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Joanna Bichsel
Founder and CEO at Kasha Global
Professional Background
Joanna Bichsel is an accomplished entrepreneur and a visionary leader, best known as the Founder and CEO of Kasha, Africa's leading digital platform focused on improving health access across the continent. Established in Rwanda in 2016, Kasha has rapidly expanded its services to include a wide range of health products and household goods, ensuring that essential items reach consumers at the last mile. This innovative approach not only enhances the convenience of purchasing health products but also addresses critical barriers to healthcare access in multiple African nations.
Under Joanna's leadership, Kasha has evolved into a pivotal player in the health sector, collaborating with manufacturers, global health organizations, and governments to offer sustainable solutions for market access. The company's model emphasizes end-to-end data visibility, which is essential for tracking the distribution and consumption of health products across Africa. Joanna's focus on using technology to bridge gaps in healthcare has positioned Kasha as a notable player in the fight for better health equity.
Joanna's professional journey includes significant roles in various high-impact organizations. She has served as the Principal Technology Advisor for Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she contributed to advancing technology initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes worldwide. Her extensive experience with Microsoft Corporation further underscores her expertise in technology, having held multiple positions including Senior Manager of Anti-Malware Developer Services, Senior Product Manager for Office 365, and Technical Product Manager. Joanna's multifaceted background showcases her ability to integrate technology and health, making her a leader in both fields.
Education and Achievements
Joanna Bichsel's academic background laid the foundation for her successful career in technology and entrepreneurship. She graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science with Honours from Queen's University, where she developed strong technical skills that would serve her well in her future endeavors. Her education not only instilled a robust understanding of computer science principles but also prepared her for innovative thinking and problem-solving in complex environments.
Throughout her career, Joanna has achieved numerous accolades and recognitions for her impactful work in health technology and digital access. Her tenure at Kasha and previous roles at renowned organizations highlight her commitment to using technology as a tool for social good, particularly in developing countries. Joanna's strategic vision and business acumen have not only propelled Kasha to success but have also inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs aiming to make a positive difference in the world.
Achievements
- Founder and CEO of Kasha: Joanna established Kasha as a groundbreaking platform that has transformed the way health products are accessed in Africa, providing essential goods to the underserved population.
- Collaboration with Leading Organizations: Under Joanna’s leadership, Kasha has partnered with various manufacturers, global health organizations, and governmental bodies, reinforcing its mission to improve health access across Africa.
- Technology Advocacy: As the Principal Technology Advisor at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Joanna advocated for tech-based solutions in global health, influencing significant health initiatives around the globe.
- Leadership in Prominent Financial Institutions: Joanna has served as a Board Director at Finserve Africa and Equity Bank Rwanda, where she drove strategic initiatives and contributed to the financial empowerment of communities in Africa.
- Expertise in Technology Development: Her extensive experience at Microsoft Corporation, where she held various high-profile positions, emphasizes her skill in product management and technology innovation, particularly in software development and anti-malware services.
Highlights
Kasha has been recognized as 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 among 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 as measured by annual revenue🚀 According to Salient Advisory’s recent market intelligence report on Leading Innovations Enabling Health Product Access in Africa which evaluated 30 leading innovators across 33 African countries.
"At just over $50 million, Kasha reported the highest annual revenue by an innovator in 2023. The figure is also the highest ever reported by African health supply chain innovators to date during our research."
“Order & Inventory Management is emerging as the most prominent category: 13 of the leading innovators work in this area, collectively operating across 30 countries and serving around 52,000 providers. Notably, the category also includes Kasha, the innovator with the highest disclosed annual revenues in 2023. These innovators all offer digital platforms for ordering and resupply of medicines, biological products, and devices and equipment, enabling pharmacies, drug shops, clinics, and hospitals to purchase from vetted manufacturers and distributors, thus reducing reliance on open drug markets and by extension, lowering the risk of purchasing falsified or substandard products.”
Team Kasha Global, Inc. rocks! We will keep rapidly growing, expanding and pushing the envelope so that health supply chains in Africa become customer driven, data driven, reaching the last mile and optimized for women.
(By the way, the last bar on the far right of the figure is Kasha)
https://lnkd.in/eFxNwBMD
Keet van Zyl Guillaume LAURIOZ Thibaud LEFORT Audrey Obara Maturin Tchoumi Jebson Zingwari Nafisa Jiwani Johanna Raehalme Tim Koogle Pam Scott Gaju Brian Reid Mark Gladwell Mary-Ann Etiebet, MD, MBA Eva Yazhari Elisa Jagerson Zachariah George Michael Poor
It’s official! Team Kasha Global, Inc. - You are the most resilient, purpose-driven, hard-working people I know...we did it! Knife Capital - You have already been a fantastic partner, I know we’re going to go big together. Thank you to all the support from our amazing investors Finnfund U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Tim Koogle Pam Scott Beyond Capital Ventures Mastercard Bamboo Capital Partners Altree Capital Five35 Ventures Keet van Zyl Johanna Raehalme Eva Yazhari VestedWorld Sorenson Impact Foundation Jodi Morris Suzanne Biegel Zachariah George Julie Castro Abrams Maggie Chan Jones Amanda Arch Christoph Bichsel Dianne Dusaidi Mumba Mumba The Case for Her Swedfund International East Africa Investments Ltd Sharon Weinberg 1to4 Foundation Optimizer Foundation George Hall Janade Du Plessis Theresa Preston-Werner Stasia Obremskey Greg Schroy https://lnkd.in/dstYsjir
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
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Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
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Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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