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If you're Brazilian or have lived in Brazil but you've never heard of Dr. Consulta, you've probably been living under a rock. So many people in the world don't have access to healthcare plans, and this is definitely the case in Brazil.

Over a decade ago, Thomaz Srougi started working on this problem. And now, Dr. Consulta has already supported over 6 million Brazilians. Thomaz recently embarked on a new startup journey to disrupt healthcare once again. With the help of artificial intelligence and backed by a16z, Carecode is a personal assistant for those who already have health insurance.

But to every A side, there's also a B side. This episode wouldn't be a masterclass on how to build a startup serving large and complex markets in LatAm without Thomaz sharing both ups and downs.

As many who have attempted to build world-changing startups know, it's now always that you see hockey-stick growth in your first two years – but things can suddenly fire up with the right approach.

What you'll hear in this episode:

– Why Thomaz entered the startup and health worlds;
– How he views building in the US vs building in LatAm;
– The challenges faced at the beginning of Dr. Consulta, including how Thomaz worked through its initial growth problem;
– Thomaz's view on traditional healthcare and the challenge of making preventive care a habit;
– Thomaz's new healthcare startup built with the help of artificial intelligence, Carecode;
– And the gaps and opportunities he still sees in LatAm healthtech.

I'm Gina Gotthilf and this is the Latitud Podcast. Vamos, LatAm!