In Latin America, the conversation around women’s health has long been quiet—too quiet. For many women, getting the right care feels like navigating a maze, where their concerns are often overlooked and the healthcare system doesn’t keep up with their real needs. This gap leaves countless women feeling unheard, uncertain, and sometimes even invisible in their own health journeys.
Stephanie von Staa Toledo is intimately familiar with this reality. When she dealt with her own fertility questions, she understood that there were a limited number of solutions that would meet the needs of women in the area. Rather than waiting for it to be fixed by another person, Stephanie von Staa Toledo chose to solve the problem herself. The urge to make a difference was the one leading her to switch her career path, which was to work in the field of finance to start a healthcare company.
Oya Care is that company—a digital-first healthcare provider on a mission to change the landscape of the health of women throughout Latin America. As Founder and CEO, Stephanie von Staa Toledo is transforming the meaning of being a woman who is taking care of herself. Oya Care is a science-driven health company that improved the quality of modern healthcare for women through empathy, accessibility, and empowerment. It is Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s mission to continue guiding thousands of women to take charge of their health and feel supported like there’s no tomorrow.
Let’s explore how Stephanie von Staa Toledo is reshaping women’s healthcare in Latin America with empathy, science, and bold innovation!
A Personal Journey Ignites a Regional Movement
Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s path to founding a healthcare company was anything but conventional. With a strong background in investment banking, consulting, and private equity spanning São Paulo, New York, and London, she possessed a sharp business acumen. Yet, it was her own experience navigating the complexities of women’s health that sparked a deeper calling.
“Oya was born from both personal experience and systemic frustration,” she shares. Living in New York, she noticed an emerging conversation around preventive fertility care, a dialogue conspicuously absent in her native Brazil. This gap between scientific knowledge and accessible care for women was glaring. “I saw a massive gap between what science knows about the female body and what women actually have access to.”
In 2020, she took a decisive leap to establish a company that would empower women to proactively engage with their reproductive health. “I was creating the solution I needed—a way to proactively monitor and understand my fertility during a time when I felt pressure from my biological clock, but lacked clarity.” Discovering insights about her ovarian reserve was a transformative moment that ignited a passion to extend that support to others.
This transition from finance to healthcare entrepreneurship illustrates a rare fusion of analytical rigor with deep empathy—a hallmark that continues to define the company’s culture and vision.
A Mission Rooted in Revolutionizing Care
The driving force behind the company is a mission that goes beyond traditional healthcare delivery. It seeks to challenge and reshape the prevailing paradigm in women’s health across Latin America. Stephanie von Staa Toledo articulates this vision clearly: “Our mission at Oya is to revolutionize women’s healthcare in Latin America, making it truly centered on women through a foundation of science, care, and autonomy.”
This revolution is anchored in shifting the focus from merely treating disease to prioritizing prevention, education, and holistic well-being. By embedding these principles, the company aspires to become the regional benchmark for care that is digital-first, inclusive, and human at its core.
Such an ambitious mission requires more than just innovation in technology—it demands a cultural shift. Her leadership style reflects this need perfectly, combining strategy with a deeply human approach to management.
Leading with Humanity and Data
Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s leadership philosophy is succinctly captured in her phrase, “be human and do math.” This ethos shapes everything at the company—from how the team operates to how care is delivered.
“I lead with strategy, purpose, openness, and a strong belief in data-based decisions,” she explains. This blend of emotional intelligence and analytical rigor allows her to build an environment where care and measurement coexist harmoniously. Having endured three burnouts herself, Stephanie von Staa Toledo understands the critical importance of wellbeing in sustaining leadership and team performance.
At Oya Care, this philosophy manifests in a culture where patients—affectionately called oyanas—are prioritized. “We’ve built a culture where oyanas come first, where dreaming big and questioning the status quo are encouraged, and where data and care go hand in hand.”
Moreover, she invests deeply in self-awareness, recognizing that effective leadership begins with understanding one’s own triggers and values. This commitment to personal growth, through therapy and coaching, sets a tone for a workplace that values mental health and continuous learning.
Overcoming Challenges in a Male-Dominated Ecosystem
Launching a company that confronts deeply ingrained taboos in women’s health was no easy feat. Among the many challenges, securing capital in a venture capital ecosystem dominated by male investors presented a particularly steep hurdle.
Stephanie von Staa Toledo recalls, “Fundraising in a venture ecosystem still dominated by male investors, many of whom do not understand the depth of the problem we’re solving, made it particularly difficult.”
Despite these obstacles, the company’s clear vision, consistent growth, and strong community validation proved decisive. Word of mouth has become a powerful engine, with over 60% of revenue now coming from referrals—women bringing other women to Oya. This organic growth underscores the genuine trust and value the company has cultivated among its patients.
Technology as a Catalyst for Healthcare Transformation
Innovation lies at the core of Oya Care’s ability to disrupt traditional healthcare models. The company was the first in Brazil to provide at-home hormone testing integrated with medical consultations focused on fertility planning, a pioneering service that dramatically expands access and convenience.
Stephanie von Staa Toledo describes the technological backbone as a proprietary system that consolidates everything—from scheduling and medical records to marketing analytics—into a unified platform. This integration enables personalized care delivery and optimizes lifetime value by tracking each patient’s journey holistically.
