The hum of servers filled the air at Leona Health’s Mexico City offices, just days after the announcement. Engineers, fueled by endless coffee, were hunched over monitors, running diagnostics on the latest iteration of their AI co-pilot. Their mission: to bring order to the chaos of WhatsApp for Latin American doctors.
Founded by an Uber Eats alum, Leona Health secured a $14 million seed round from Andreessen Horowitz on December 16, 2025. The core problem? Doctors in Latin America are inundated with patient messages on WhatsApp, leading to missed appointments, delayed diagnoses, and administrative headaches. Leona Health’s AI aims to alleviate this burden.
“The sheer volume is staggering,” said Maria Rodriguez, a lead engineer at Leona Health, as she pointed to a screen displaying a real-time message flow. “Doctors receive hundreds of messages daily, everything from appointment requests to photos of rashes. It’s a digital deluge.”
The AI co-pilot is designed to triage these messages, extracting key information, scheduling appointments, and providing doctors with a summarized view of patient needs. The system uses natural language processing to understand the nuances of Spanish, Portuguese, and other regional dialects, a crucial element for success in the diverse Latin American market. The team is aiming for a 95% accuracy rate in message classification by Q2 2026.
The funding from a16z will be crucial in scaling the platform. According to a recent report by Frost & Sullivan, the market for AI-powered healthcare solutions in Latin America is projected to reach $800 million by 2027. This growth is driven by the increasing adoption of smartphones, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and the growing pressure on healthcare systems.
“We are seeing a significant shift in how healthcare is delivered in Latin America,” commented Dr. Ricardo Silva, a healthcare analyst at Goldman Sachs. “The integration of AI into everyday workflows is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s a necessity.”
However, the path forward isn’t without its challenges. Data privacy regulations, infrastructure limitations in some regions, and the need for robust cybersecurity measures are all considerations. Leona Health is working to comply with local regulations and is partnering with local internet service providers to ensure reliable connectivity.
The team is also aware of the potential for the technology to be misused. “We are building in safeguards to prevent the AI from being used to provide medical advice or make diagnoses,” Rodriguez added. “Our focus is on streamlining communication, not replacing doctors.”
The next phase involves expanding the AI’s capabilities to handle more complex tasks, such as automated billing and insurance claim processing. The ultimate goal is to create a seamless, efficient communication platform that empowers doctors and improves patient outcomes across Latin America. They are hoping to onboard 5,000 doctors by the end of 2026, and perhaps that’s how the supply shock reads from here.
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