Colombia's Top Startups to Watch for 2026 according to Cuantico VP
Colombia has established itself as one of the most dynamic startup ecosystems in Latin America. According to the Colombia Tech Report 2024–2025, the country has 2,126 active startups, representing a 24% growth compared to the previous year—three times faster than the regional average of 8%. Colombia currently ranks #36 globally in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index and #2 in South America.
In terms of investment, Colombia has positioned itself as one of the top five markets for raising capital in Latin America, behind only Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. During 2024, Colombian startups raised US$354 million across 70 deals, according to data from Cuantico VP.
What Is a Startup to Watch?
Startups to Watch are emerging companies that demonstrate exceptional growth potential and the ability to transform their industries. Some selection criteria include:
- Founding team: Proven experience, skill diversity, and execution capacity within the executive team.
- Demonstrable traction: Growth in users, revenue, or key metrics that prove real market demand.
- Innovative product or service: Disruptive technologies that address significant problems through advanced solutions.
- Financing and backing: Successful fundraising rounds, reputable investors, and a robust capital structure.
- Sector impact: Ability to transform traditional industries and create long-term sustainable value for multiple stakeholders.
According to Miguel Vanegas, Venture Partner at Impacta VC for Colombia, “Venture capital in Latin America is going through a natural adjustment cycle after the extraordinary boom of 2021—a period driven by an excess of liquidity and exceptional macroeconomic conditions. Today, with higher interest rates and greater caution from international funds, investment is focusing on solid projects with proven business models. In this environment, the most innovative and disciplined startups have excelled, demonstrating that capital scarcity drives efficiency and creativity. Colombia embodies this resilience: we are a country that has learned to transform challenges into opportunities while maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit that does not waver in the face of adversity.”
Fintech & Financial Services
The fintech sector leads Colombia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, representing about 19% of all active startups. It includes solutions across digital payments, alternative credit, retail investment, insurance, savings, and open banking. Growth in this segment is driven by financial inclusion, pro-innovation regulation, and the expansion of digital consumption.
Welli
Welli is a Colombian fintech revolutionizing access to healthcare through instant medical financing. The platform allows patients to access loans for medical procedures with approval in minutes and direct disbursement to clinics and medical offices, eliminating traditional barriers to quality healthcare.
In Colombia, over 30% of patients postpone or cancel treatments due to a lack of financing options or the long waiting times of the healthcare system. Welli addresses this issue by offering loans ranging from COP 300,000 to 25 million, with an average value of COP 4 million, allowing Colombians to afford dental, fertility, cosmetic, and other medical treatments that are either not covered by the public system or take months to authorize.
Key fact:
In June 2025, Welli closed a US$25 million Series A round to expand its healthcare financing model across Latin America and launch programmed savings products.
Founded in 2022 by Felipe Jaramillo (COO, former Head of Seller Management at Shopee) and Felipe Gómez (CEO, former Country Manager of Afiniti Colombia), the company has financed more than COP 50 billion in medical treatments, collaborating with over 1,500 clinics in Colombia and serving more than 60 municipalities nationwide. Partner clinics have reported up to 40% increases in treatments performed after working with Welli, as the fintech assumes credit risk and manages collections.
Guama
Guama is a Colombian fintech committed to democratizing access to formal credit through open banking technology and artificial intelligence. The startup developed the Guamacard, the first digital credit card designed specifically for individuals without a credit history in Colombia—breaking the traditional barrier that excludes roughly 80% of applicants rejected by banks for lack of credit data.
The platform evaluates creditworthiness by analyzing income, recurring payments such as Spotify or Netflix subscriptions, and financial behavior patterns gathered through authorized banking connections. The application process takes less than 48 hours and includes an innovative loyalty program, Guama Pro, where users earn points for on-time payments that unlock benefits such as credit line increases, preferential rates, higher transfer limits, and cashback rewards at partner stores.
Key fact:
Guama raised a US$1.5 million seed round, led by Salkantay Ventures and backed by international investors. Founded by María Paula Pinzón, Alfredo Prieto, and Víctor Julio—three former Nubank professionals—the company has received over 75,000 credit applications, with 6,000 active customers who have executed 150,000 transactions. Notably, 60% of Guama’s users had no prior credit history. In July 2025, Guama officially joined Colombia Fintech, the country’s leading fintech association, reaffirming its mission to build a more inclusive financial ecosystem.
