In a strategic move echoing the growing influence of Healthtech companies, Moroccan-based software publisher Sobrus has set its sights on European expansion. The company recently established a subsidiary in France, marking a pivotal step towards capitalizing on its impressive growth momentum in both Morocco and across the African continent.
Sobrus, a prominent player in the Healthtech and pharmaceutical industry, has been at the forefront of digital transformation within the sector. Its success story has been primarily rooted in its pioneering platform, “Sobrus Pharma,” which has become the backbone of over 5,000 pharmacies in Morocco. This innovative platform seamlessly connects pharmacies, distributors, wholesalers, and pharmaceutical laboratories, streamlining the flow of medicines and healthcare products.
However, the ambitions of Sobrus don’t stop at North Africa. The company’s move to open a subsidiary in Lille, France, reflects a strategic choice to establish a foothold in the mature and competitive European market. This strategic alignment coincides with the unveiling of their latest venture, ecopara.store, an e-commerce platform designed to facilitate the pharmaceutical industry’s transition into the realm of electronic commerce.
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Omar Sefiani, co-founder of Sobrus, emphasized the importance of this move, stating, “This deployment in Lille serves as a catalyst for growth in an established and challenging European market. It goes hand in hand with the launch of ecopara.store, a powerful tool meant to facilitate an easier entry for the pharmaceutical ecosystem into the realm of e-commerce.”
Sobrus’s impressive presence isn’t just limited to Moroccan borders. Its groundbreaking platform has also found a home in 13 African countries, where it has made a significant impact on the pharmaceutical landscape. A testament to its success, the platform’s digital infrastructure handles an astounding 5 billion dirhams worth of transactions. Even more impressive is the fact that a substantial portion of this massive volume — 10% to be precise — is entirely automated, reflecting the company’s dedication to cutting-edge technological solutions.
Omar Sefiani, a driving force behind Sobrus, envisions a future where this automation percentage grows exponentially. “Our goal is to elevate this figure to 35% by 2025,” he states confidently. This vision speaks to Sobrus’s commitment to harnessing technology to streamline and optimize the complex network of interactions within the pharmaceutical sector.
Beyond its core services, Sobrus has also emerged as a key player in data utilization. With a comprehensive database comprising over 130,000 medicines, health products, and medical devices, Sobrus is well-equipped to forge strategic partnerships. The latest evidence of this comes in the form of a collaboration with a local insurer, a move that aims to enhance customer reimbursement processes.
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The innovative spirit of Sobrus doesn’t stop at data management and automation. The company’s 55-strong team, alongside a revenue of 10 million dirhams, is pushing the envelope in terms of AI integration. Their latest endeavor involves integrating an AI module into their platform, designed to empower pharmacists to optimize inventory and order management with greater precision.
As the company charts its path forward, Sobrus’s co-founders, Omar Sefiani and Yahya Zahraoui, are orchestrating a financial symphony. Negotiations are underway with national and international investors, including a prominent pan-African fund and two local investors. “We are confident that this effort will provide us with the resources needed to drive our international expansion plans and invest in research and development,” Omar Sefiani concludes, highlighting the unwavering commitment behind Sobrus’s journey into the future.
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Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert.
As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard