Sanjay Vinayak (Connect and Heal): 10 Key Things You Must Know

Overview

Connect and Heal is a Bengaluru-based integrated health-tech company revolutionizing the delivery of family healthcare in India. Founded in 2016 by Sanjay Vinayak alongside Elwinder Singh, Galveen Kaur, and later joined by Prashant Kashyap, the company aims to restore the trusted family doctor model by leveraging technology and a vast healthcare network. It provides end-to-end coordinated care that spans primary, preventive, and emergency healthcare services. With millions of subscribers and thousands of medical professionals on-board, Connect and Heal is rapidly expanding its footprint, transforming how healthcare is accessed, personalized, and managed for employees and their families across India. Read on to discover key facets highlighting the company's origin, technology, funding, and impact on healthcare.

1. The Founding Journey and Leadership of Sanjay Vinayak

Sanjay Vinayak, the CEO and co-founder of Connect and Heal, brings a strong background in corporate finance and investment banking to the healthcare space. He transitioned from a successful career, including leadership roles at Deutsche Bank and ABN AMRO, to launch Connect and Heal driven by personal experience — his father's cancer journey revealed the systemic gaps in India's primary care. Joined by co-founders Elwinder Singh and Galveen Kaur, Sanjay Vinayak’s vision was to reinstate a connected and patient-centric family doctor experience by integrating diverse healthcare services on one platform for seamless patient support.

2. Connect and Heal’s Integrated Healthcare Ecosystem

The company offers an innovative healthcare management ecosystem that provides 360-degree care, including outpatient and inpatient services, emergency response, chronic condition management, diagnostics, therapies, pharmacy, and hospital assistance. Their model unites over 2,500 doctors, 6,000+ hospitals, 3,500 diagnostic centers, and 4,000+ ambulances across more than 300 cities in India. This extensive network facilitates quick, customized care solutions from teleconsultations to in-person services, making Connect and Heal the first “port of call” for many families and corporates.

3. Technology as a Backbone: AI, Geo-Location, and Personalized Care

Connect and Heal leverages advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), geotagging, and real-time data analytics to personalize healthcare. The platform matches patients with doctors proficient in their native languages within seconds and uses geo-location to connect users with nearby pharmacies, labs, or hospitals. Predictive health analytics enable early intervention, enhanced patient monitoring, and fraud detection in financial claims, ensuring both quality and affordability in care.

4. Scaling the Impact: Subscriber Base and Corporate Partnerships

Since its inception, Connect and Heal has grown substantially, currently serving over 6 million subscribers across 400+ organizations, including startups to Fortune 500 companies. The company primarily targets salaried employees and their families through corporate partnerships, providing health services both on-site and remotely. This B2B2C approach allows the company to tap into large employee communities to enhance health outcomes via occupational health solutions and employer-led wellness programs.

5. Connect and Heal Funding Overview

Connect and Heal has successfully raised over $20 million through funding rounds led by venture capital firms such as BAce Capital and Celesta Capital, along with significant investments from high-profile bankers and institutional investors across London, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the U.S. The latest Series A round raised $7 million in February 2021. Recently, Malaysian VC firm Hartamodal made its first investment in the startup, enabling potential expansion into Southeast Asia while validating the scalable and replicable business model.

6. Career Opportunities and Work Culture at Connect and Heal

Connect and Heal employs nearly 1,000 people, including multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, technologists, and support staff. The company provides diverse roles across engineering, product development, marketing, and healthcare service management. While employee reviews indicate opportunities for skill development and learning, some describe challenges in work-life balance and management communication. The company is actively hiring to strengthen tech and operations teams in multiple Indian cities, aiming to foster a culture that supports innovation and growth.

7. Connect and Heal’s Role in Emergency and Ambulance Services

Distinguishing itself in the healthcare ecosystem, Connect and Heal is India’s largest aggregator of ambulances, operating over 4,000 vehicles. The company offers an Uber-like ambulance dispatch service, ensuring rapid emergency response times, crucial for critical care situations. Their fleet and technology platform integrate ambulance logistics with hospital readiness, drastically improving emergency medical response efficiency nationwide.

8. Focus on Elder Care and Preventive Health

With India's aging population, Connect and Heal has tailored programs catering to eldercare, offering both remote and home-based healthcare services. Their platform enables migrant families to ensure in-time care for older relatives with regular updates to next-of-kin, along with preventive health screenings and chronic disease management. This comprehensive care approach addresses India’s evolving healthcare demands.

9. Connect and Heal’s Efforts in Standardizing Clinical Care

Recognizing the fragmented nature of Indian healthcare, Connect and Heal has prioritized the standardization of clinical protocols to ensure consistent, high-quality patient outcomes. By employing outcome-based and evidence-driven care pathways, the company strives to align treatment approaches with global benchmarks. This emphasis enhances patient trust and reduces unwarranted clinical variation through physician training and centralized care coordination.

10. Connect and Heal’s Future Prospects and Expansion Plans

The company aims to achieve $100 million in revenue by FY25, with plans to penetrate deeper into Indian cities and potentially expand across South Asia and Southeast Asia. Investment into technology development, human resources, and wider healthcare partnerships support this aggressive growth trajectory. Their vision to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and holistic aligns with broader national objectives for health system transformation and increased digital health adoption.

Conclusion

Connect and Heal represents a significant stride towards transforming India’s healthcare landscape by rebuilding the trusted family doctor model, augmented by technology and a vast integrated care network. Under Sanjay Vinayak’s leadership, it addresses critical gaps in primary and emergency care access, offering a patient-centric and coordinated approach across millions of users. With robust funding, a growing workforce, and strong corporate partnerships, Connect and Heal is poised to scale innovations that may redefine healthcare delivery in India and beyond. How this model influences future healthcare ecosystems globally remains an important narrative unfolding in health technology.