The digital health landscape has seen significant advancements in 2024, with startups worldwide shaping the future of healthcare delivery, diagnostics, and operational efficiency. The recently launched Digital Health 50 list by CB Insights highlights the 50 most promising digital health startups globally, selected from over 10,000 candidates based on proprietary metrics such as commercial maturity, partnerships, patents, and funding. The full report can be accessed here.
Reflecting on this list raises important considerations about the future of health innovation and how Brazil can find its place in such a dynamic scenario. Here, I share the main trends and insights identified, along with perspectives on pathways we can take to strengthen our ecosystem.
1. Dominant Digital Health Technological Trends
The startups highlighted by CB Insights reflect the future of healthcare, addressing critical challenges in the sector:
Artificial Intelligence (AI): 36 out of 50 companies utilize AI as a central part of their solutions. Examples include tools for administrative automation, such as Alaffia Health, and language models for healthcare, like Hippocratic AI. AI is transitioning from powering niche solutions to becoming a critical part of healthcare infrastructure, driving efficiency and accessibility gains.
Diagnostic Innovations: This is the largest segment, featuring startups such as Airs Medical (imaging diagnostics) and Proscia (pathology). These companies are leading the shift toward more accessible and non-invasive diagnostics. Advanced technologies are being deployed to anticipate diagnoses and improve clinical decision-making.
Virtual and Hybrid Care: There has been a surge in startups in this area, with care models focused on specific conditions, such as Talkiatry (mental health) and Resilience (oncology care). This growth reflects the evolution of remote care, moving away from generic telemedicine to specialized platforms.
Operational Efficiency: Startups like Tennr and Abridge lead in automating administrative and clinical tasks, a crucial movement amid healthcare workforce shortages. Automation not only optimizes costs but also frees professionals to focus on direct patient care.
2. Geographic Origins of Startups
The geographic distribution of startups underscores the uneven development of health innovation ecosystems:
United States: 70% of the listed startups are based in the U.S., solidifying the country’s position as a global leader in digital innovation. The combination of robust funding, technological infrastructure, and a culture of innovation explains this dominance.
Europe and Asia: Startups from countries like Germany (Aignostics) and South Korea (Airs Medical) showcase the strength of regional ecosystems that focus on AI and advanced diagnostics. These countries excel by integrating cutting-edge academic research with commercial applications.
Absence of Brazilian Startups: No Brazilian startups are featured on the list, highlighting structural and competitive challenges for Brazil in this sector. This absence raises important questions about the need to strengthen the local innovation environment.
3. Startup Maturity
Digital Health 50 companies exhibit high Mosaic Scores (average > 750), reflecting sustainable growth potential. Additionally:
Funding: 80% of these startups have completed Series B or higher funding rounds, with average values exceeding $50 million. These figures reflect mature ecosystems where capital and expertise flow into high-impact projects.
Strategic Partnerships: Many have alliances with major companies and institutions, such as the Berlin Institute of Health (Aignostics). These partnerships accelerate validation and adoption of emerging technologies.
4. Challenges and Perspectives for Brazil
Brazil, with its robust Health Economic-Industrial Complex (CEIS) and initiatives such as the Brazilian Pharmaceutical Innovation Network (RBIF), has the potential to compete globally. However, critical barriers must be overcome:
Funding: The volume of investment in health startups in Brazil remains far below that of developed countries. Furthermore, many local investors maintain a conservative profile, prioritizing more traditional sectors.
International Partnerships: The integration of Brazilian startups into global ecosystems is still limited. Hubs like Eretz.bio (Einstein) and InovaHC already play important roles, but these connections need to be expanded.
Talent and Training: It is essential to develop professionals aligned with health innovation demands, focusing on AI, telemedicine, and biotechnology. Academic initiatives and public-private partnerships can play a decisive role in this process.
Innovation Culture: Brazil still faces cultural barriers that hinder the acceptance of the risks inherent in innovation. Strengthening an entrepreneurial mindset is as important as creating infrastructure.
These findings lead me to reflect on how our innovation ecosystem can evolve more consistently and assertively. Brazil’s strengths, such as biodiversity and biotechnology, offer unique opportunities to create innovative solutions, but this requires long-term vision, investment, and, above all, collaboration.
There is much to learn from the global startups featured in the Digital Health 50. Aligning cutting-edge technology, strategic funding, and a clear vision of impact separates global leaders from the rest. For Brazil, the challenge is transforming potential into leadership, building an ecosystem that values both science and entrepreneurship.
The Brazilian Health Innovation Institute – IBIS is committed to being a bridge between transformative ideas and tangible outcomes. If you share this vision, follow our initiatives and explore how we can collaborate to accelerate health innovation in Brazil. Together, we can expand the reach of innovative solutions and strengthen our ecosystem.
by Marcio de Paula
Brazilian Health Innovation Institute - IBIS
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