Banma Society Files IPO Prospectus: Pioneering Customized Mutual Aid Platform for Diabetes Patients in China

On September 20, Zebra Society joined forces with multiple diabetes platforms to co-launch the “Diabetes Peer Support Salon,” becoming the first platform to tailor mutual aid protection specifically for individuals with diabetes. Themed “Customizing Mutual Aid Protection for Diabetes Communities, Making Mutual Support a New Lifestyle,” the event featured prominent industry experts, hospital directors specializing in diabetes care, representatives from internet associations, and healthcare investors. VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) was invited to attend and provide coverage.

Demand Drives the Market: People with Diabetes Seek Support and Warmth

According to relevant statistics, the number of people with diabetes in China has exceeded 140 million, with nearly 600 million at potential risk. In stark contrast to this alarming situation, the awareness rate of diabetes among Chinese residents aged 18 and above is only 36.1%, and merely 25.8% have received treatment and achieved good control.

What torments diabetic patients the most is not diabetes itself, but the various terrifying complications caused by it.

Among patients with diabetes, 99% suffer from diabetic complications; 15% experience vision loss or even blindness; 10–20% develop renal failure; and 50% die from cardiovascular diseases and other related conditions. However, traditional insurance products offer no coverage for these common diabetic complications, leaving individuals with diabetes virtually unprotected in this regard. Diabetic complications not only cause severe physical and psychological harm to patients but also impose a heavy economic burden on both patients and their families.

Figure: Professor Zhao Ping of Tsinghua University Shares His Experience in Fighting Disease

Professor Zhao Ping, one of the keynote speakers, has personally struggled with diabetes. It was only after being diagnosed that he, a professor at Tsinghua University, realized how vulnerable the community of people with diabetes truly is. Speaking from the patient’s perspective, Professor Zhao shared his successful experiences based on his personal journey and expressed his hope that individuals with diabetes can receive greater support. The Zebra Society Peer Support Program for People with Diabetes offers the most effective protection for China’s 140 million patients with diabetes.

Zebra Community Empowers People with Diabetes: Breaking the Ice with Personalized Mutual Aid

Guided by the principle of “mutual assistance and care, win-win cooperation,” Zebra Community Design has launched the Diabetes Mutual Aid Plan. Targeting individuals aged 18 to 55, the plan requires a membership fee of RMB 19 and offers coverage of up to RMB 300,000, providing comprehensive protection against severe diabetic complications.

“Mutual aid” originated in ancient Rome, with its original intention being to provide material or financial assistance to specific groups sharing similar living conditions, livelihood needs, values, and cultural identities.

Mutual aid originates from the community and is distributed among its members. To achieve an ideal community management model, the best approach is to identify niche populations, provide them with systematic support, and enable platforms to operate products in an independent and personalized manner. The original intention behind the design of the Zebra Society Diabetes Patient Mutual Aid Program was rooted in care for the vast niche population of diabetes patients across China.

Zebra Society has successfully integrated and launched with several medical platforms, completed signing agreements with multiple other platforms, and scheduled their integration. As a pioneer in the mutual aid sector, Zebra Society will collaborate with upstream and downstream enterprises in the healthcare industry to jointly develop an enterprise-centric mutual aid service ecosystem.

Corporate Collaboration for Mutual Success: New Momentum Under Joint Operations

At the event, Wei Guilei, Chief Operating Officer of the medical O2O platform “Yihudaojia” (Healthcare at Home), expressed strong endorsement for Zebra Community’s peer-support model for diabetes patients, noting numerous synergies between the two platforms. Through Yihudaojia, healthcare professionals can confidently deliver a range of health services to patients, including appointment registration with renowned specialists, in-home nursing care, traditional Chinese medicine physiotherapy, and follow-up consultations for chronic disease management. Currently, Yihudaojia has integrated Zebra Community’s diabetes peer-support product into its platform, laying a solid foundation for the development of mutual-aid solutions tailored to other types of chronic conditions.

Figure:Wei Guilei, Chief Operating Officer of Huli DaojiaTake the Stage to Share

In addition, the Tang Yisheng platform, which has already partnered with Zebra Community, is a vertical platform dedicated to individuals with diabetes. Physicians can use the app to conduct follow-up visits with diabetic patients, view real-time blood glucose test data, medication records, and relevant disease progression logs, as well as provide out-of-hospital management and personalized treatment plans. By leveraging the peer support products for diabetic patients offered by Zebra Community, the platform can better serve its user base, thereby attracting new users and enhancing engagement among existing ones.

Figure: Tang Yisheng Co-founder Xu Feng Takes the Stage to Deliver an Introduction

Spring Rain Doctor has also benefited from the Diabetes Mutual Aid Program, as patients with diabetes constitute a significant user base on its platform. During this event, Lin Xiao, Senior Vice President of Spring Rain Doctor, discussed how to build trust between doctors and patients in mobile healthcare. This is achieved through proactive patient management and comprehensive analysis of daily medication adherence, dietary habits, and blood glucose monitoring, thereby addressing the primary concerns of individuals with diabetes. The collaboration between Spring Rain Doctor and Banma Society represents a competitive advantage that distinguishes it from other medical platforms. Through joint operations, this partnership not only provides existing members with innovative mutual aid protection—thereby enhancing member retention—but also effectively attracts new users to join the platform.

Figure: Lin Xiao, Senior Vice President of Chunyu Doctor, Shares Insights

Blockchain + Policy Safeguards: Run Freely with Worry-Free Security

Figure: Zebra CommunityCEO Nian Jie Shares Details on Icebreaking for Peer Support Among People with Diabetes

During the event, Nian Jie, CEO of Zebra Society, pledged that Zebra Society would continue to deepen its development in the field of diabetes, providing patients with a novel model of mutual aid protection and financial solutions, while also enabling partner enterprises to benefit from this initiative.

Regarding account security, the issue of greatest concern to users, Nian Jie stated that blockchain technology has been implemented at Zebra Society. In partnership with Bubi Blockchain, the platform enables queries for private keys. By leveraging blockchain’s public ledger and data immutability, Zebra Society enhances information transparency, thereby ensuring the platform’s security and openness.

Regarding regulatory policy issues, Hu Gang, Secretary-General of the Internet Society of China, clarified the distinction between “online mutual aid” and “insurance,” and shared insights on “International Practices in Mutual Aid Protection and China’s Explorations.” The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), while concerned that mutual aid platforms might veer into the trap of illegal fundraising, has also encouraged innovation. To ensure the standardized and healthy development of the entire industry, the introduction of relevant policies is imperative. Guided by advanced international experience, Zebra Society has remained committed to its core mission, aiming to evolve into a mutual insurance society, steadfastly adhering to its principles and awaiting the day when the tide washes away the dross.

Figure: Hu Gang, Secretary-General of the Internet Association, delivering a speech on stage

This breakthrough in “Diabetic Peer Support” demonstrates Zebra Community’s in-depth research into the shared needs of vertical user segments. Leveraging the “Diabetic Peer Support” themed salon as a starting point, Zebra Community will develop new personalized mutual-aid products tailored to diverse vertical groups with varying attributes across different fields in the future.