Debt collection has always been a nightmare for both customers and businesses, with endless calls, annoying emails, and constant pressure to pay, regardless of the circumstances. But Camila Zancanella, co-founder of Domu, introduced a mind-blowing solution: AI-powered voice bots that care.
“Our clients, including banks and insurers, love how we automate everything, from calls to emails and texts,” Camila explains. “But what really excites them is how we personalize every interaction. We use data to tailor the experience for each individual.”
With a small but mighty team of six, Camila has built this unique platform that’s now been automating calls for big players like Chubb, HDI, and Telefonica. By adding a touch of empathy, this once-hated industry is now turning into a success story.
“If someone is unemployed, we analyze their profile and offer a payment plan that suits their specific situation,” Camila says. “This approach breaks away from the rigid, one-size-fits-all strategies and makes debt collection simpler and more compassionate for everyone involved.”
This mindset didn’t come out of nowhere. Long before launching Domu, Camila was already studying how emotions shape decision-making. In 2019, she presented her research entitled “The Effect of Product Conspicuousness and Social Risk on Negative Emotions: The Ethical Dilemma of Consuming Counterfeits” at the prestigious Association for Consumer Research (ACR) conference.
Camila’s journey to the field started in São Carlos, Brazil, where her computer scientist mom and startup founder dad sparked her obsession with all things tech: “I was always around the first computers, watching my dad build and sell companies,” she says. “I wanted to create something no one else was doing.”
Before launching Domu, Camila built her product and data chops at Rappi, the $5.3 billion Latin American “SuperApp.” “We were building for millions of users, and that shaped how I think about product-market fit and scale,” she shares. Her experience managing large-scale tech systems helped shape Domu’s AI to easily handle high-volume, personalized conversations.
Fast-forward to today. Camila is leading Domu, a company that’s rewriting the rules of debt collection by leveraging empathetic AI. With a Master’s degree from HEC Paris, extensive experience at Rappi (a $5.3 billion Latin American “SuperApp”), and a background in tech and entrepreneurship, Camila proves that AI can do more than just crunch numbers; in fact, it can build human connections.
Domu’s innovative approach disrupts traditional, often cold, and impersonal debt collection methods. Instead of sending harsh, demanding emails like “Pay your $300 now!” This highly regarded expert saw a glaring flaw in the system: “Most collection companies just want the money; that’s why they bombard people until they pay,” Camila explains. “We don’t like that. We want our clients to feel supported and taken care of.”
To achieve this, Domu’s voice bots go beyond the robotic monotone commonly associated with automated systems. Instead, they provide tailored, human-like interactions. One example is a gentle, supportive message: ‘Hey, I know payments slip sometimes; we’re here to help.’
Camila’s expertise is evident in her infusing empathy into AI: “Scripting is everything,” she says. “We train our bots to understand specific needs, whether someone’s late, what they can afford, and so on.” If a customer is unemployed, the AI analyzes their profile and offers a payment plan rather than a guilt trip.
This level of personalization scales across millions of interactions, something human agents can’t replicate: “AI isn’t human, but we make it as close as possible,” Camila explains.
“That’s how you make people comfortable talking to a bot.” While compliance requires Domu to disclose that it’s AI, callers still believe they’re speaking with a real person.
For HDI, a global insurer, Domu’s strategy has meant smoother collections with fewer customer complaints: “They love us because we’re not bothering people, we’re helping them,” Camila explains.
The results speak for themselves. Debt recovery has increased by 30-40% in just one month for clients like telcos, with tougher, older debts seeing a remarkable jump from 0.8 to 1.4.
“When I saw those results, I was like, ‘This is crazy and amazing,'” Camila reflects. Her vision of combining empathy and technology is not just changing how debt is collected but also building stronger, more human relationships with clients.
Camila’s unique approach to debt collection caught the attention of major enterprise clients and influential figures in the tech and investment communities. Gina Gotthilf, co-founder of Latitud Ventures and former COO at Duolingo, is praised for Camila’s leadership and vision.
She first met Camila at Latitud’s “Vamos LatAm” event, where Domu was already making waves: “Camila’s taken Domu to the next level. In just six months, their Annual Recurring Revenue almost tripled, and they landed big clients like BBVA and Santander,” Gina says.
