In this compelling episode of The Pharmacy Planet Podcast, founder and CEO Bhupinder “Boo” Dhaliwal engages in an enlightening conversation with Santosh Sahu, the visionary founder and CEO of Charac. Together, they delve into the transformative journey of disrupting the UK healthcare landscape through innovative health-tech solutions.

Table of Contents

1. Breaking into Healthcare: A Bold Leap

2. From Concept to Reality: Building Charac

3. Navigating the Funding Landscape

4. Managing Growth and Investor Expectations

5. Disrupting Traditional Pharmacy Models

6. Making Tech Accessible for All

7. Tune In for an Insightful Discussion

Breaking into Healthcare: A Bold Leap

Santosh shares his inspiring journey of venturing into the healthcare sector without prior experience. Motivated by personal challenges in managing his diabetes prescriptions, he identified a significant gap in the system. This realisation led to the inception of Charac, aiming to digitise and streamline pharmacy services for better patient outcomes.

From Concept to Reality: Building Charac

Transitioning from the logistics industry, where he founded the last-mile delivery platform "On the dot", Santosh leveraged his tech expertise to address inefficiencies in pharmacy operations. Charac was developed as a comprehensive platform to empower independent pharmacies, enhancing their digital capabilities and service offerings.

Navigating the Funding Landscape

Securing investment for a health-tech startup presents unique challenges. Santosh discusses the intricacies of pitching to investors, managing expectations, and the resilience required to overcome rejections. He emphasises the importance of aligning investor interests with the mission of improving healthcare delivery.

Managing Growth and Investor Expectations

As Charac expanded, balancing rapid growth with investor expectations became crucial. Santosh highlights strategies for maintaining innovation while ensuring financial sustainability, stressing the significance of transparent communication and adaptive leadership.

Disrupting Traditional Pharmacy Models

Charac's mission to revolutionise pharmacy services faced resistance from established systems. Integrating with NHS frameworks and addressing scepticism required strategic planning and persistent advocacy for digital transformation in healthcare.

Making Tech Accessible for All

A key focus for Charac is ensuring that technological advancements are inclusive. Santosh discusses initiatives to make the platform user-friendly for elderly patients, including intuitive design and comprehensive support, to bridge the digital divide in healthcare access.

Tune In for an Insightful Discussion

This episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation. Boo and Santosh's dialogue provides a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs aiming to make a meaningful impact in the health-tech sector.

Watch the full episode: Health-Tech Innovation: An Entrepreneur's Journey Disrupting UK Healthcare

Stay connected with The Pharmacy Planet Podcast for more engaging conversations on the future of healthcare and entrepreneurship.

Posted: May 23, 2025
Author: Jenomi Thuduwage