Platam
Platam is a Colombian fintech revolutionizing access to working capital for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) through factoring, confirming, and revolving B2B credit lines. Founded in 2021 by Nicolás Villa and Rodrigo Marino, the startup emerged to close the financing gap that limits access for the 80% of Colombian MSMEs unable to secure bank loans and often forced to resort to informal, high-interest lenders.
Its value proposition centers on evaluating business creditworthiness based on sales performance and relationships with corporate clients. It provides immediate liquidity through invoice factoring, early payment alliances between large corporations and suppliers (confirming), and flexible revolving credit lines—similar to Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) systems but tailored to corporate needs. Companies can advance up to 90% of their receivables, with approvals processed in days rather than weeks.
Key fact:
Platam has granted more than US$14 million (COP 66 billion) across 16,000 credit operations, maintaining a remarkably low default rate of 0.18%. Experiencing a 400% annual growth rate, Platam currently manages a US$2.75 million portfolio and aims to reach US$100 million by 2028. One highlighted case is Alfred, a Colombian fleet management startup that successfully advanced over 2,900 invoices worth COP 3 billion, improving liquidity and ensuring uninterrupted operations. In 2025, Platam launched its first investment round with the goal of scaling operations eightfold.
Loto Latam
Loto Latam is a Colombian fintech transforming corporate expense management and employee benefit programs through an integrated platform that combines smart business cards with real-time visibility and control tools. The company was founded in May 2024 by Daniel Camacho and Pedro Ignacio Morales after both experienced firsthand the challenges of managing operational expenses while working at Alfred, particularly with reconciliations and approvals.
Loto’s platform automates real-time transaction tracking, ensures visibility for company owners and finance teams, and issues Visa cards that can be used for corporate incentives without restrictions to partner merchants. The solution responds to a pressing challenge in Colombia, where around 70% of SMEs shut down within four years, typically due to poor access to credit and tools for expense management. Moreover, only 20% of SMEs have access to formal credit products. Loto combats these “leakage” and internal fraud problems by allowing business owners to control granularly how and where money is spent, improving efficiency and transparency.
Key fact:
In September 2025, Loto Latam raised a US$1 million pre-seed round, led by Fen Ventures with participation from Crestone VC, QAPU Ventures, and Desygn Capital. Despite being in operation for only a few months, the company has already attracted over 100 clients, including Amarilo, Stilotex, Creditop, and KTM Powershop. The platform’s metrics show strong market adoption: 0% churn, an NPS above 90, and 85% of new customers acquired through referrals. The fresh capital will be used to onboard at least 500 corporate clients by year-end 2025 and to reinforce its technological and commercial expansion in Colombia.
Luable (MejorCDT)
Luable, operating under the brand MejorCDT, is a Colombian fintech that democratizes access to low-risk investments through technology that simplifies and optimizes the process of opening Certificates of Deposit (CDTs). It was founded in April 2021 by Carlos Correa (CEO, Harvard MBA) and David Susa during the pandemic. The company enables users to compare interest rates across different banks in real time and open investments 100% online, at no cost, without the need to visit a physical branch.
In Colombia, approximately 120,000 CDTs are opened every month, yet MejorCDT represents less than 10% of this market, highlighting vast potential for growth. Its innovative features include a flexible CDT, allowing users to withdraw up to COP 10 million pesos in emergencies without losing accrued interest, and a reloadable CDT, which promotes structured savings behavior for medium-term financial goals. MejorCDT serves as a commercial advisor authorized by financial institutions and earns commissions when users open CDTs through its platform, making the service entirely free for investors.
Key fact:
In August 2024, MejorCDT reached a major milestone by surpassing US$1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). The fintech now has over 300,000 registered users, generating more than COP 55 billion in total returns. Its web platform has accumulated over 1.5 million visits, and the mobile app surpassed 30,000 downloads in less than one year. As part of the Y Combinator 2021 Summer Batch, Luable initially raised US$125,000 and has since attracted additional funding from global venture capital firms. The company plans to expand into Mexico by late 2025 and Brazil in 2026, aiming to replicate its proven model in markets with comparable investment cultures.
