Malaria detection in 3 seconds
AI that identifies parasites, species and infection stage for precise treatment. Works offline in rural areas.
CEO & Co-Founder · Arkangel AI · Diagnostic AI for LATAM
José David Gómez Zea
“I left architecture because a paper folder cost my grandfather four years of his life. I built the infrastructure that would have saved him.”
International Speaker · Arkangel AI CEO · HealthTech · Diagnostic AI · Health Equity
Available for:
KeynotesPanelsWorkshopsPodcastsCorporate formats
19
Active countries
95%
Diagnostic accuracy
3 seg
Malaria detection speed
1M+
Patients goal 2030
José & Arkangel AI
“Preventable deaths are not failures of medicine. They are failures of data infrastructure.”
José studied architecture and urban design at McGill University until his grandfather received a terminal liver cancer diagnosis nine months late, caused by a disorganized paper folder. That error cost him four years of life. José researched and discovered that 5–10% of global deaths are attributable to diagnostic errors. In 2019 he left architecture and co-founded Arkangel AI.
Today Arkangel AI operates in 19 countries with algorithms that simultaneously detect up to 19 respiratory pathologies, identify malaria in 3 seconds, and work offline in rural areas without connectivity. The platform works with AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Novartis, Boston Scientific, Abbott and UNICEF.
“The problem was never that medicine did not know. The problem was that the data arrived too late.”
19
Countries with active presence
95%
Validated diagnostic accuracy
71
Physicians in clinical trial
1M+
Patients goal 2030
Arkangel AI · Detection that saves lives
What José has built in health
Stories of clinical infrastructure, scientific evidence and public health told from the origin of Arkangel AI.
19 respiratory pathologies simultaneously
Deep learning models analyzing radiographic images with 95% diagnostic accuracy in seconds.
RCT with 71 physicians — real scientific validation
Controlled clinical trial demonstrating statistical superiority of the AI agent over traditional medical search.
Edge computing for areas without connectivity
Lightweight algorithms processing images locally and syncing when signal is restored. Designed for the Amazon and remote LATAM regions.
Data sovereignty and algorithmic justice
Models trained with local data to eliminate algorithmic bias against Latin American, Indigenous and Afro-descendant populations.
Clinical application areas
Malaria
AI identifying parasites and species in 3 seconds.
Respiratory radiology
19 pathologies identified simultaneously by image.
Oncology
Early detection of lung and colon cancer.
UNICEF
Childhood leukemia detection and vaccination education.
Kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease prediction with 8 clinical variables.
ICU
Real-time algorithms for ICU transfer prediction.
Medical agent
Conversational agent with RAG on medical literature validated by RCT.
Speaking topics
The ideas José brings to the stage
Stories of clinical infrastructure, scientific evidence and public health told from the origin of Arkangel AI.
Late diagnosis kills: why we built diagnostic AI
5–10% of global deaths are attributable to diagnostic errors or delays. José explains how to build algorithms that detect disease in seconds.
Algorithmic imperialism: the biases of AI trained without us
Models trained on global north data fail for Latin American, Indigenous and Afro-descendant populations. Data sovereignty is not just ethics: it is diagnostic accuracy.
How to validate health AI with real scientific rigor
From lab benchmarks to controlled clinical trials. What he learned while leading an RCT with 71 physicians.
LATAM as laboratory: building healthtech where it matters most
Why the most complex health ecosystems are the best ground for testing real diagnostic AI.
From architect to AI founder: building from purpose
When personal tragedy becomes a systems problem, genuine purpose becomes a competitive advantage.
Stages
Where he has taken his message
2026
AIHealth Conference
Clinical research · Conversational AI agent
Valencia, Spain
2025
Mobile World Congress 4YFN
Paediatric Innovation Challenge · 1st place
Barcelona, Spain
2024
One Young World + YHP
AstraZeneca Fellowship · Global health impact
Global Platform
2020
McGill Dobson Cup
Innovation & Tech Track · 2nd place
Montreal, Canada
2020
Google for Startups
Cloud Program · selected cohort
Global Program
2020
Next 36 · Next Canada
Elite incubator for Canadian founders
Canada
Testimonials
What those who have seen him speak say
“José has something rare: he talks about algorithms and his grandfather death in the same sentence, and everything makes sense. The MWC audience went silent.”
Judge · Mobile World Congress 4YFN
“What struck me most about José at AIHealth was the intellectual honesty: he presented the RCT with all its limits and it was still the most compelling talk of the conference.”
Researcher · AIHealth 2026, Valencia
“José connects systems thinking with a personal story no one forgets. We left the panel wanting to rethink our entire health AI strategy.”
Innovation Director · Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá
Recognition
Global recognition
MIT Innovators Under 35
MIT Technology Review · LATAM 2023
Recognition for the most influential innovators under 35 in Latin America. Biotechnology and medicine category.
Global eAwards — Global Winner
NTT Data Foundation · 2020
First Latin American project to win this global technology innovation award.
Global eAwards — International Judge
NTT Data Foundation · 2021
Promoted to the judging panel alongside executives from SoftBank, Endeavor Spain and NTT Data Europe.
Paediatric Innovation Challenge — 1st place
Mobile World Congress 4YFN · Barcelona
Award for the best pediatric innovation pitch before pharma, venture capital and telecom executives.
Collaborations
They have trusted his vision
Abbott
Abbott
“No one should die from something a machine could have detected earlier. If technology can prevent it, our obligation is to deploy it.”
— José David Gómez Zea