Woolies is getting into telehealth with a $6 million Series A

Woolworths is having a bet each way after selling chips, soft drinks and grog to its customer, investing in a Western Australian telehealth startup’s $6 million Series A.

The round for Hola Health follows a $4.5 million pre-Series A 12 months ago, that marked a return to VC investing for Alan Jones and Emily Rich at M8 Ventures.

Woolworth led the raise via its subsidiary Healthylife, with support from M8 and another existing investor FundWA, plus an unnamed health and care services provider. It values the startup at $70 million. 

Perth-based Hola is now Healthylife’s exclusive telehealth provider and users get free prescription delivery if they use a Healthylife pharmacy, as well as rewards points with a consultation.

Woolies also owned alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings, now merged into Milkrun, which the supermarket giant bought after the VC-backed startup ground to a halt two years ago, so if pills and booze are your thing, it’s all now under one roof.

Brothers Lenin and Thiru Rajendran founded Hola Health with their family GP, Dr Vishnu Gopalan in 2020, kicking off as Packapill with medicine delivery services, before launching as Hola two years later. The healthtech startup offers online consultations, prescriptions, medical certificates, and specialist referrals.

It offers 8-minute consultations from $39 and up for 15 minutes from $49 via the Healthylife site.

The startup also has partnerships with Health Engine, HotDoc, Med Advisor, Symbion, TerryWhite, UberEats, and DoorDash.

The new cash will go towards increasing market footprint, adding to the startup’s headcount and improve infrastructure with an eye to expanding overseas.

CEO Lenin Rajendran said the telehealth service is not intended to substitute the family doctor.

 “However, when you’re not able to see a doctor in person – online consultations are a quick and effective way to get medical advice, certificates, and prescriptions,” he said. 

M8 Ventures partner and Hola director Emily Rich said Hola Health’s around-the-clock offering addresses a critical gap in the market.

“The founders are exceptional operators who understand both the healthcare landscape and technology implementation,” she said