From Peru, Kiwi launches its platform with $10M to close Latin America's healthcare gap
The “Buy Now, Heal Now” model Latin America has been waiting for.
While most startups are tightening belts in a capital-starved market, Kiwi (KiwiPay) has just announced its official launch, backed by a $10 million Seed funding round. The goal: to radically transform healthcare access in Latin America through a financial platform that does more than just finance treatments — it fuels growth for healthcare providers and clinics.
Launching first in Peru, with a clear path toward Mexico, Kiwi aims to become the default financial infrastructure of healthcare in the region — connecting patients in need of care with providers ready to grow.
Why now? Because the system is broken
Latin America’s healthcare model is failing its people. Most healthcare spending is paid out of pocket. Private insurance covers little, public systems are overburdened, and predatory lenders thrive in the gap.
Kiwi directly addresses this failure from both ends: it gives patients access to instant healthcare financing, while offering providers banking tools such as medical leasing and credit lines tailored to the sector’s cash flow needs.
"We are diligently working to improve the healthcare landscape in Latin America by providing innovative financial solutions that bridge the gap between patients and providers," said Co-Founder Gabriel Chirinos.
Big backing and regional ambition
The $10M round includes $2M in pre-seed equity and $8M in debt financing focused on Peru, with extensions to Mexico. Lead investors include Tyler Johnson, Beau Woodward, and Jacob Panero — all from HFD and MVRK Capital, U.S.-based firms with deep experience in healthcare finance. Their operational expertise will be instrumental in helping Kiwi scale across Latin America.
A market too big to ignore
“We’re looking at a $60 billion out-of-pocket market, a $20 billion medical equipment sector, and providers losing a third of their patients due to financing gaps,” said Sebastián Chirinos, Kiwi Co-Founder.
He's not exaggerating. In 2023, startups in Peru raised less than $40M in venture funding, with almost zero allocated to health-focused fintech, according to Cuantico VC. Kiwi enters an underserved space with a powerful wedge: a proprietary ML-based risk model that integrates health-specific factors — outperforming banks in patient credit evaluation.
Early traction and aggressive expansion
Kiwi has already signed 73 clinics across Peru, in areas like dentistry, ophthalmology, fertility, and aesthetics. The pipeline includes 150 more clinics set to onboard in the next two quarters. The company plans to launch in Mexico in Q1 2026 through a joint venture with a major healthcare group, targeting local patients and U.S. medical tourists alike.
Central America is next: Guatemala, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador are already on Kiwi’s radar.
"We are launching Kiwi to address the urgent need for accessible and affordable healthcare financing in Latin America," said Daniella Poppe CEO of Kiwi Peru. "Our platform provides real-time, tech-enabled solutions that empower patients to access life-changing care while enabling healthcare providers to scale their impact."