Healthtech Startups in LATAM: Who Is Innovating and What You Can Learn

In 2019, the annual FIME (Florida International Medical Expo) report identified the "movers and shakers" of the healthtech sector: companies that were redefining how health is diagnosed, treated, and managed. Seven years later, many of those predictions have come true and the digital health startup ecosystem in Latin America has matured in ways that few anticipated.

The region invests just 0.63% of GDP in R&D, compared to the 2.4% OECD average. But that gap is closing. Between 2019 and 2026, healthtech investment in LATAM has quadrupled, driven by the pandemic, the mass adoption of cloud technology, and a new generation of entrepreneurs who understand the real problems in the healthcare system.

This article reviews the startups identified as pioneers in the FIME 2019 report, how they have evolved, and what lessons they leave for any company looking to innovate in healthcare.

The Startups FIME Highlighted in 2019: Where Are They Now

EntelaiPic (Argentina): Artificial Intelligence for Radiologists

EntelaiPic was one of the first Latin American companies to apply deep learning to diagnostic imaging. Their software analyzes chest X-rays and detects pathologies with accuracy comparable to experienced radiologists. By 2019, they already had clinical validation and were expanding into markets like Mexico and Colombia.

By 2026, EntelaiPic has expanded its algorithm portfolio to cover mammography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Their case demonstrates that AI doesn't replace the radiologist but empowers them: reducing reading times, prioritizing urgent studies, and minimizing errors caused by fatigue.

The Davix connection: The radiology AI capabilities that EntelaiPic popularized are now integrated into platforms like Davix PACS/RIS with AI, where assisted detection algorithms work directly within the radiologist's workflow, without the need for separate systems.

Nubix (Mexico): Teleradiology Connecting Remote Clinics

Nubix was born to solve a critical problem in Mexico: thousands of rural clinics generate imaging studies with no one available to interpret them. Their platform allows studies to be sent to remote radiologists for interpretation, democratizing access to specialized diagnostics.

Nubix's model validated something that is now an industry standard: teleradiology is not a luxury, it's a necessity. In regions where one radiologist may serve 500,000 people, remote interpretation saves lives.

The Davix connection: The teleradiology functionality that Nubix offered as a standalone product is natively integrated into the Davix platform. Any clinic can set up teleradiology in 15 minutes and connect their studies with radiologists anywhere in the world, all within the same PACS/RIS ecosystem.

Lentesplus (Colombia): E-commerce That Disrupted Optical Distribution

Lentesplus proved that not all healthcare innovation needs to be clinical. By creating an e-commerce platform for contact lenses with digitally validated prescriptions, they changed how Colombians access optical products. Their digital-first model eliminated intermediaries and reduced prices by up to 40%.

By 2026, their model has been replicated in digital pharmacies, medical equipment, and hospital supplies. The lesson: distribution is a healthcare problem just as much as diagnosis.

Livox (Brazil): Accessible Technology for People with Disabilities

Livox developed a communication application for people with motor and cognitive disabilities. With over 10,000 active users reported in 2019, the app uses artificial intelligence to adapt to the user and facilitate communication.

Livox's case showcases the breadth of Brazil's healthtech ecosystem. Brazil doesn't just produce innovation in diagnostics and hospital management; it leads in accessibility, digital mental health, and telemedicine. With over 200 million inhabitants, the Brazilian market is the largest in the region and a trend indicator for all of LATAM.

Davix (Peru): The Modular Platform Covering the Full Spectrum

While many startups specialize in solving a specific problem, Davix took a different approach: building a modular cloud platform with 14 modules covering everything from PACS/RIS to electronic invoicing, commercial management, clinical laboratory, and patient experience.

With plans starting at $15/month, Davix makes digital transformation accessible for small practices, mid-sized diagnostic centers, and large clinic chains. There's no need to buy the entire platform: each institution chooses the modules it needs and can scale as it grows.

This modular approach responds to a LATAM reality: healthcare institutions cannot and should not implement everything at once. They need to start with what's urgent (scheduling, medical records, billing) and grow toward what's strategic (BI, teleradiology, patient portal).

Academic validation through the BioIncuba program at Cayetano Heredia University reinforces the credibility of this model made in Peru for the entire region.

North American Innovators Who Paved the Way

The FIME 2019 report didn't only highlight Latin American companies. Several North American innovators anticipated trends that are now global:

Pr3vent: AI-Based Retinal Screening

Pr3vent developed an AI-based retinal screening system to detect diabetic retinopathy at primary care points. Their vision: enabling any general practitioner, not just an ophthalmologist, to detect this condition in time.

