Pharmacist Eunice Wu spent years grappling with clunky software systems that weren’t built for her profession. Frustrated by tools designed for physicians but adopted by pharmacies due to lack of alternatives, Wu teamed up with former AMD engineer Can “John” Uncu in 2023 to launch Asepha.
The Toronto-based startup offers an AI-driven agent designed to streamline pharmacy operations and reduce the overwhelming burden of administrative tasks.
AI that reads doctors’ handwriting
Asepha’s standout feature is its optical character recognition (OCR)-powered AI, which can decipher handwritten prescriptions and eliminate the need for manual data entry. According to Wu, many enterprises are surprised to find out the tool can reliably “read” doctors’ notoriously illegible handwriting. The AI also fields phone calls and provides pharmacists with real-time research tools to help them focus more on clinical services and less on paperwork.
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Seed round to fuel growth and expansion
With just $200,000 in pre-seed funding, Asepha built its foundation. Now, thanks to a $4 million USD ($5.47 million CAD) seed round led by Glasswing Ventures and Core Innovation Capital—with participation from RedBud, MGV, Panache, Ripple Ventures, and Front Row Ventures—the startup is ready to grow. Asepha plans to double its staff and open a new office in New York City to be closer to existing U.S. customers and expand its footprint across the American market.
Fortune 50 clients and future-proof AI
Already working with unnamed Fortune 50 enterprises, Asepha has invested heavily in building proprietary AI models tailored for pharmacy use cases. Wu emphasized that safety and pharmacist oversight are baked into the system, in contrast to generic AI tools that failed to gain traction in healthcare settings.
As the company prepares to expand its reach, Asepha aims to reshape how pharmacies operate by replacing outdated tools with purpose-built AI that puts pharmacists—and their patients—first.