Mobility & Payments
This sector includes startups developing payment ecosystems tied to transportation, logistics, tolls, and parking infrastructure. These ventures drive the digitization of urban mobility through contactless technologies, improving efficiency, traceability, and user experience across Colombia’s mobility networks.
GOPASS
GOPASS is a Colombian mobility fintech that offers a fully integrated contactless payment system for toll booths, parking lots, gas stations, car washes, and other mobility-related services. Founded by Jorge Miguel Camacho and Felipe Ochoa Londoño, the company has reshaped the experience of Colombian drivers by eliminating the friction of cash and long queues through digital tags and seamless app-based transactions.
GOPASS currently operates in 126 out of the 178 toll plazas nationwide, processing about 6 million transactions in the first half of 2023 and serving over 650,000 vehicles and 500,000 registered users as of 2024. The app automates toll payments, fuels, and parking transactions, offering business users up to 2% toll discounts and an 80% reduction in logistics process time. For fleet operators and transportation companies, GOPASS has become essential to optimize route management and improve operational efficiency.
Key fact:
GOPASS closed a US$15 million Series A round in late 2023, led by Kaszek Ventures. In May 2025, the company secured an additional US$8 million extension featuring Qualcomm Ventures’ first investment in Colombia, alongside the Spanish fund Kfund, via its €250 million Leadwind Fund supported by Telefónica, BBVA, and Catalana Occidente. The company reported a 300% annual growth rate in 2024 and plans to use this new funding to strengthen its position as Colombia’s largest mobility app, developing new digital solutions and preparing for an international expansion into Mexico by 2026.
Somos Internet
Somos Internet is a Colombian telecommunications startup revolutionizing internet access through proprietary fiber-optic networks and in-house developed hardware and software. Founded in 2022 by Forrest Heath, an American engineer who personally experienced poor connectivity in Colombia, Somos Internet designs its own router, the Orb, and network software, Artemis, to deliver ultra-fast, stable connections of up to 2 Gbps for homes and businesses.
To date, Somos Internet has deployed a 700 km fiber network, connecting more than 50,000 homes and offices in Bogotá, with service presence in neighborhoods like Cedritos, Suba, and Kennedy. The company is vertically integrated—building and operating its own infrastructure from undersea cable agreements in Brazil to national fiber networks, an approach nearly unique in Latin America. With a team of over 500 employees, including 80 engineers (many returning from major global tech firms like Amazon), Somos is reversing Colombia’s brain drain by building world-class internet infrastructure locally.
Key fact:
In August 2025, Somos Internet raised an US$18 million Series A led by Union Square Ventures (investors in Twitter, Duolingo, and Coinbase) and Ribbit Capital (a Silicon Valley fund backing more than 30 unicorns). Prominent Latin American tech founders also participated, including Freddy Vega (Platzi), Matías Muchnick (NotCo), and Pierpaolo Barbieri (Ualá). The company has raised US$40 million in total financing, encompassing both equity and debt. After tripling its revenue and doubling its user base in 2024, Somos aims to reach 65,000 users by the end of 2025, expand to Medellín, and continue strengthening national internet accessibility standards.
Technology & Human Resources (HR Tech)
This category includes startups applying artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and advanced analytics to upgrade hiring, employee management, and productivity optimization. Their primary goal is to simplify human capital processes while promoting more data-driven organizations.
Glim
Glim is a fintech platform driven by blockchain that empowers companies to enhance compensation structures and employee financial wellness through three integrated solutions:
- Tax-efficient salary models that help reduce payroll costs.
- Comprehensive financial wellness programs offering digital multi-currency wallets.
- Corporate shopping programs providing smart savings, discounts, and cashback rewards powered by crypto payments.
Employees can access an app directly linked to their salary that allows them to:
- Choose whether to receive pay in local currency or U.S. dollars.
- Get paid instantly, daily, or biweekly, in proportion to days worked.
- Allocate part of their income to savings accounts earning 3% APY in digital dollars.
- Spend globally via an international debit card with cashback options.
The platform also includes personalized financial diagnostics, educational tools, and people analytics dashboards for HR teams to monitor workforce financial health, all without compromising individual privacy.
Key fact:
In February 2025, Glim raised a US$3.47 million pre-seed round led by Skandia (a pension and investment fund serving Colombia and Mexico) with participation from DCG, ParaFi Capital, Matterscale, Newtopia, and Wayra, along with nine angel investors.
