hiSofi raises US$1M to build a regional AI and data science hub in Uruguay

hiSofi, a fintech that automates debt collection through conversational messaging instead of traditional call centers, raised US$1 million to establish a regional artificial intelligence and data science hub in Uruguay. The move comes six years after the company moved its operations to Brazil in 2020.

A messaging-based approach to debt collection

Co-founded by CEO Tatiana Pomar and Leonardo Paladino, hiSofi was founded on the idea that debt collection in Latin America could work differently from the traditional model, which relies on outsourcing recovery efforts to call centers.

The company’s platform analyzes debtor behavior to identify the most suitable channel, timing, and approach before contacting customers through WhatsApp, RCS, email, and landing pages.

It also offers self-service portals where debtors can negotiate their payment plans directly.

Pomar sums up the company’s approach:

“If I send you a WhatsApp message or an RCS message, you’ll probably see it. If I call you, you probably won’t answer.”

The model aims to let the original brand communicate directly with its customers, rather than sell or outsource the debt.

A US$1M round led by SaaSholic

The US$1 million funding round was led by SaaSholic, a Brazilian fund specializing in B2B software, with more than 40 companies in its portfolio.

The round also included US$250,000 co-invested by the National Agency for Research and Innovation of Uruguay (ANII) through its co-investment fund program.

The capital will go toward creating hiSofi’s new regional hub in Uruguay, with plans to hire in engineering, data science, and product development.

The company currently has a team of 28 employees and operates in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina.

From 44 million in debt to US$61M recovered

During 2025, hiSofi’s platform managed more than 44 million in debt, closed more than 451,000 payment agreements, and recovered US$61 million for its clients.

Companies that use its platform include iFood, Natura, and Credicard.

The scale of these operations has enabled hiSofi to build a substantial database of debt collection behavior, a key element of its strategy for determining how and when to contact customers.

Why Uruguay?

The decision to establish the new hub in Uruguay reflects both the country’s technology ecosystem and a deliberate effort to attract and retain technology companies.

ANII’s co-investment program is part of the Uruguay Innovation Hub initiative. The program matches private capital invested in early-stage startups operating in priority areas, including advanced digital technologies. Before the state commits capital, startups must undergo due diligence by a registered private investor.

For Pomar, Uruguay offers access to high-quality technical talent and an established technology ecosystem. There is also a practical advantage: managing operations serving Spanish-speaking markets from a Spanish-speaking country rather than from Brazil.

A favorable market, but a challenging one for debt collection

The expansion comes as credit conditions in Latin America are putting additional pressure on debtors.

Moody’s has warned of a deterioration in the region’s credit quality during 2026, after roughly three years of aggressive credit expansion that outpaced debtors’ ability to repay.

In Argentina, household delinquencies reached their highest level in more than two decades, while corporate delinquencies among small and medium-sized businesses reached 3.3% in May 2026.

In Brazil, consumer debt has also risen as digital banks expanded unsecured lending.

Persistent inflation, high interest rates, and weak economic growth have added pressure across most of the region’s major banking systems.

What hiSofi’s expansion means for the United States

The company’s model also addresses challenges relevant to the U.S. debt collection industry, which continues to rely heavily on call centers and operates under strict rules established by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which regulates how and when debtors may be contacted.

hiSofi’s approach aims to have the original brand communicate directly with the customer, rather than sell or outsource the debt. This addresses a challenge also faced by U.S. companies: aggressive collection practices by third parties can harm the customer relationships lenders have invested in building.

For U.S. fintech investors following Latin America, hiSofi also offers a test of whether a messaging-based collection model can transfer to markets with very different communication habits. WhatsApp’s dominance in Latin America has no direct equivalent in the United States.

A return to Uruguay with a broader regional role

For Uruguay, hiSofi’s return represents a measurable outcome of a state-backed initiative designed to make the country more attractive to technology companies that might otherwise set up operations in larger markets such as Brazil or Mexico.

The company’s decision highlights Uruguay’s technical talent, linguistic compatibility, and technology ecosystem as factors that can support regional operations while keeping engineering capabilities in the country.

This reasoning also points to a broader competitive argument for smaller Latin American economies seeking to attract technology companies that serve regional markets.

Questions behind the expansion

Is US$1M enough to build a regional AI hub?

The US$1 million round is relatively modest given the ambition to build a regional AI and data science hub.

A quarter of the funding comes from a public agency, while hiSofi plans to hire for engineering, data science, and product development at the same time, starting from a current team of 28 people.

The hub’s ability to meet its goals will depend in part on whether the company can attract senior technical talent in a small market where larger, better-funded companies are also seeking the same profiles.

Does easier debt collection benefit debtors?

hiSofi frames its model around a better customer experience, self-service negotiations, and fewer persistent calls. However, the underlying business remains focused on recovering money from people who may not be able to pay at that moment.

Messaging platforms also allow companies to reach people at many more points in their daily lives than traditional calls to landlines.

As Moody’s reports rising household delinquency across the region, the appropriate frequency of contact through personal messaging apps becomes a consumer protection issue that regulations in many Latin American markets have yet to address clearly.

Can hiSofi hold its position as competition grows?

Technology applied to debt collection is attracting significant investment in Latin America, while hiSofi’s advantage is based largely on behavioral data accumulated across 44 million debts, rather than on technology its competitors cannot replicate.

Fintech companies and larger banks also have access to large volumes of data and direct relationships with their customers, allowing them to develop similar capabilities in-house.

For hiSofi, the next stage will test whether its data-driven, messaging-focused approach can hold its position as the debt collection technology category continues to develop.