South African innovation in action: E Squared Investments backs medtech startup Impulse Biomedical

The team at Impulse Biomedical

Founded by engineering entrepreneurs Giancarlo Beukes and Gokul Nair, Impulse Biomedical is the force behind breakthrough devices that are reshaping emergency care. Their flagship products include the Easy Squeezy, an affordable and easy-to-use asthma inhaler that empowers patients to manage asthma more effectively, and the ZiBiPen, the world’s first reloadable epinephrine auto-injector. This game-changing device provides a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to single-use auto-injectors, making treatment for allergic reactions more accessible to those who previously could not afford it. Together, these innovations are closing critical gaps in emergency care, particularly for underserved communities in South Africa and beyond.

“At E Squared, we back scalable ventures that create both commercial value and measurable social impact,” said Pyi Maung, head of Investments at E Squared Investments. “Impulse Biomedical’s mission and innovation represent the kind of purpose-driven entrepreneurship South Africa and the world needs.”

The funding will enable Impulse Biomedical to commercialise its products, navigate complex regulatory pathways, and expand internationally in preparation for a Series A capital raise. Importantly, it also supports job creation, skills development, and economic transformation – pillars of E Squared’s broader mission to stimulate high-growth entrepreneurship in South Africa.

With the medtech sector globally valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars, this investment positions South African talent at the forefront of health innovation – demonstrating that homegrown entrepreneurs can solve global problems while contributing meaningfully to the local economy.

“This partnership marks a pivotal step in our journey to deliver accessible, life-saving healthcare at scale,” said Giancarlo Beukes, co-founder of Impulse Biomedical. “With a shared passion for impact, progress and a better tomorrow, we are excited to work with E Squared to place our innovations – present and future – in the hands of people around the world,” said Beukes.

Impulse Biomedical’s story is not just about life-saving devices, it’s a blueprint for how local innovation, backed by intentional capital, can build businesses that transform lives and uplift economies.