This Brazilian Startup Is Turning A Population Of 211 Million Into A Cannabis Data Goldmine

Forbes

19 hours ago

Toninho Corrêa
While much of the world watches Germany and the U.S. inch forward on cannabis reform, Brazil has quietly become home to a fast-growing and highly structured medical cannabis market. And helping drive that transformation is a mobile app (not a clinic, cultivator or multinational) that's redefining patient access in one of the world's most complex regulatory environments.
It's called Blis, and if you haven't heard of it yet, you're not alone. Built entirely in Brazil by a team of local developers and patients, the platform has already reached more than 300,000 users, generates R$2 million (about $363,000) in monthly revenue and holds what may be the largest real-world cannabis patient database in Latin America.
With a population of more than 211 million, Brazil is Latin America's largest potential market for medical cannabis, but also one of the most complex to navigate. Under ANVISA's RDC 660 and RDC 327, cannabis prescriptions are legal, but only for imported, pharmaceutical-grade products, and only with doctor supervision. Despite those constraints, analysts project Brazil's medical cannabis sector could exceed $4.4 billion by 2032, driven by rising demand, decreasing stigma and a worsening mental health crisis. Across the region, Latin America's legal cannabis market is expected to reach $3.75 billion by 2028, with Brazil accounting for a significant share, especially if CBD flower is reauthorized for import in the coming months, opening an entirely new vertical for digital platforms.
Born From Patients, Built For Brazil
Blis didn't begin in a boardroom; it started with a group of Brazilian patients, frustrated by the painful logistics of getting medical cannabis legally. 'We faced enormous difficulties,' said CEO Toninho Corrêa. 'From the medical consultation to the import bureaucracy.' The existing system was slow, scattered and intimidating. So they built something new: an app approved by both Apple and Google that allows full legal access to cannabis treatment in Brazil, from doctor consultation to home delivery, in just a few taps.
According to Corrêa, the platform has reduced access time by 160x, collapsing what used to take weeks into a seamless digital experience. And as cannabis adoption in Brazil shifts from critical conditions like Parkinson's and epilepsy toward broader wellness use (for sleep, anxiety, stress and focus), demand is accelerating. 'In practice, we are creating an entirely new market in Brazil for this type of alternative therapy,' he said.
Rather than adapt a foreign model, Blis was built locally from the ground up, with Brazilian regulations, payment systems and patient behavior in mind. 'Importing a foreign model wouldn't work,' Corrêa said. 'We needed a solution tailored to the country's regulatory and cultural context.' That local-first approach has now positioned Blis as a scalable model for the rest of Latin America — and beyond.
Numbers That Speak For Themselves
In under a year, Blis has surpassed 300,000 downloads and now reaches patients in more than 1,800 cities and towns across Brazil, including many rural areas where medical support is limited or nonexistent. According to the company, over 60% of users who complete a consultation go on to purchase a product. Furthermore, the platform boasts a 42% repurchase rate, signaling strong adherence to treatment plans.
Blis App
The average order value is around R$1,000 (roughly $182) and the top-selling products are gummies and oils focused on sleep, anxiety and focus, an indicator of Brazil's shifting relationship with cannabis: less taboo, more therapeutic.
'Gummies grew faster than we expected,' Corrêa said, noting their popularity among women aged 30 to 45, who favor discreet, precisely dosed formats. Adoption is also rising among patients over 60, especially for sleep support and chronic pain relief; a demographic often overlooked in global cannabis marketing. 'We're not just seeing growth in the typical early adopter audience. This is mainstream,' he added.
A Massive Cannabis Patient Dataset You've Probably Never Heard Of
Beyond product sales, Blis is quietly building something even more valuable: data. With over 25,000 real-world patient records and growing, the platform now manages what it claims is one of the largest clinical cannabis databases in Latin America, a resource that could shape treatment standards, support clinical trials and inform regulatory strategy across the region. The company says all data collection follows strict LGPD standards and informed consent protocols.
The top three conditions being treated on the platform are insomnia, anxiety and stress, a mental health trifecta that has surged across Brazil in the wake of COVID-19 and ongoing economic instability. Corrêa says the company is now exploring partnerships with researchers and institutions to translate this data into high-impact clinical insights. 'This is a living ecosystem. We're just getting started.'
Blis says it handles patient data in full compliance with Brazil's General Data Protection Law (LGPD), using anonymization protocols for any internal studies or aggregated analysis. 'Only authorized professionals have access to patient records, with full traceability and consent controls,' Corrêa noted.
