Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Santé’s projected €4M revenue by 2026, following 200% growth in two years, underscores the power of a startup mindset and proprietary tech in the aesthetics sector. With over 12,000 patients served and strong recurrence rates, the company exemplifies operational efficiency in medtech.
The medtech startup Santé is projected to reach €4 million in revenue by 2026, representing over 200% growth since its founding in Barcelona in 2024. Founded by Héctor Carrillo alongside the founders of Didit, the company has already served more than 12,000 unique patients with a recurrence rate of 2.1 annual visits per patient. This case demonstrates how applying a startup mindset, proprietary technology, and operational efficiency to the aesthetic medicine sector can generate scalability in a traditionally fragmented market. For founders in the Spanish-speaking ecosystem, Santé offers concrete lessons on transitioning from a traditional clinical model to a scalable one with a holistic health vision.
Since its first clinic in central Barcelona, the company implemented a model that includes facial treatments, injectables, laser, hair restoration, and body contouring, but with a technological approach that allows scaling without losing quality. The numbers support the strategy: over 2,000 patients per month and a recurrence rate of 2.1 annual visits indicate that the model not only attracts new patients but also generates loyalty. In a sector where retention is often a challenge, this metric suggests Santé has achieved product-market fit. The key lies in the strategic transition the company is executing: from pure aesthetic medicine toward an integrated model of health, prevention, and longevity. This move is not opportunistic; it aligns with a long-term demographic and cultural trend: aging populations, consumers prioritizing wellness, and overburdened healthcare systems needing prevention.
Santé does not operate in a vacuum. Catalonia has established itself as a leading hub in health and biotechnology, with 350 startups and scale-ups in the sector. Investment data is compelling: in 2024, Catalan health startups raised €350 million (55% more than in 2023), and in 2025 they reached €517 million (43% more than in 2024). AI applied to health dominates investment: 51% of funding (€347 million in 2024) went to AI-driven startups. Barcelona is currently ranked 2nd in Europe for healthtech and 33rd globally. This context explains why founders like Héctor Carrillo choose Barcelona as a base. The ecosystem offers access to medical-technological talent, specialized capital, and a network of partners that accelerates time-to-market. For LATAM founders considering expansion to Europe, Barcelona represents a strategic gateway to the European market with clear regulation and access to funding.
The movement toward longevity, prevention, and personalized medicine has several relevant players in Catalonia that Santé might consider competitors or partners:
– Beyond You: Conducts genetic tests for personalized habit recommendations that improve quality of life and longevity. Its focus on personalized medicine based on messenger RNA positions the company in the premium prevention segment.
– Ephion Health: Develops digital biomarkers to monitor the functional capacity of patients with reduced mobility. Its technology enables remote monitoring and early detection of clinical deterioration.
– MiMIAT Health: A data platform for chronic management that centralizes patient information and delivers longitudinal insights to clinicians. It allows early detection of clinical deterioration and patient management between visits.
– Broomx and Lucid Drinks: Focused on wellness and prevention technology, with products ranging from immersive wellness experiences to cognitive beverages.
The diversity of approaches shows that the holistic health market is rapidly segmenting. Santé has the advantage of starting from an operational clinical base (the aesthetic medicine clinic) rather than just technology, giving it immediate clinical validation and cash flow from day one.
The Santé case offers three actionable lessons for founders looking to scale in traditional sectors:
1. Combine expert criteria with a startup mindset: Santé does not disrupt aesthetic medicine by eliminating doctors. On the contrary, it places clinical criteria at the center and applies startup operational efficiency around it. For your business: identify which elements of the traditional sector are non-negotiable (regulation, expertise, trust) and which processes you can optimize with technology and a lean mentality.
2. Transition strategically toward holistic health: The move from aesthetic medicine to health, prevention, and longevity is not opportunism. It is aligning with a long-term demographic and cultural trend: aging populations, consumers prioritizing wellness, and overburdened healthcare systems that need prevention.
3. Scale while maintaining quality: Santé plans to open new centers in other Spanish cities and launch new business lines in health. This geographic expansion is the next logical step to validate that the model is replicable beyond Barcelona. Many medtech startups fail in this phase: they grow fast but lose the clinical quality and trust that made them successful.
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