By 2026, this concept has expanded. AI for eye pathology screening is one of the most mature machine learning applications in healthcare, with regulatory approvals in the United States, Europe, and several LATAM countries.

Kore.ai: The First Smart Chatbots for Healthcare

Kore.ai was one of the companies highlighted by FIME for its smart bots for the healthcare sector. In 2019, they predicted that "HIPAA-compliant voice and chatbot applications will gain prominence" in healthcare. That prediction has been fulfilled and then some.

What were rule-based chatbots in 2019 are now intelligent agents that understand context, learn from previous interactions, and act autonomously in 2026. The evolution has been radical, and companies like Davix have taken this concept to the next level with solutions like Davix Growth for healthcare sales.

Noteworth: The Connected Health Platform

Noteworth proposed integrating patient data from multiple sources (wearables, medical devices, medical records) into a single platform. Their vision of connected health anticipated what we now know as patient-centered interoperability.

What Successful Healthtech Startups Have in Common

After analyzing dozens of startups that have survived and thrived since 2019, clear patterns emerge:

1. They Solve a Real Pain Point, Not a Theoretical Problem

Startups that work don't start from technology but from the problem. EntelaiPic didn't begin by saying "let's do deep learning"; they started by asking "why does a radiologist take 15 minutes to read a scan when AI can prioritize it in seconds?"

2. They Start Niche and Expand Gradually

Davix started with PACS/RIS and gradually added modules. Lentesplus started with contact lenses, not the entire optical industry. Nubix started with teleradiology in Mexico, not all of LATAM. The pattern is consistent: dominate a vertical before expanding.

3. They Have Regulatory Awareness from Day One

Healthtech startups that ignore regulation don't survive. Regulatory frameworks like NOM-024 in Mexico, the Data Protection Law in Peru, LGPD in Brazil, and electronic medical record resolutions in Colombia are not obstacles; they are competitive advantages for those who comply.

4. They Adopt Cloud-First Without Exception

In 2019, there was still debate about on-premise vs. cloud in healthcare. By 2026, that debate is over. Successful startups are cloud-native: they scale horizontally, update without downtime, and charge by subscription. Digital transformation in healthcare in LATAM no longer considers local infrastructure as a viable option.

5. They Think LATAM, Not Just One Country

Startups that limit themselves to a single national market face a growth ceiling. Those that thrive design for the region: supporting multiple currencies, languages (Spanish, Portuguese, English), and regulatory frameworks. LATAM's diversity is a challenge, but also an opportunity: solving healthcare across 20 countries is a market of 650 million people.

The Innovation Gap Is Closing

The OECD data is revealing: LATAM invests 0.63% of GDP in research and development, while the OECD average is 2.4%. But there are clear signs that the gap is narrowing:

• Brazil has significantly increased public investment in digital health, with programs like Conecte SUS and Rede Nacional de Dados em Saude.
• Mexico has regulated telemedicine and electronic medical records with mature regulatory frameworks.
• Colombia is the regional leader in electronic medical record and telemedicine regulation.
• Peru has advanced with medical electronic signature and e-prescription regulations.
• Chile leads in HL7 FHIR standards adoption and has one of the most advanced digital health ecosystems in the region.

The combination of mature regulation, growing technical talent, and an urgent need to improve healthcare systems creates the perfect scenario for the next wave of healthtech startups in the region.

What's Coming: 2026-2030 Trends

The startups that will lead the next decade will differentiate themselves through:

1. Generative AI applied to healthcare: from automated radiology reports to clinical assistants that synthesize medical records.
2. True interoperability: not just connecting systems, but creating ecosystems where data flows between institutions securely and in a standardized manner.
3. Accessible pricing models: the democratization of digital health depends on prices that a small practice can afford, not just large hospitals.
4. Intelligent agents: the evolution from chatbots to autonomous agents that can manage sales, patient care, and administrative processes without human intervention.
5. Data-driven preventive health: using population data to prevent diseases, not just treat them.

Conclusion

The healthtech landscape in LATAM has changed radically since the FIME 2019 report. What were then promising startups are now established companies serving thousands of institutions. Technologies that seemed futuristic (AI in radiology, teleradiology, intelligent agents) are everyday tools.

The most important lesson: you don't need to invent new technology to innovate in healthcare. You need to deeply understand the problem, build accessible solutions, and scale with discipline. LATAM has the talent, the market, and the urgency. What's missing is execution, and the startups that understand this are leading the change.