Manje Health revolutionizes international healthcare money transfer system
For millions of people living abroad, sending money home is more than a financial transaction—it’s a lifeline. Yet, when it comes to the $300 billion directed toward healthcare annually, the current remittance system is fundamentally broken. Between exorbitant fees and a lack of transparency, families are often forced to send cash with no guarantee that it will reach the hospital or be used for its intended purpose. Manje Health, a Malmö-based startup incubated at Minc, is changing that with a purpose-built, closed-loop infrastructure designed to ensure that essential medical care reaches those who need it most.
The Reality of Remittance Inefficiencies
The challenge is systemic. Sending money to Africa often incurs 7-8% in transfer fees—nearly double the cost of other regions. Beyond the financial burden, there is a systemic lack of trust. Traditional banking methods are slow, often taking three to five days, which is entirely untenable in medical emergencies. Patients are often left waiting, and the lack of a direct, secure connection between the sender and the healthcare provider creates significant barriers to care.
“The motivation for solving this issue stemmed from personal experience in 2010, when family required medical care in Zambia. The existing cross-border payment infrastructure was insufficient for healthcare needs—it involved sending money for an unknown outcome, requiring recipients to physically carry cash to hospitals,”
Prudence Persson, co-founder of Manje Health.
The Manje Health Approach: A Closed-Loop Infrastructure
Manje Health was built specifically to solve these challenges. Unlike generic fintech platforms that focus solely on transaction volume, Manje Health has spent the last 18–24 months building deep relationships with hospital CEOs and providers to create a "closed-loop" infrastructure.
The platform offers two vital services:
- Health Insurance Management:Users can purchase and manage insurance plans for relatives abroad, directly replacing manual and often chaotic reconciliation processes.
- Direct Invoice Payments: When a relative is hospitalized, providers can send the bill directly to the payer's dashboard. This allows for immediate payment via card from abroad. Because the system is built on trust, hospitals can initiate treatment as soon as payment is confirmed, even before the physical cash arrives.
Traction and Social Impact
The results are already promising. A pilot program in Ghana has successfully facilitated over 200 transactions, proving the model's viability. The company is now preparing to scale, aiming for 2,500 insurance payments in the coming months.
Beyond financial efficiency, the team is deeply committed to ethical standards, particularly in their philanthropic projects, where they partner with local medical professionals to ensure that healthcare funding for children is managed with strict adherence to privacy and dignity.
This commitment to impact has garnered industry recognition, including the Mastercard Lighthouse Massive Award and the Canada-Africa Innovation Festival’s Builder Track Award.
Reflections on the Startup Journey
Reflecting on the evolution of Manje Health, the team emphasizes the importance of early iteration. After pivoting from an initial idea of a chronic disease management platform to the current cross-border payment infrastructure, Manje Health has demonstrated that persistent iteration and a focus on human impact can create meaningful, lasting change.
“We credited the Minc ecosystem for providing essential support in shaping our business model and revenue strategy,” the team notes. “The backing of incubators like Minc and Smile has increased our legitimacy with investors, and access to technical advice helped the team manage development during critical phases.”
As the company looks to the future, they are currently raising a €200,000 bridge round to fuel their expansion. Over the next 12 months, they plan to scale insurance payments in Ghana and launch direct invoice payments in Zambia, with strategic entry models in development for Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda—including pharmacy-focused solutions for recurring medication.
About Manje Health
Manje Health is building purpose-built, closed-loop payment infrastructure to revolutionize healthcare access. By connecting senders abroad directly with medical providers, the platform eliminates intermediaries, reduces fees, and ensures immediate, secure access to care.
About Minc
Minc is Malmö's leading growth engine and the driving force behind Southern Sweden's innovation economy. Home to Fast Track Malmö, Skåne Ventures, and a portfolio spanning more than 40 nationalities, Minc has turned some of the region's most ambitious founders into world-class companies. Founded in 2002 and owned by the City of Malmö. minc.se
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