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Latinx-founded startups are on the rise, growing at an annual rate of 10%. Between 2007 and 2017, they accounted for about half of the net growth in new small businesses. Their contributions to life sciences have been transformative, bringing groundbreaking advancements in diagnostics, therapeutics, and biotechnology. Here’s a deeper dive into 10 latinx-founded YC life sciences startups driving innovation in 2025:
Founders: Jose Luis Nunez, Laura Mendoza
Location: Jalisco, Mexico
Unima has developed a diagnostic and surveillance platform that enables healthcare workers to diagnose diseases such as tuberculosis and dengue within minutes, without the need for expensive lab equipment. Their tests are low-cost, simple to use, and rely on advanced big-data algorithms for rapid, accurate diagnostics. Unima’s tools have expanded healthcare access in underserved communities across Latin America, reducing the time-to-treatment and improving patient outcomes globally.
Founders: Alejandro Abarca-Blanco, Liza Velarde, Juan Felipe Yee
Location: Monterrey, Mexico
Delee specializes in cutting-edge microfluidics research and oncology diagnostics. Their innovative platform isolates circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples, enabling oncologists to monitor cancer progression and treatment efficacy non-invasively. Delee’s technology is CE-marked and has entered clinical adoption in several hospitals across Europe and Latin America. By providing affordable liquid biopsy technology, Delee empowers oncologists to offer personalized, real-time treatment plans, improving cancer care worldwide.
Founders: Monica Berrondo, Susana Kaufmann
Location: Austin, Texas
Macromoltek revolutionizes antibody discovery and development through its molecular modeling software. The platform predicts how antibodies bind to antigens, streamlining the design of therapeutic antibodies for autoimmune diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases. Macromoltek’s collaborations with biotech companies have accelerated timelines for drug candidates entering clinical trials.The software reduces the time and cost of drug development by providing computational insights, cutting down the need for extensive trial-and-error experiments.
Founder: Ernesto Lujan
Location: Santa Clara, California
dNovo harnesses direct cellular reprogramming to create new stem cells, offering potential solutions for regenerative medicine. While their primary focus remains on addressing hair loss through hair follicle regeneration, the technology has shown promise in preclinical studies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. dNovo’s ability to create patient-specific cells bypasses the need for embryonic stem cells, opening new frontiers in personalized medicine. The company is preparing for FDA approval of its first hair loss treatment in the coming year.
Founder: José M. Mejía Oneto
Location: San Francisco, California
Shasqi is pioneering targeted cancer therapies through its CAPAC (Click Activated Protodrugs Against Cancer) platform. This unique approach activates drugs only in the tumor site, minimizing side effects often seen with chemotherapy. Their most advanced candidate is in Phase 2 clinical trials for pancreatic and breast cancers. Shasqi’s localized drug activation significantly reduces toxicity, enhancing the quality of life for cancer patients during treatment.
Founder: Gabriel Lopez
Location: Berkeley, California
Synvivia creates engineered organisms with built-in protein switches, allowing precise control over biological processes. These "smart cells" have been successfully deployed in early-stage biomanufacturing applications and preclinical trials for metabolic disorders. Synvivia’s technology could revolutionize biomanufacturing by making biological systems more predictable and reliable, setting a new benchmark for YC healthcare startups in synthetic biology.
Founders: Gregorio (Geo) Guillen, Marco Lobba
Location: Berkeley, California
Catena Biosciences has developed a platform for protein conjugation, enabling the creation of complex biologics for autoimmune diseases, oncology, and vaccines. Their technology allows rapid and stable coupling of proteins, which has already facilitated collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies.The company’s innovations have advanced two novel therapeutic candidates to IND (Investigational New Drug) filing stages, demonstrating the power of a visionary latinx founder.
Founders: Matthew De Silva, Diego Rey, Jason Springs, Leonardo Maestri Teixeira
Location: Palo Alto, California
Endpoint Health integrates diagnostics, therapeutics, and digital health tools to bring precision medicine to immune-driven illnesses. Their focus on sepsis treatment has led to FDA-approved therapies that reduce mortality in critical care settings.Endpoint Health’s integrated approach redefines critical illness management, exemplifying the transformative impact of YC startup ecosystems.
Eva
Founders: Julián Ríos Cantú, Raymundo Gonzalez, Antonio Torres
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Eva offers a breakthrough in breast cancer detection with its infrared imaging technology. The platform provides a non-invasive, private, and pain-free screening experience, delivering results in less than 10 minutes. Eva’s device has achieved regulatory approvals in Mexico and is expanding to other Latin American markets. Eva is addressing barriers to early cancer detection in developing countries, empowering women to take charge of their health.
Founders: Alexander Fisher, Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, Anna Milik Jeter
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
AOA Dx focuses on early ovarian cancer detection using a liquid biopsy approach. Their test identifies cancer-specific biomarkers in blood, offering a cost-effective and minimally invasive alternative to traditional diagnostics. The company is currently preparing for a multi-center Phase 3 trial. With ovarian cancer often diagnosed at late stages, AOA Dx’s innovation could save thousands of lives through early detection, solidifying its place among YC healthcare startups.
Scispot: Empowering Life Sciences Innovation
Scispot plays a vital role in supporting innovative biotech companies, including those led by latinx founders, by providing a connected digital ecosystem tailored for modern labs. Scispot’s platform centralizes data, streamlines operations, and accelerates research through:
- Customizable Lab Workflows: Offering templates and automated workflows to fit unique lab processes, saving time and ensuring consistency.
- Data Management Excellence: Integrating inventory, samples, and research data in one spot for easy access and analysis.
- AI-Powered Insights: Leveraging AI tools for advanced analytics, enabling researchers to make data-driven decisions with ease.
- Seamless Integrations: Connecting with popular tools and instruments to simplify data ingestion and enhance productivity.
Companies like these YC healthcare startups have leveraged Scispot to scale faster, improve collaboration, and maintain compliance with industry regulations. Whether it's facilitating data sharing or enabling end-to-end digital transformation, Scispot is helping biotech innovators focus on breakthroughs rather than administrative burdens.
Conclusion
These latinx-founded startups are transforming the life sciences landscape with their innovative technologies and commitment to solving some of the most pressing healthcare challenges. From diagnostics and therapeutics to regenerative medicine and synthetic biology, these companies exemplify the power of diversity in driving scientific progress. Their contributions underline the importance of YC startup ecosystems in fostering groundbreaking solutions for a healthier future.
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