While no personal data is currently shared with third parties, Blis may partner with research institutions in the future — but only under strict ethical review and legal safeguards. 'Patients are always informed about how their data is used and can revoke consent at any time,' Corrêa said.
Corrêa also noted a sharp rise in interest for gummies, particularly among women and older patients, who value simplicity, discretion and routine. 'We were surprised by how fast that segment matured,' he said. It's a signal that, when designed well, medical cannabis can meet people where they are, without intimidation or stigma.
A Market Shaped By Regulation — But Led By Patients
From the outside, Brazil's medical cannabis landscape can look impenetrable. But insiders like Corrêa argue that perception no longer matches reality. 'Many still think cannabis is illegal or only accessible in very severe cases,' he said. 'But ANVISA's RDCs 660 and 327 allow legal access with a prescription. The real issue isn't regulation; it's public awareness and access.'
In that gap, Blis has positioned itself as both a healthcare facilitator and an information bridge. The company has invested heavily in educational outreach, working with media outlets, conservative audiences and even older patient groups to dispel misconceptions and normalize treatment. 'We made a point of starting Blis' communication through more traditional channels,' Corrêa said. 'That helped us build credibility in places where cannabis was still taboo.'
A potential turning point looms: the reauthorization of CBD flower imports, which ANVISA is reportedly considering in the coming weeks. If approved, it would open a new therapeutic category for platforms like Blis, allowing faster-acting, inhalable options for patients with chronic pain, advanced conditions or prior experience with cannabis. 'We're ready,' Corrêa said. 'This would expand our product portfolio and create new experiences for patients who need different kinds of relief.'
From Patient App To Platform Play
Blis may have started as a fix for a broken access system, but it's now eyeing a far larger opportunity. The company says it hit breakeven within six months, now counts over 25,000 active patients and projects a valuation of over $100 million by year's end, up from roughly $60 million today.
The roadmap ahead includes expanding to at least one Latin American market by 2025, launching new technology and service channels, and publishing the company's first clinical data report based on its growing patient base. 'We're building toward a R$1 billion valuation by 2027,' Corrêa said, 'but more importantly, we're building trust.'
To reach that next phase, Blis is currently in conversations with investors, strategic partners and scientific collaborators — both in Brazil and internationally. Corrêa says he's open to capital, but only when it aligns with the company's mission. 'What we're looking for is more than money. It's regulatory expertise, clinical insight and the ability to scale responsibly.'
Latin America Is Watching
Although Blis was built specifically for Brazil's regulatory maze, its model, combining technology, medical guidance and legally compliant distribution, could travel well. 'Blis was built to scale,' Corrêa said. 'Countries like Colombia, Argentina and Mexico are already advancing cannabis regulations, and we see a strong fit for digital platforms that educate and reduce stigma.'
Each country brings its own challenges, but the demand patterns — anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain — are strikingly similar across Latin America. Corrêa believes Brazil's unique mix of tight regulations and huge unmet demand has forced innovation in a way that could serve as a template for emerging markets. 'Brazil may lag in public perception, but we lead in digital access,' he said.
Compared to countries like Colombia, which has prioritized cultivation, or Mexico, where legal ambiguity continues to stall implementation, Brazil's patient-first approach, anchored in ANVISA oversight and doctor supervision, may prove more scalable in the long term. And while most of the international cannabis spotlight remains focused on North America and Europe, Corrêa is confident: 'The next wave of cannabis innovation may not come from where people expect.'
Redefining Wellness, One Click At A Time
For Corrêa, cannabis is just the beginning. 'Blis is not just a cannabis company: it's a new model of wellness for Latin America,' he said. The platform's long-term vision includes expanding into personalized protocols, new therapeutic categories, and broader public health integration, all grounded in real-world data and patient experience.
As mental health needs grow and healthcare systems strain under demand, platforms like Blis are positioning themselves not just as dispensers of product, but as scalable infrastructure for care. 'The debate is no longer led by regulators,' Corrêa said. 'It's led by patients.'
Blis may not have brand recognition in North America — yet — but its trajectory offers a glimpse of what cannabis innovation can look like when it's rooted in need, built with purpose, and shaped by the realities of the people it serves.