Ventech
September 17, 2024

Jinko Raises €2M to Improve the Quality of Life for Cancer Patients During and After Treatment

Jinko Raises €2M to Improve the Quality of Life for Cancer Patients During and After Treatment

Jinko, a start-up dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those affected by cancer, today announces a 2-million-euro funding round to accelerate the development of its personalized care services. This initial funding round was led by 360 Capital, with participation from AFI Ventures - Ventech's impact arm, and 10 business angels from the medical, entrepreneurial, insurance, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Jinko: An Innovative Approach to Personalized Care

Jinko offers personalized supportive care to people affected by cancer, designed to improve their experience during treatment and in the aftermath. With a holistic and multidisciplinary approach, Jinko provides various forms of supportive care, including dietary counseling, psychology, adapted physical activities, socio-aesthetics, osteopathy, and more, all delivered by a network of certified and compassionate practitioners.

Key Facts 

Regardless of when they were diagnosed, more than 8 out of 10 patients experience physical or psychological effects related to their cancer or its treatment. Today, numerous scientific studies demonstrate the effectiveness of certain supportive care measures in reducing mortality (-37%), recurrences (-24%), side effects, and in enhancing the effectiveness of treatments. Three out of four French people consider supportive care to be as important as the treatments themselves.

"Jinko strives to understand patients' needs better and supports them at the right time, in the right way, with the right person. Doctors need additional support with supportive care, and it's a great thing that Jinko has taken this initiative," comments Dr. Rémy Salmon, cancer surgeon.

A Tailored Care Pathway

The Jinko care journey begins with a consultation with a nurse who assesses the patient's individual needs to create a personalized plan. This plan includes weekly care sessions, either in-person or via video, complemented by regular advice and micro-exercises tailored to the patient through an app developed by the start-up. The nurse remains the patient's main point of contact throughout the process, ensuring continuous, personalized support.

Digital technology is an integral part of the service: by developing their own technology, Jinko significantly facilitates coordination among nurses, patients, and practitioners. The platform also allows patients to access their care and exercises instantly.

"A personalized care journey with experienced and compassionate professionals enabled me to return to work with confidence. I highly recommend Jinko! It’s a wonderful experience," testifies a patient.

A 2-Million-Euro Fundraising to Expand Access to Supportive Care for All

Jinko's commitment goes beyond personalized patient support. Aware of the often high costs of supportive care, the start-up is currently working to offer reduced rates, with a long-term goal of making these services entirely free for everyone. This ambitious goal reflects Jinko's mission: to ensure that every person affected by cancer has access to the necessary care to improve their quality of life, without cost being a barrier.

Funding Objective and Ambition

With this 2-million-euro funding, Jinko aims to expand its partnerships, increase its visibility among patients and healthcare professionals, and enhance its digital application. “Our goal is to support 1,000 patients in the next 12 months and to continue innovating to provide them with high-quality care, both during and after their cancer treatment,” explains Faustine, co-founder. Jinko’s pilot phase has already shown a 38% average increase in quality of life after three months of the care program, and the start-up intends to provide more than 50,000 care sessions over the next three years.

A Committed Founding Duo

Jinko was founded by Faustine Aussedat Bouvier, a graduate of ESSEC and former executive at Orange Group and the start-up Too Good To Go, and Anthony Miossec, a graduate of AgroParisTech and former Chief Product Officer at Comet Meetings. Inspired by the experience of Faustine's best friend battling cancer, they decided to launch Jinko together. Their motivation to create Jinko stemmed from a shared desire to provide a solution with a direct and positive impact on the lives of those suffering from illness.

“We are delighted to support the talented Jinko team in their first fundraising round. The issue of supportive care is still under-addressed today, and we are convinced that the company's approach will benefit many,” declared Clara Cornu and Alexandre Mordacq from 360 Capital.

Mamadou Dembele, Senior Associate at AFI Ventures commented: “We were impressed by Faustine and Anthony's vision for addressing a market with limited digital solutions. Their holistic approach, integrating technology with a range of human support services, convinces us that it's the right strategy for this underserved sector.”

About Jinko

Founded in August 2023, Jinko is a new French start-up committed to providing a personalized and multidisciplinary care pathway for people affected by cancer. Jinko serves as a community-based extension of the supportive care offered in hospitals, both during and after cancer treatments. Through an innovative platform and a network of experienced practitioners, Jinko offers accessible and tailored supportive care to meet each patient's specific needs, without geographical barriers. Additionally, Jinko maintains continuous communication with medical teams throughout the care pathway to ensure seamless support.

About AFI Ventures

AFI Ventures is a seed and pre-seed fund supporting impact-driven startups focused on environmental and social challenges. Managed by Ventech and endowed with 31 million euros, AFI Ventures is committed to supporting the growth and scaling of entrepreneurs at the intersection of “for-profit” and “for-good,” developing fairer and more sustainable solutions for all sectors of the economy in France and Europe.

For more information: https://allianceforimpact.com/ventures/

Sources:

  1. Ligue Contre le Cancer
  2. ResearchGate
  3. PubMed
  4. Oncorif