After taking his dental practice on the road in 2017 with the launch of on-demand dental treatment startup Kare Mobile, founder and CEO Dr. Kwane Watson is expanding the company nationwide.
Aided by a $250,000 investment by early-stage risk capital firm Render Capital, a part of Access Ventures, the Louisville-based startup is expanding its services into five new cities, with its first stop in Texas in Dallas.
The company is also launching its services in Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas and Tampa.
“We’ve already been able to improve access to oral healthcare for so many underserved people in our community, many of whom face transportation limitations or time constraints that make it difficult to prioritize their health, and with this investment, we can bring these services to more people across the country,” Watson said in a statement.
In August, Kare said it was looking to raise a $1 million seed round, after landing $25,000 in funding from winning the Community Foundation of Louisville’s Vogt Awards. It followed that announcement with an investment from Lightship Capital for an undisclosed amount.
When first launched, Kare was a mobile app focused on connecting patients to dentists. Now, the company’s focus is on using decked-out vans equipped with all the tools of a dentist’s office to provide on-demand services, especially in underserved communities. The company has also developed a radiation-resistant PPE jacket for dentists working in the field during the pandemic.
Despite his credentials as a practicing dentist, Watson, a Black founder, has previously struggled to gain access to capital, being rejected for two of the four business loans he has applied for and receiving more than 30 rejections on investment pitches. However, the company has steadily received validation, participating in the NewME Bootcamp, a one-week accelerator program, and the XLerateHealth accelerator program.
Kare has also seen an uptick in its platform’s use in recent months. According to the Louisville Business Journal, in August the company had recently sold three of its vans to dentists and had booked out its platform through October.
“I’m extremely thankful to the Render Capital team for believing in us and stepping in to support our initiative, which is going to help us continue to make a difference in this region, and now, nationally,” Watson said.
The funding for Kare comes from a $15 million fund Render raised last February. The fund was also used by Render in December to invest $250,000 in online educational platform Clover Learning.
“Kare Mobile’s efforts fill a gap in healthcare access and we are excited to support their team on this project,” said Moses Icyishaka, principal at Render Capital, in a statement.
