This interview is the fifth in a series spotlighting the ten winners of the WeXchange Women STEMpreneurs Competition 2024. WeXchange is an initiative of the IDB Lab, the innovation and venture arm of the Inter-American Development Bank, to unlock growth opportunities for women entrepreneurs in STEM in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In this edition, we speak with Lorenza Vecino Schandy Co-Founder and CTO of Yeda Health.
Lorenza, a Uruguayan biomedical engineer passionate about artificial intelligence, co-founded Yeda Health to revolutionize metabolic health across Latin America. In this conversation, she shares her journey, the technology driving Yeda Health, and the company’s bold vision for the future of metabolic health.
From bioengineering to AI-powered healthcare
My journey into the medical field began with my studies in biomedical engineering in Buenos Aires. At university, I discovered a deep fascination for artificial intelligence and programming. For my final project, I developed an AI-powered atrial fibrillation detector designed for remote patient monitoring. That experience confirmed my passion for working at the intersection of healthcare and technology.
Joining forces to democratize personalized healthcare
A pivotal moment in my career was meeting Fernando Slamovitz, who would later become my co-founder. He had a vision of bringing personalized medicine and nutrition technologies from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel to Latin America. I immediately recognized the transformative potential of these technologies, and I decided to join him at Yeda Health. Together, we set out to adapt these advancements to the specific needs of Latin American populations, to democratize access to personalized healthcare.
Tackling metabolic syndrome
At Yeda Health, we address the lack of personalization in treatments for metabolic syndrome. Our work focuses on creating a comprehensive metabolic control system to manage blood sugar, body composition, cholesterol, and blood pressure. We began by tackling food-induced blood sugar spikes, which are a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other related conditions. Our research has shown that people have different responses to the same foods and treatments, which is why personalization is at the heart of what we do.
Yeda’s technology: combining AI, data, and user-friendly tools
We’ve built Yeda Health with a multi-faceted technological approach:
- Food recognition and analysis: Our app analyzes food photos to identify ingredients, estimate portion sizes, and extract nutritional information, providing personalized recommendations.
- Microbiome testing: Our lab tests analyze users’ microbiomes to predict how their bodies will respond to different food combinations.
- Real-time monitoring: By integrating glucose monitors and smartwatches, we provide real-time blood sugar levels and habits data.
- AI-driven data Analysis: Our AI interprets complex biomedical data, enabling precise insights into metabolic responses and refining health recommendations for each user.
Yeda Health is a B2B company, partnering with endocrinology and nutrition clinics to help healthcare professionals better understand their patients’ metabolism. We also collaborate with major healthcare institutions to expand access to our platform. Clinical trials are an essential part of our work, validating the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of our solutions for insurance providers and healthcare systems.
A vision for the future
As Fernando and I prepare for a pre-seed funding round, we’re focused on enhancing our product, expanding our reach, and establishing Yeda Health as a leader in personalized metabolic healthcare in Latin America. Our vision is to drive data-driven healthcare forward and pioneer a new era of personalized medicine for metabolic health in LatAm.
Connecting with Yeda Health
For more information, visit Yeda’s website or connect with Lorenza on Linkedin.