Uruguayan MetaBIX Biotech attracts international investment and plans global expansion

Uruguay continues to strengthen its position as one of Latin America’s most attractive destinations for biotechnology development and investment. The recent case of MetaBIX Biotech, reported by El País (Uruguay), illustrates the dynamism of a sector that combines science, technology, and a stable institutional environment. The startup secured over US$1 million in an international early-stage funding round that reflects growing global confidence in Uruguay’s innovation landscape.

Founded in 2022, MetaBIX Biotech completed the round with the participation of international funds such as AIR Capital and Danta Fund, as well as angel investor networks including The Board Peru and Angel Hub. According to El País, this capital injection will enable the company to accelerate its expansion into Mexico and the United States, described by CEO and co-founder Laura Macció as “strategic markets” for the company’s growth.

“We combine the power of biotechnology and artificial intelligence to predict outbreaks and mitigate the risk of pandemics, epidemics, and common diseases that affect both animal production and, potentially, human well-being,” Macció told El País.

MetaBIX Biotech develops deep-tech solutions that use artificial intelligence to analyze air samples and detect emerging pathogens in pig and poultry farms. The company already serves clients in Brazil, India, and the United States, including the agro-industrial cooperative C-Vale, which produces more than 800 million chickens annually.

In addition to its expansion plans, El País reported that MetaBIX Biotech was a finalist among more than 1,500 projects from 102 countries in the FAO/UN Startup Innovation Awards 2025 and winner of the Startup World Cup Uruguay, giving it the opportunity to compete in Silicon Valley before global investors and innovation leaders.

In October 2025, the company officially represented Uruguay at the Startup World Cup Global Final in San Francisco, organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, the world’s largest startup competition.
In a subsequent LinkedIn post, Macció wrote that the experience “opened conversations with investors and strategic partners, and provided the chance to learn from global leaders such as Bill Reichert, Yossi Matias (Google Research), and Ira Ehrenpreis (Tesla).”
She emphasized that the event not only enhanced MetaBIX’s global visibility but also strengthened the international network of Uruguayan startups supported by Uruguay XXI and ANII, which promote the internationalization of the country’s scientific ecosystem.

Uruguay: an ecosystem attracting investment and scientific talent

The MetaBIX Biotech story reflects the vitality of a country that has established itself as a regional hub for biotechnology, animal health, and life sciences. Uruguay hosts more than 50 manufacturing plants serving both domestic and export markets, and a cluster of over 20 pharmaceutical companies that coordinate their regional operations from Montevideo.

The local environment combines institutional stability, tax incentives, and highly skilled talent, supported by a network of world-class research centers such as the Pasteur Institute of Montevideo, the Pando Science and Technology Park, and the Clemente Estable Biological Research Institute. International firms including DASA (Brazil) and BGI (China) have established operations in Uruguay, drawn by its scientific infrastructure and operational advantages—factors that also explain the rise of more than 30 biotech startups focused on innovation in human and animal health.

A reliable partner for global innovation

Uruguay combines a robust scientific ecosystem, a proactive investment promotion policy, and an efficient logistics platform, positioning itself as a regional reference point for companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostics sectors.

Cases such as MetaBIX Biotech—recognized by international organizations and backed by foreign capital—illustrate how Uruguayan scientific innovation is gaining ground in global markets, offering solutions that cross borders and reinforcing the country’s reputation as a reliable, competitive hub for life sciences.