Vida Care raises €1m and plans 10 new clinics

Preventative health screening and testing clinics created by serial entrepreneurs Conor Kelly and Sinead Costello, are meeting a critical need and they are eyeing an international expansion.

Healthcare provider Vida Care is planning to open 10 preventative health screening and testing clinics across Ireland.

This comes on the heels of the business raising a €1m funding round from investors.

“The preventative healthcare and longevity business is exploding in Ireland and is being driven by consumers who want to take back control of their health”

Vida Care was established by serial entrepreneurs Conor Kelly and Sinead Costello in association with professionals from the business and medical community in Ireland in response to the Covid 19 pandemic, providing private PCR and antigen testing for schools, businesses and airlines.

The success of this venture led the company to identify a demand for digital healthcare and for preventative health screening and testing expedited by the pandemic.

Vida has already spent another €1 million developing its business model and opening its first three clinics and has screened over 2,000 patients as it responds to a new and growing demand from Irish consumers who have become proactive about protecting their health, longevity and wellness.

It opened its third clinic in Pembroke Street in Dublin this week, following on from clinic openings in Blackrock and Consilla. The new clinic is its first in Dublin city centre and will be followed by new clinic openings in Cork, Galway, Sligo and Athlone in the coming months.

Vida Care is also providing cardiac screening services for sports clubs and corporate clients.

Its rapid analysis and results model has already played a critical role in saving lives, in helping to ensure that at risk individuals are identified and supported, and in reducing the incidences of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) among people under 35. 

Prevention is better than cure

Vida Care’s service provides patients with immediate access to preventative health screening, enabling them to book routine tests for bloods, cholesterol, cortisol, diabetes, thyroid, hormones, colon cancer and STIs on demand and to receive their test results from 48 hours.

Its base line test costs €129 and covers 46-biomarkers, providing patients with essential insights into their kidney, heart and liver health. Its most comprehensive screening test costs €499 and covers 150 data points including nutritional, hormonal, digestive, pancreatic, muscle and joint health, allergy evaluation, and screening for infection and inflammation.

Vida Care is also eyeing up expansion into Portugal and Marbella which have become the epicentre of the preventative healthcare, longevity and wellness business in Europe. This element of its overall expansion strategy will provide new and existing clients who live aboard for part of the year with a familiar, local service.

“The preventative healthcare and longevity business is exploding in Ireland and is being driven by consumers who want to take back control of their health,” said Conor Kelly, CEO of Vida Care.

“Vida Care is leading the way in meeting that demand and we are pursuing an ambitious strategy to expand and scale up our company at home and abroad

“Our growth to date has been financed by shareholders, private investors and investment through the EIIS scheme. This investment has also allowed us to develop innovative software that is powered by AI technology to revolutionise how our health data and test results are analysed and to provide detailed recommendations that significantly improve patient outcomes,” he said.

“Irish consumers want to know their health numbers. They are already getting a lot of biometric data from wearable devices and related apps which are often their first step towards taking charge of their health. Vida Care is the next step on that personal wellness journey and the demand for our service is also being driven by customers who simply can’t access their local GP service.

“Our health screening and testing service makes life easier for patients. They don’t need a GP referral, they won’t be left waiting for days for results, and they won’t have to chase their GP to know where they stand. They can book a same day appointment online and have their results from 48 hours. Our patients value the convenience and peace of mind that comes with that,” Kelly explained.

Main image at top: Conor Kelly, co-founder and CEO, Vida Care

  • Bank of Ireland is welcoming new customers every day – funding investments, working capital and expansions across multiple sectors. To learn more, click here

  • Listen to the ThinkBusiness Podcast for business insights and inspiration. All episodes are here. You can also listen to the Podcast on:

  • Spotify

  • SoundCloud

  • Apple

ThinkBusiness
ThinkBusiness.ie, powered by Bank of Ireland, has been created for Irish business owners and managers who are seeking information, resources and help on a range of business topics. It provides practical, actionable information and guidance on starting, growing and running a business.

Recommended

Latest

Health Sector H1 Insights and 2024 Outlook

With the population of Ireland set to grow by an additional 1m people by 2040, expanding services for the health and wellbeing of the Irish population as a whole is a priority, notes Bank of Ireland head of Health Sector Gráinne Henson, in her Health H1 Insights and 2024 Outlook.