Beyond fertility, Oya’s scope now includes gynecology, prenatal care, diagnostic exams, and surgical procedures, all delivered through a seamless blend of digital and in-person experiences. Importantly, medical staff are trained to provide care that emphasizes compassion, inclusivity, and empathy, ensuring that every oyana feels heard and supported.
A Culture of Inclusivity and Empowerment
Inclusivity is not just an ideal at the organization; it is a lived value shaping every aspect of the company. “At Oya, we live by a set of core values that ensure inclusivity and empowerment are not just goals, but foundational to how we operate,” she explains.
The term “oyanas” itself reflects a broad understanding of identity, encompassing cis women and all people with ovaries. This intentional language signals the company’s commitment to honoring plurality and diverse experiences.
Internally, this translates into a culture where systemic thinking, autonomy, and collaborative decision-making thrive. The team is encouraged to act empathetically and responsibly, guided by evidence rather than opinion. She emphasizes, “We believe that only by caring for ourselves can we truly care for each other.”
This philosophy not only fosters a supportive work environment but also enhances patient care, creating a virtuous cycle of trust and empowerment.
Bridging Critical Gaps
A fundamental gap in women’s healthcare that the company addresses is the lack of truly welcoming, patient-centered care. The typical experience is often rushed, clinical, and impersonal, leaving many women feeling unheard and disconnected.
Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s vision is to restore a model where scientific excellence and compassion coexist seamlessly. “At Oya, we aim to restore a model of care that combines warmth with rigor, bringing science and humanity together to deliver real trust and high standards.”
This approach reclaims the narrative from one of taboo and silence to one of openness and autonomy, empowering women to take active roles in their health journeys.
Designing Care for Latin America’s Unique Needs
Oya Care’s patient-centric model is grounded in constant dialogue with its community. The company co-creates services alongside both patients and medical experts, ensuring offerings evolve in response to real needs.
“We have an obsession with listening: we constantly gather feedback from our oyanas, and our Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a core company indicator,” she shares. Serving over 7,500 women to date, the organization uses this feedback to refine everything from scheduling processes to accessibility of medical records.
By prioritizing convenience and ease—such as on-time consultations and digital access to reports—Oya aligns its services with how women live, rather than forcing patients to conform to rigid system expectations. This sensitivity to cultural and lifestyle factors is key to its success in Latin America.
Metrics That Speak Volumes
The company’s impact is reflected in impressive metrics that underline trust and satisfaction. More than 7,500 unique oyanas have received care, with a recurrence rate exceeding 60%, signaling strong patient loyalty.
Both patient and physician experiences are closely monitored, with the company maintaining an NPS of 96.4 among patients and 95 among doctors—an exceptional testament to quality and engagement. Each consultation is rated in real time, with a near-perfect historical average score of 4.99 out of 5.
Stephanie von Staa Toledo highlights how the company has evolved services based on patient stories, such as prioritizing egg freezing once patients expressed a need for comprehensive fertility preservation options. Plans are now underway to broaden care into menopause, pelvic physiotherapy, and adolescent health, further extending support throughout the reproductive lifecycle.
A Female Founder’s Unique Perspective
Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s identity as a woman founder deeply informs her approach to healthcare innovation. Experiencing the problems firsthand allows for authentic empathy and insight, but also presents challenges such as limited access to capital.
“This forced me to plan carefully and anticipate challenges early on, ensuring every strategy was sharp and every decision data-driven,” she explains. Navigating these pressures required immense emotional resilience and a steadfast commitment to purpose.
The journey demanded learning to set boundaries, embrace uncertainty, and remain grounded despite scarce external validation—lessons that have shaped not only her leadership but the company’s endurance.
Keys to Growth
Throughout her path, Stephanie von Staa Toledo has leaned on a network of mentors—angel investors and advisors with deep industry experience who offer guidance and challenge assumptions. Their support has been pivotal in navigating complexity and seizing opportunities with clarity and intent.
Their presence underscores the importance of community in the entrepreneurial journey, especially for women leaders carving new paths in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Advice to Emerging Women Leaders
Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s counsel to young women aspiring to lead is clear and encouraging: “Start before you feel ready.” She acknowledges the critical inner voice that often fosters doubt, but urges action and self-belief as catalysts for growth.
Choosing the right team and supporters is paramount. “Surround yourself with people who believe in your vision. Choosing the people you’ll build with is by far the hardest and most important part of the journey.”
Expanding Care, Expanding Impact
Looking ahead, the company is gearing up for significant growth. New service lines will address menopause, pelvic physiotherapy, and adolescent care. Insurance partnerships will broaden coverage, and a diagnostics and exams center is planned to enhance comprehensive access.
Stephanie von Staa Toledo’s ambition is to support women throughout their entire reproductive journey, creating a continuum of care from youth to menopause and beyond.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Stephanie von Staa Toledo hopes the company will be remembered as a transformative force in women’s healthcare—one that redefined care from a transactional experience into a relationship rooted in trust, autonomy, and dignity.
“I hope Oya is remembered as the company that redefined what it means to be well cared for as a woman. That we helped shift the narrative, from taboo to autonomy. And that we opened doors for other women to lead, innovate, and care on their terms.”
Her vision encapsulates not only a company but a movement—one that promises to elevate women’s health and leadership in Latin America for generations to come.