Founded in 2022 by Argentine entrepreneurs Alex Robbio (CEO, previously founder of Belatrix Software) and Tomás González Ruiz (cofounder of AvanTrip), Glim employs 20 team members distributed between Argentina and Colombia and processes over US$2 million annually in transactions. It currently serves companies like Laika, Sofka, and Blankfactor, and plans to use the new capital to grow its client base in Colombia and prepare for expansion into Mexico.
Hunty
Hunty is a Colombian HR tech startup automating and optimizing high-volume recruiting with Generative AI. Founded in 2020 by Sebastián Caro, Valentina Smith, Francisco Camacho, and Santiago Lafaurie, the company pivoted from a B2C focus to a scalable B2B SaaS model after identifying greater enterprise demand.
Initially, Hunty operated as a candidate-focused platform in which people only paid if they landed a job. While the concept achieved traction, it faced scalability challenges. In 2024, the company pivoted toward enterprise recruitment automation using no-code AI software that integrates with existing HR systems (ATS).
Hunty’s proprietary AI assistant, Ana, conducts interviews in over 35 languages, available 24/7 via chat or voice. Ana gathers applicant data, schedules follow-ups, analyzes interview quality, and ranks candidates automatically—reducing screening time from weeks to hours.
The tool processes more than 150,000 candidate profiles per month and currently operates across 12 countries.
Key fact:
In August 2025, Hunty secured a US$1 million funding round led by Cometa Ventures, with participation from Matterscale, Newtopia, and Kalei Ventures.
It serves large clients such as AB InBev, Grupo Aval, Rappi, and multiple global BPOs.
Hunty was selected by AWS as one of the world’s top AI startups in its Generative AI Accelerator 2024 and was featured at Google Cloud Next 2024 as a case study in generative AI innovation. The company plans to expand its enterprise product into the U.S., European, and African markets in 2026.
Health & Veterinary
The healthtech sector is transforming access to medical and veterinary services through digital platforms, medical financing, and integrated clinics. This vertical represents an increasingly important share of the Colombian ecosystem, with measurable impact on wellbeing and quality of life.
Movet
Movet is a Colombian network of state-of-the-art veterinary clinics, reshaping pet healthcare across the nation by offering standardized medical protocols, modern infrastructure, and a premium user experience. Founded in Bogotá in 2021 by Juan Diego Ruiz (CEO), the company’s mission is to professionalize the animal care sector, which in Colombia remains mostly unregulated and fragmented.
Movet employs more than 150 professionals and operates 2,200+ square meters of dedicated veterinary facilities. Each clinic is equipped with high-end imaging, diagnostic, and surgical resources comparable to human medical standards.
Movet’s integrated care model includes general medicine, diagnostics, surgery, and follow-ups—delivering consistency, quality, and trust across all locations.
The company has an ambitious expansion plan to open one new clinic every 45 days in Bogotá during 2025, aiming to reach 20 clinics in the capital before scaling to other cities.
Key fact:
In October 2024, Movet raised a US$5 million Series A round led by Wivet, a Chilean family office that owns 25 veterinary clinics across Chile. This investment adds to prior rounds totaling US$12 million, marking one of the region’s largest funding events in the veterinary sector.
Movet was legally advised by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a top-tier global law firm for growth companies. With the new capital, Movet aims to generate over 600 direct jobs across Colombia within three years and to become the leading veterinary healthcare network in Latin America.
Data & SaaS
The Software as a Service (SaaS) sector is the second most dynamic after fintech within Colombia’s innovation ecosystem. It encompasses cloud-based business productivity tools, as well as advanced DeepTech and AI-driven data analysis solutions that power digital transformation across industries. Colombian startups in this segment are redefining how companies process and leverage data—offering automation, analytics, and operational intelligence platforms that optimize workflows and decision-making. These technologies enable organizations to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and accelerate innovation, positioning Colombia as a regional benchmark for next-generation software development.
Harmony
Harmony is a Colombian data intelligence startup reimagining the way consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies use product data in the era of AI. Founded by Colombian and Uruguayan entrepreneurs Juan David Pastor, Daniel García Quiroga, Juan Diego Pulido, and Juan Manuel Medina Montejo, Harmony provides an AI-powered data platform that revolutionizes product attribution and classification for brands and retailers.
