Salauno

Solution Pitch

The Problem

80 percent of global blindness cases are preventable or reversible with proper, timely treatment. Yet, scarcity of medical providers, education, and financing—among other factors—limit patient access to this treatment. This is particularly true in greater Mexico City, where an estimated 32.6 million people live too far away from medical services. 

The Solution

Salauno offers affordable, high-quality eye care services to low-income populations in greater Mexico City. Through a hub-and-spoke model, the business has provided comprehensive ophthalmology services to more than 340,000 patients with prices below the market average. 

Artificial intelligence and other technologies support Salauno’s strategies to connect with underserved communities. The organization’s outreach program offers telediagnosis and in-person screenings for patients in remote and marginalized areas, and refers those who need specialized care to hub facilities. Salauno has also built a network of primary care providers who use its mobile application, educational tools, and referral system, expanding the solution’s ultimate reach.

Market Opportunity

65 percent of people over 50 years old have a visual condition such as cataract that requires a medical intervention, and nearly half of Mexico’s entire population could benefit from Lasik surgery. Salauno’s comprehensive vision services meet this growing demand with prices below the market average, expanding access to patients with limited financial resources. 

Partnership Goals

Salauno currently seeks:

• Consultation on selecting and integrating AI into clinical decision support;
• Consultation with user experience experts to increase operational efficiencies in clinics;
• Consultation on aligning telemedicine workflows with international standards; and
• Exposure through speaking opportunities and appearances in notable publications.

Organization Highlights

Some of Salauno’s notable achievements include:

• Winning Schwab Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year 2015;
• Selection as a 2013 World Economic Forum Global Shaper; and
• Selection as a 2013 International Partnership for Innovative Healthcare Delivery Entrepreneur.

Existing Partnerships

Salauno currently partners with:

• Mexican National System for Integral Family Development, which provides optic evaluations, delivers glasses to 15,000 beneficiaries, and establishes clinics in underutilized facilities;
• Cinepolis Foundation, which subsidizes more than 1,000 surgeries per year;
• Pfizer Foundation, which develops a network of primary care physicians to expand Salauno’s service footprint; and
• World Diabetes Foundation, which strengthens Salauno’s outreach campaigns.