segments.

Practo ray is a subscription based web software tool for doctors who provide automated appointment scheduling, storage of healthcare records including x-ray, files, prescriptions and billing. The company has 500,000 users of the mobile app which is 60% of the total user base. The overall Indian healthcare market today is estimated to be around $65 Billion. Healthcare delivery which includes hospitals, nursing homes and diagnostic centers, and pharmaceuticals, constitutes 65% of the overall market.