---
title: "Why ConnectMed shut down"
description: "Kenyan telehealth startup ConnectMed, founded in 2017 and backed by over $300,000 from accelerators and academic centers, was acquired by German pharmaceutical giant Merck KGaA in a deal announced in April 2019 to fold its telehealth technology into Merck's Curafa points-of-care network, after which ConnectMed ceased operating as an independent company."
canonical_url: "https://liners.com/graveyard/connectmed"
markdown_url: "https://liners.com/graveyard/connectmed.md"
type: "graveyard"
language: "en"
image: "/graveyard/connectmed/certificate.png"
published_at: "2026-07-31T17:41:07.836Z"
updated_at: "2026-07-31T17:41:07.836Z"
---

# Why ConnectMed shut down

Kenyan telehealth startup ConnectMed, founded in 2017 and backed by over $300,000 from accelerators and academic centers, was acquired by German pharmaceutical giant Merck KGaA in a deal announced in April 2019 to fold its telehealth technology into Merck's Curafa points-of-care network, after which ConnectMed ceased operating as an independent company.

## Breadcrumbs

- [Graveyard](/graveyard)
- [ConnectMed](/graveyard/connectmed)

## Summary

Here lies ConnectMed. It gave patients in Kenya and South Africa video consultations, same-day prescriptions, and referrals through licensed doctors. Adoption stayed thin and profit thinner, until Merck absorbed its technology into the Curafa network. Its final referral was to a new owner.

Kenyan telehealth startup ConnectMed, founded in 2017 and backed by over $300,000 from accelerators and academic centers, was acquired by German pharmaceutical giant Merck KGaA in a deal announced in April 2019 to fold its telehealth technology into Merck's Curafa points-of-care network, after which ConnectMed ceased operating as an independent company.

## Product history

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Fate | AcquiredDiscontinued |
| Primary cause | BusinessModel |
| Stage at shutdown | Seed |
| Lifespan in days |  |

## Autopsy report

## What the product attempted

ConnectMed offered direct-to-consumer telemedicine in Kenya and South Africa, letting patients get video consultations, same-day prescriptions, sick notes, and referrals from licensed doctors, integrated with over 30 pharmacy locations.

## What worked

Served more than 8,000 patients and corporate clients; raised over $300,000 in backing from the University of Cape Town's Bertha Centre, the University of Oxford's Skoll Centre, Entrepreneur First, and Katapult Accelerator; ultimately attracted acquisition interest from Merck KGaA.

## Early warning signs

Sources cited low telemedicine adoption, patient preference for in-person consultations, and limited internet access and digital literacy in target markets as ongoing obstacles, alongside difficulty scaling to profitability despite the funding raised.

## What happened

ConnectMed grew its direct-to-consumer telehealth service to over 8,000 patients across Kenya and South Africa but struggled to scale profitably given low market adoption. Merck KGaA acquired ConnectMed's telehealth technology and platform, announced in April 2019, to integrate into its Curafa points-of-care network (launched September 2018); ConnectMed then ceased operating independently and CEO Melissa McCoy subsequently joined Google.

## Sources

- [What We Learnt From ConnectMed's Closure](https://startupgraveyard.africa/blog/what-we-learnt-from-connectmeds-closure): Weetracker
- [Kenyan e-health startup ConnectMed acquired by Merck](https://disruptafrica.com/2019/04/05/kenyan-e-health-startup-connectmed-acquired-by-merck/): Disrupt Africa
- [Merck KGaA Takes Over ConnectMed's Telehealth Solution in Kenya](https://www.techinafrica.com/merck-kgaa-takes-connectmeds-telehealth-solution-kenya/): Tech In Africa
- [ConnectMed founder joins Google as product manager after take over by Merck](https://ventureburn.com/2019/04/connectmed-founder-joins-google/): Ventureburn

## Related pages

- [ConnectMed alternatives](/connectmed/alternatives)
- [Liners Graveyard](/graveyard)

## Access and citation

- [Canonical HTML page](https://liners.com/graveyard/connectmed)
- [Markdown route index](/sitemap.md)
- [Agent access guide](/llms.txt)