India's BorderPlus makes first acquisition in Germany with Onea Care, commits $10 million for M&A

In a move to establish a structured pathway for Indian healthcare workers seeking opportunities abroad, Indian workforce mobility platform BorderPlus announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Onea Care, a German healthcare recruitment firm.

The acquisition marks BorderPlus' first international buyout and signals its intent to scale up operations in Europe and beyond.

$10 million M&A commitment

The Bengaluru-based startup has committed $10 million to mergers and acquisitions, aiming to strengthen its presence in Germany, India, and other destination markets where the demand for qualified healthcare professionals is rising sharply.

It will also introduce digital-first solutions to streamline hiring, improve language training, and ensure seamless integration for healthcare professionals.

"This acquisition is a major step toward ensuring that Indian nurses and healthcare professionals have access to structured, fair, and high-quality job opportunities in Germany," said Ayush Mathur and Mayank Kumar, co-founders of BorderPlus, in a joint statement.

"We will continue to explore similar opportunities across key markets to expand our presence and offer Indian talent a transparent alternative to exploitative recruitment models."

Germany's nursing shortage presents a major opportunity

The deal comes as Germany faces a significant shortfall in nursing staff, with the country projected to need 150,000 additional nurses in 2025 and 500,000 by 2030. 

The demographic shift, combined with mounting pressure on its healthcare infrastructure, has created urgent demand for foreign-trained medical personnel. India, long known for producing highly skilled nurses, is seen as a crucial partner in easing these workforce pressures.

Onea Care, founded by Leon Bauer, is a staffing and business consultancy specializing in the recruitment of nurses in countries outside the EU. It has established partnerships with hospitals, universities, and care networks across Germany.

Bauer, who will continue to play a leadership role, called the acquisition a "game-changer." "BorderPlus shares Onea Care's deep commitment to quality and fairness in healthcare recruitment," Bauer said.

"Combining Onea Care's long-standing amendments to supplying top healthcare talent, with BorderPlus' focus on Indian healthcare growth, strengthens the company's ability to scale ethical recruitment solutions while catering to the growing need for nurses in the country," he added.

What does Borderplus do?

BorderPlus is a workforce solutions platform focused on enabling Indian professionals to build international careers.

With a specialized emphasis on healthcare workers, it provides language training, skill development, visa assistance, and employment opportunities to facilitate seamless transitions into global job markets.