Cell-Life

Name

Cell-Life

Legal name

Cell Life

Website

https://cell-life.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Health Software / mHealth Solutions

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Family Planning Centers (621410)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

HIV/AIDS Medicine (HLAKAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patient Communications (Reminders/Confirmations/Recalls) (HLACADAH), Contraception & Family Planning Telehealth (birth control, counseling, follow-up) (HLALAHAB)

Keywords

• Mobile health software
• Pharmacy management software
• Antiretroviral treatment dispensing
• SMS health messaging
• HIV/TB treatment adherence

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary funding from institutional grants including European Union grants and World Health Organisation (WHO) funding for specific research projects
2. Open Source Software Distribution: iDART software distributed as free open-source solution for public health pharmacies in developing countries

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Cell-Life is a non-profit technology organization that develops and distributes mobile health (mHealth) software and SMS-based communication platforms for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and reproductive health in resource-limited settings. Its core products include iDART, an open-source pharmacy management system for antiretroviral treatment dispensing used by public-sector pharmacies in developing countries; the Communicate SMS platform for automated patient adherence messaging; TB/HIV FreeSMS for TB medication adherence; and m-assist for medical abortion support. The organization funds these initiatives through grants from the European Union and WHO and collaborates with universities such as the University of Cape Town and the University of Western Cape.

Product overview

Cell-Life is a technology-based healthcare company offering mobile health solutions focused on HIV/AIDS and related health conditions. The company provides a portfolio of products including iDART pharmacy software for antiretroviral treatment management, TB/HIV FreeSMS for automated patient communication, and m-assist for mobile health support. These products are powered by Cell-Life's 'Communicate' SMS communications platform. The company also conducts research and educational programs in partnership with universities and health organizations, with a focus on improving healthcare access in developing countries through mobile technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iDART: Intelligent Dispensing of Antiretroviral Treatment - software addressing challenges faced by public ART dispensing pharmacies in developing countries. Features include managing stock, dispensing drugs, printing labels, and managing patients.
• m-assist
• TB/HIVFreeSMS
• Communicate

Products and services

• iDART (Intelligent Dispensing of Antiretroviral Treatment) Pharmacy software for managing antiretroviral treatment (ART) dispensing in developing countries. Addresses challenges faced by public ART dispensing pharmacies including stock management, drug dispensing, label printing, and patient management. Available as free open-source download from SourceForge.
• TB/HIV FreeSMS SMS-based health communication service promoting TB-free communities. Sends tailored messages to support TB medication adherence, promote healthy living, and tackle HIV & AIDS, with messages delivered in English and isiZulu. Currently piloting in Sisonke District in partnership with TB/HIV Care and the University of Western Cape.
• m-assist (Mobile in Medical Abortion) Mobile health project for Medical Abortion support. WHO-funded randomized controlled trial evaluating mobile phone use in medical abortion, providing SMS coaching, self-assessment tools, and family planning information via SMS, MXit, and mobisite.
• Communicate SMS Platform Cell-Life's online SMS communications platform used to power health programs. Enables automated and personalized SMS delivery for patient support and health education, including multi-language support (English and isiZulu).

Quantifiable outcome

• TB Free SMS pilot in Sisonke District supporting TB medication adherence and HIV prevention

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Health Organisation (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO funded the m-assist randomized controlled trial conducted with University of Cape Town to evaluate mobile phone use in Medical Abortion care
• University of Cape TowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Cell-Life on WHO-funded m-assist project to evaluate mobile health solutions for medical abortion support
• TB/HIV CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with TB/HIV care organization for piloting TB Free SMS service in Sisonke District
• University of Western Cape - School of Public HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on TB Free SMS pilot project for TB medication adherence and HIV prevention in Sisonke District

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Medic: Medic (formerly Medic Mobile) builds open-source mobile tools for community health workers, including SMS-based patient communication and care coordination in low-resource settings. Direct overlap with Cell-Life on mHealth platforms used by frontline health programs in Africa and Asia.
• Dimagi (CommCare): Dimagi develops CommCare, an open-source mobile data collection and patient-communication platform widely deployed for HIV, TB, and maternal health programs in developing countries. Closely comparable to Cell-Life's iDART and Communicate on tech stack, open-source distribution, and target user base.
• Praekelt.org: Praekelt builds mobile health and messaging platforms (notably for maternal health, HIV, and TB in South Africa) including the MomConnect and HealthConnect programs. Highly comparable as a South Africa-based mHealth nonprofit using SMS/USSD to reach patients in resource-limited settings.

Emerging players

• triggerise: Triggerise operates mobile-based platforms to drive health-seeking behavior, particularly around sexual and reproductive health in Africa and Asia. Comparable to Cell-Life's m-assist on women's health and mobile-driven behavior change focus.
• Keheala: Keheala is a digital health company focused on TB treatment adherence using SMS-based behavioral support and patient communication in sub-Saharan Africa. Directly comparable to Cell-Life's TB Free SMS on disease focus (TB), modality (SMS), and geography (Keneya, similar African markets).
• clickMedix: clickMedix provides mobile telehealth and care-coordination tools, including SMS-based patient communication, used in HIV/TB and community health programs. Comparable on mHealth platform offering and target low-resource settings.
• WelTel: WelTel is an mHealth platform that uses SMS for patient engagement and adherence support, with evidence base in HIV and TB adherence in Kenya and Canada. Comparable to Cell-Life's TB Free SMS and HIV-focused SMS work on modality and disease focus.
• Vantage Health Technologies: Vantage (formerly Mezzanine) builds mobile health platforms used by African health ministries for patient registration, adherence, and TB/HIV programs. Directly comparable to Cell-Life on target ministries, disease areas, and SMS/mobile-first approach.

Others

• OpenMRS: OpenMRS is the leading open-source electronic medical record platform used in HIV/TB care delivery across developing countries. Comparable as an open-source health-IT ecosystem player with overlapping HIV/TB deployments in Cell-Life's target geographies, though focused on records rather than dispensing/SMS.

Broad incumbents

• BroadReach (now BroadReach Group): BroadReach is a larger health-IT and consulting firm supporting HIV/TB program management and pharmacy supply chain across Africa. Adjacent incumbent in Cell-Life's space, with broader scope and commercial scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cell_life
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cell-life_2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cell-Life