Today, most CPG companies rely on manual, static data models that can’t accurately respond to global consumption trends such as sustainability, wellness, or dietary preferences. Harmony’s technology applies natural language processing (NLP) to extract and organize product attributes automatically from titles, ingredient lists, and descriptions, allowing brands to:
- Identify market performance drivers.
- Streamline product assortment and shelf space.
- Discover innovation opportunities.
- Automate product tagging and reporting.
Harmony’s clients achieve faster market responses and sharper insights into purchasing behaviors.
Key fact:
In November 2024, Harmony raised over US$1 million from Simma Capital and strategic angel investors. The funding supports the development of advanced categorization models and the company’s expansion to other Latin American markets where CPG companies increasingly seek AI-enabled retail data solutions.
Renewable Energy
This sector includes startups focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and the circular economy. In Colombia, EnergyTech and ClimateTech ventures have become increasingly relevant, contributing to the nation’s energy transition policies and sustainability goals. These companies are leading the decentralization of energy, improving rural electrification, and supporting the adoption of solar storage ecosystems that strengthen environmental resilience.
SunCompany
SunCompany (formerly SunColombia) is a pioneering renewable energy company in Colombia with over 14 years of experience, transforming into a regional energy holding that integrates solar energy generation with battery storage systems. Founded in 2012 by Juan Diego Gómez (CEO) and Mauricio Hoyos, the company initially aimed to provide clean energy to off-grid rural zones. Over time, it evolved from NGO-supported community projects into a leading solar infrastructure developer serving industrial, commercial, and utility-scale clients.
SunCompany’s operations encompass telecommunications, water treatment systems, and hybrid on/off-grid applications. To date, it employs approximately 250 professionals, has installed 57.6 MW in solar energy capacity, and 58.3 MWh in battery storage, positioning it as one of the most technically advanced firms in the region.
Its national and international expansion strategy has consolidated a holding structure that integrates subsidiaries including SunColombia, Dispower, Sunwa Technologies, and SunCompany International, with operations in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Guyana. The company’s major corporate clients include Bancolombia, Ecopetrol, ISA, Grupo Energía de Bogotá, Enel, EPM, and Emcali. These projects span design, installation, operations, and occasionally financing through long-term energy contracts.
Key fact:
In September 2025, SunCompany closed a US$9.8 million Series B equity round accompanied by US$5 million in debt financing, for a total of over US$15 million, backed by Bancolombia (via its sustainability and venture capital divisions) and SEAF, a U.S.-based impact investment fund. This capital is being deployed into solar farms for Bancolombia, hybrid generation systems in Puerto Inírida (Guainía), and new development projects in the Dominican Republic and Guyana.
Additionally, SunCompany secured 20 billion Colombian pesos in local financing, strengthening its technical and engineering teams across multiple markets. Over the next two years, the company projects more than US$300 million in cumulative investments across Latin America and plans to initiate a Series C round in mid-2026 to raise US$20 million in equity and up to US$100 million in project debt, while maintaining majority ownership with its founding team.
Colombia’s Startup Landscape 2026
The Top Startups to Watch Colombia 2026 ranking reflects the growing maturity, diversity, and global appeal of the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Colombia has evolved beyond the early-stage experimentation phase, fostering companies capable of scaling internationally, raising major venture rounds, and attracting world-class investment firms.
According to Vanegas, “Colombia is consolidating itself as one of the most dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems in Latin America, with rapid growth in startups, investment funds, accelerators, and support platforms. Beyond merely enduring downturns, the country has grown through them, demonstrating maturity, diversification, and regional ambition. While investment continues to be concentrated in fintech, new strategic sectors are gaining momentum—such as artificial intelligence, B2B SaaS, and impact-driven technology. The latter is especially relevant in our context: as the second most biodiverse country in the world, Colombia faces enormous social challenges that also translate into opportunities for innovation. In this phase, Colombian venture capital is evolving toward a more strategic, sustainable, and purpose-driven model where profitability and impact are beginning to converge naturally.”
The startups featured across these sectors represent a new generation of Colombian founders — visionary, global-minded, and impact-oriented — who are redefining the narrative of Latin American entrepreneurship. They embody the country’s potential to position itself as the innovation hub of Spanish-speaking Latin America, driven by creativity, resilience, and advanced technology adoption.
