Sirka raises US$2.6M co-led by AC Ventures and Wavemaker Group
Published on February 7, 2022
Sirka, a digital personal health coaching platform addressing weight loss and lifestyle goals by providing actionable steps and professional consultations in Indonesia, has completed its US$2.6 million Seed Funding round co-led by AC Ventures and Wavemaker Group. Sequoia, YC, Goodwater Capital, and several angel investors, such as ex-Sequoia’s Tim Lee and singer/entrepreneur Maudy Ayunda, participated in the round.
Sirka is a force to be reckoned with in Indonesia’s health-tech startup ecosystem. Founded in 2021 by a team of highly investible founders, Rifanditto Adhikara and Dito Krista, Sirka is a consumer health company addressing weight loss and adjacent pre-chronic diseases by developing proprietary lifestyle programs with support from health professionals.
“Everyone has a different path to personal health, and Sirka is here to help you find yours. We believe in the power of technology, science, information, and human empathy to simplify the journey. That’s why we created a low-cost approach to help people understand and optimize their health through at-home assessment, personalized action plans, and ongoing progress monitoring, starting with weight care,” said Rifanditto Adhikara, Co-Founder & CEO, Sirka.
According to the Food and Nutrition Journal, 1 in 3 adults in Indonesia is obese, a relatively high number compared to the global obesity rate of 13%. Obesity rates among adults in Indonesia have doubled over the past two decades, and Indonesia is currently the 4th country in Southeast Asia with the highest obesity prevalence.
Obesity rates in Indonesia are increasing rapidly in rich and poor households as they shift from traditional diets towards processed products that are often higher in fat and sugar and less expensive than wholesome foods. When compounded with increasingly accessible processed foods, the proportion of the obese population in Indonesia is expected to continue to increase, making it an alarming nationwide health crisis.
“Nutrition and well-being is increasingly being top of mind for Indonesians as we continue to have almost triple the global obesity rate and a very high at-risk population for chronic illnesses. Starting with nutritionists that are reachable at convenient times of the day through their app – we love Sirka’s approach of leveraging technology and knowledge to bring functional well-being within reach of millions of people,” said Adrian Li, Founder & Managing Partner, AC Ventures.
“We estimate that there are more than 50 million obese adults in Indonesia, implying a huge, growing market. Sirka democratizes access to nutritionists and provides convenient access on mobile. It’s a highly localized and personalized solution to prevent chronic conditions and improve users’ health while being relatively affordable for the wider population,” said Gavin Lee, General Partner, Wavemaker Partners.
“Sirka has the potential to make a huge impact in Indonesia by focusing on preventive rather than reactive healthcare. The team’s app-based weight-loss counseling democratize the access to a nutritionist in Indonesia and can be a strong entry point to more preventive care,” said Henry Hendrawan, Angel Investor
“I remember the moment Ditto told me about Sirka; we were sitting down on the Stanford lawns and he shared with me a surprising statistic: 1 in 3 adults in Indonesia is obese. And with obesity, comes serious health risks too. My decision to invest in Sirka was straightforward. Tackling weight loss and improving personal health are meaningful goals, and I believe in Ditto’s vision in providing a simple, convenient, and low-cost customized approach for each Indonesian who needs it,” said Maudy Ayunda, Angel Investor.
Sirka has a team of highly investible founders and addresses a vast market opportunity for obesity, a gateway for health complications.
The team hails from various reputable institutions like Grab, McKinsey, Stanford, INSEAD, and Harvard. It has a combined 10+ years of experience in product and operations of consumer tech and healthcare education in the region.
By bringing a mission to help individuals lead a healthier life, Sirka’s product is made with affordability and convenience in mind. Direct communication with health professionals allows for more frequent touchpoints and guidance, ultimately giving users better value for money spent on weight-loss solutions.
Sirka currently focuses on offering subscription-based weight-loss counseling and, in the future, is exploring other long-term supports medications and supplies to treat chronic diseases such as diabetes.
The funding received by Sirka will be focused on building the largest and most active health community in the country. Sirka plans to enrich feature sets and offerings for its platform, perform research and partnership with medical advisors and F&B, supplies, and medication providers to enhance program efficacy in weight loss and pre-chronic health reversals.
