US-based AI customer support platform Capacity has acquired Chilean startup Chattigo for an estimated $60 million, according to sources close to the transaction. The deal adds WhatsApp automation technology, Spanish-language AI capabilities, and active operations in Chile and Mexico to Capacity's existing platform, which generates more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue and serves over 20,000 customers.
Founded in 2015 by Ernesto Doudchitzky, Iván Vivas, and María Vivas, Chattigo provides an AI platform that manages customer interactions across 15 digital channels, automating customer service, sales, collections, and marketing while routing conversations to human agents when needed. Before the acquisition, Chattigo surpassed $10 million in ARR after raising just $2 million in total funding, demonstrating capital-efficient growth in a competitive market.
Capacity plans to use Chattigo's technology and regional presence to expand across Latin America, Spain, and the United Kingdom, where WhatsApp holds a larger share of customer communication than in the United States. The acquisition closed in May 2026 after a process that began in late February, with legal advisory from Carey in Chile and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner for Capacity.
Capacity acquires Chilean AI startup Chattigo for estimated $60 million
The transaction represents one of the larger exits for a Chilean SaaS startup in recent years. Sources familiar with the deal estimate the purchase price at approximately $60 million. The companies did not disclose official terms.
Chattigo operates with more than 800 clients across Latin America, including companies in banking, retail, logistics, healthcare, and education. The startup achieved profitability and maintained lean operations throughout its growth, relying on capital from investors including Alaya Capital, Fen Ventures, and Morro Ventures.
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Capacity, founded in 2017 by David Karandish, has pursued an acquisition strategy and integrated eight companies before adding Chattigo. Karandish previously sold Answers.com for a reported amount near $900 million. The platform combines AI agents, real-time agent assistance, conversation intelligence, and outbound campaigns to automate customer support workflows.
The acquisition gives Capacity immediate access to WhatsApp Business API infrastructure and Chattigo's status as an official Business Solution Provider with Meta. This capability is particularly valuable in markets where WhatsApp dominates customer communication, including much of Latin America and parts of Europe.
Why Capacity's LATAM expansion signals growing demand for AI customer support talent
Capacity's decision to acquire rather than build reflects the complexity of entering Latin American markets with localized AI products. Chattigo brings not only technology but also a trained workforce fluent in Spanish, familiar with regional customer service expectations, and experienced in deploying conversational AI across industries with varying regulatory requirements.
Companies hiring AI talent in Chile and expanding operations across Mexico face competition for bilingual engineers who understand both natural language processing and the nuances of customer interactions in Spanish and Portuguese. Chattigo's team includes specialists in machine learning, conversational design, and integration with enterprise systems common in Latin America.
US-based AI platforms are prioritizing multilingual capabilities and regional expertise as they scale globally. For employers, this means demand is rising for professionals who can adapt AI models to non-English languages, train systems on regional datasets, and manage customer support operations across time zones and cultural contexts.
Chattigo's capital efficiency offers a lesson for workforce planning. The startup reached $10 million in ARR with a lean team and minimal external funding, suggesting that disciplined hiring and product-market fit can yield strong outcomes even in competitive categories. Employers evaluating talent strategies in Latin America may find that smaller, focused teams with deep regional knowledge deliver better results than large, generalist operations.
What Chattigo's acquisition means for Chile and Mexico's AI engineering market
The exit validates Chile and Mexico as viable hubs for building and scaling AI-driven SaaS companies. Chattigo's presence in both countries provided operational redundancy, access to distinct customer bases, and a larger pool of technical talent. The acquisition is likely to encourage other Latin American startups to pursue similar multi-country strategies.
For employers, the deal signals that competition for AI engineers, product managers, and customer success specialists will intensify in both markets. Chattigo's team includes professionals experienced in deploying AI at scale, integrating with CRM and ticketing systems, and managing compliance with data protection regulations across jurisdictions.
Capacity has not disclosed whether it will maintain Chattigo's existing offices or consolidate operations. However, the company's stated plan to expand across Latin America suggests it will retain local teams to support regional growth. Employers planning nearshore expansion should anticipate that established AI companies will compete for the same talent pools, particularly in Santiago and Mexico City.
The transaction underscores the importance of WhatsApp expertise in Latin America. Chattigo's status as an official Meta Business Solution Provider required technical certifications, compliance infrastructure, and customer support capabilities that take years to build. Employers hiring for conversational AI roles should prioritize candidates with hands-on experience in WhatsApp Business API, as this skill set remains scarce and strategically valuable.
Chattigo's exit follows a decade of product development and market positioning. The startup's founders navigated early technical challenges, including reverse-engineering WhatsApp before Meta launched an official API, and adapted as the market shifted toward AI-driven automation. For employers, the story illustrates the value of long-term commitment to regional markets and the payoff that comes from building deep expertise in a specific channel or customer segment.