Calcutta, June 9: Data2Information.com Pvt Ltd which had launched its healthcare portal -- check4health.com -- last month, is planning a second round of funding in July to propel its expansion plans. The portal already has a 10,000 searchable record base collected by market research body ORG-MARG on health facilities with information on doctors, hospitals, clinics and even on blood banks, pharmacies, ambulance services and on health accessories.The potal claims itself as the country's first interactive health information site. Funded partially by Smifs Venture Captial Ltd to the extent of Rs 2.5 crore, the portal will be putting up a virtual health mall for over the counter medicines, health books in another six to nine months.
Chief marketing officer Jayanta Banerjee said that the company is planning another round of funding through fresh issue of equity which is likely to be placed with a venture cap fund. Banerjee also pointed out that a virtual health mall is being planned which will be one of its kind. For this the company will be tying up with one or more logistics partner. He noted that the portal being essentially a click- and- mortar model, the company will need to identify logistics partners, the first step of which will be setting up offices in the various metros. Data2Information.com will be setting up its first office in Delhi shortly, which will be followed by offices in Mumbai and Bangalore. The company will be on a recruitment drive shortly.
The portal has been promoted by chartered accountant Kumar Dasgupta, CMO Jayanta Banerjee, chief operating officer Subir Nag and chief medical advisor AK Chatterjee. Apart from this, the company has a small team of graduate engineers and information technology professionals in its fold. Though Banerjee is enthused on the scalability and reach of the Internet, he feels that the venture is a "five year call".
The portal is getting 10,000 page views each week. Giving details on the business revenue model, Banerjee said that advertisements and banners will one of the avenues while charging a nominal fee for value-added services will be another avenue. The third will be charging a nominal fee for arranging appointments with doctors at various hospitals over the net. The portal is in the process of tying up with five to six hospitals in each city to help its users with on-line appointment and registration facilities. An online Q&A has been lately introduced for helping patients with a second opinion and with a directional advice from its panel of doctors.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.