Brazil continues to lead the startup ecosystem in Latin America. According to the report, prepared by Districtnine of the 12 Latin American startups most likely to reach a valuation of US$1 billion in the coming years are Brazilian. Colombia appears with two representatives and Mexico with one.
The survey shows that, in 2025, Latin America gained two new unicorns: Plata e Capitalboth from Mexico. In the same year, the country surpassed Brazil in the volume of capital raised in the second quarter for the first time since 2012, a movement driven mainly by fintechs and solutions based on artificial intelligence.
For the 2026 edition, the study analyzed 50 companies with concrete potential to become unicorns and selected the 12 best positioned. The filtering considered criteria such as business maturity, revenue, growth rate, volume of capital already raised and financial strength.
Among the main highlights of the ecosystem, the report highlights the consolidation of artificial intelligence as a basic infrastructure. By 2026, 100% of startups in the Top 12 will already use AI in their business models. Only three are classified as AI-first, but the central point of the research is the universalization of technology. Most apply AI to automation and process optimization, while others advance on fronts such as personalization, profile analysis and predictive monitoring.
Also noteworthy is the recurrence of names that had already been followed since the previous edition. In 2026, Omie, Tractian, Mottu, Flash and Celcoin are once again among the main candidates for unicorn. The repetition reinforces a reading of operational consistency and execution over time, indicating maintenance of growth, commercial traction and financial fundamentals capable of supporting the billion-dollar valuation thesis.
Among aspiring unicorns in 2026, the majority are in the Series C stage. The fintech sector dominates the list, with seven of the 12 selected, in addition to a strong presence of SaaS models and a focus on the B2B market.
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Nomad
Sector: FinTech | Internship: Series B | Total captured: US$117.5 million
Brazilian fintech that offers international accounts in dollars for individuals, with cards and investments abroad. The company benefits from growing demand for currency diversification and access to global financial services.
Omi
Sector: FinTech | Internship: D Series | Total captured: US$296.2 million
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Develops a cloud ERP for SMEs, integrating financial, tax and accounting management. With a scalable SaaS model and recurring revenue, it reached breakeven at the end of 2023 and was already on the District’s list in 2025.
Tractian
Sector: Industry | Internship: C Series | Total captured: US$183.7 million
Industrial tech that combines IoT sensors and software for predictive machine monitoring. It operates in a global market that is not very digitized and has already raised relevant rounds with international funds.
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Enter
Sector: LawTech | Internship: Series A | Total captured: US$40.5 million
Lawtech that uses AI to automate the legal litigation of large companies, from analyzing processes to generating documents and recommendations for settlement.
Symmetrical
Sector: FinTech | Internship: Series B | Total captured: US$118.8 million
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Colombian startup specialized in automating financial reconciliations for large companies, operating in highly complex transactional operations.
cayenne
Sector: FoodTech | Internship: Series B | Total captured: US$89.5 million
B2B marketplace that connects restaurants to food suppliers, digitizing the food service supply chain.
Addi
Sector: FinTech | Internship: D Series | Total captured: US$788.3 million
Colombian BNPL (buy now, pay later) fintech, focused on expanding access to credit in Latin American retail.
Motto
Sector: Mobility | Internship: C Series | Total captured: US$112 million
It operates in the rental of motorbikes for delivery people and has established itself as the physical infrastructure of the delivery economy, integrating credit, maintenance and services.
Clear
Sector: FinTech | Internship: C Series | Total captured: US$457.5 million
Mexican fintech focused on cards and digital financial services for underbanked consumers.
Flash
Sector: HRTech | Internship: C Series | Total captured: US$130 million
Brazilian corporate benefits platform that evolved into a people and expense management hub, with a recurring B2B model.
Celcoin
Sector: FinTech | Internship: C Series | Total captured: US$156.1 million
Financial infrastructure that allows companies to offer banking services via APIs, positioning itself as an enabler of embedded finance.
Foundation
Sector: FinTech | Internship: C Series | Total captured: US$186.9 million
It offers billing, payments and financial management solutions for SMEs, with a focus on simplifying the financial operation of small businesses.
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