She goes on: “What sets Camila apart is how well she adapts to each client’s needs. That’s been a huge part of Domu’s success and helped them branch out from their original services.” Gina adds
Camila is also no stranger to recognition from elite institutions. Domu was selected as one of ten finalists for the State Farm Startup Pitch at ITC Vegas, one of the most competitive insurance-tech events globally. Additionally, Domu’s acceptance into Y Combinator, with its legendary 1% acceptance rate for 10,000 applicants shows the trust and confidence the global startup community places in Domu’s vision and leadership.
But Camila’s influence stretches beyond Domu. She is an active angel investor and startup mentor, having backed over 20 ventures through B2 Founders, a respected initiative known for its “founders supporting founders” ethos.
With a strong track record of investing in, building, and launching more than 20 startups in just a few years, B2 Founders is a driving force in shaping the future of Latin American entrepreneurship: “I mentor startups in my free time and judge applications, which involves assessing their work,” Camila explains. Whether she’s assessing early-stage companies like Spinnr Inc. or mentoring the next generation of founders, it’s clear that Camila is focused on driving innovation that reshapes industries.
In addition to being a tech visionary, Camila is also a business expert with a laser-like focus on results. Her approach is grounded in data-driven execution, ensuring her team delivers on their promises: “I work 12-13 hours a day, 7 days a week. I check our clients’ numbers every single day, how much we’re collecting, what the ROI is,” she says.
For Camila, success is not about “feeling good,” but tangible, measurable outcomes. “I’m metrics-obsessed. We track daily performance against other agencies to ensure our clients see at least a 5x ROI.”
But here’s the real secret to Camila’s success: She didn’t just stumble upon this. She saw that the debt collection industry had been stuck in the same cycle for decades, and she saw an opportunity to completely transform it.” The industry’s been asleep; we’re waking it up,” she says.
When she founded Domu, she saw a unique opportunity to transform it using AI. Now, her AI system handles 80% of calls, addressing simple inquiries like, “How do I pay?”
This automation frees up human agents to tackle more complicated, emotional situations: “I once heard a woman sobbing, and the AI couldn’t handle it,” Camila recalls. “That’s when a human steps in. We’re not replacing empathy. We’re making a way to automate repetitive tasks so that our human agents can focus on what truly matters.”
By combining the power of AI with the irreplaceable value of human connection, Domu has created a scalable and deeply compassionate model, making it a go-to partner for major corporations.
Camila’s leadership style is intense, client-focused, and grounded in transparency: “If something’s off, I’m the first saying, ‘We’ll fix it,’” she shares. Her availability and proactive approach have earned her the trust of industry giants like Chubb, who rely on Domu to test new strategies and fine-tune tactics like scripts or discounts in real time, something traditional human call centers simply can’t match.
“Clients love working with me because I listen, understand their needs, and act fast on feedback,” she says. “They trust me to prioritize their happiness.”
This sought-after AI expert’s entrepreneurial journey has not gone unnoticed. Andrés Bilbao, co-founder of Rappi and a seasoned investor, has mentored Camila for several years and applauds her exceptional skills: “Camila’s got this incredible mix of entrepreneurial talent and tech-savvy innovation,” he says.
“Every startup she touches seems to take off, and with her at the helm, I’m pretty sure Domu’s going to shake up industries, starting with debt collection.”
That’s precisely what Domu is doing for Atlas, a U.S. firm growing at an impressive rate of 20% per week. Instead of hiring sprees to keep up, they use Domu’s AI bots to scale collections seamlessly: “Our AI’s never tired, it’s always your best agent,” Camila notes.
Her ambitions, however, go far beyond just solving staffing challenges. Camila envisions a future where call centers become AI-driven hubs, and she wants Domu at the forefront of that shift: “We’re changing how enterprises talk to customers, with more empathetic bots,” she predicts.
This highly regarded expert’s influence is already felt across Latin America’s fast-growing startup scene. She’s an angel investor with B2 Founders, an accelerator and venture capital firm that has helped launch more than 5,000 companies. She was also a judge at the highly competitive and selective Y Combinator. These affiliations show that Camila is a trusted voice in the region’s tech ecosystem.
But what truly sets her apart is her groundbreaking work in an unlikely space: debt collection. Long viewed as a cold, impersonal, and often overlooked industry, Camila saw an opportunity to reimagine it. She turned a once-dreaded process into a showcase for what AI can do in the real world: “I love building at tech’s edge,” she says. “This is just the start.”
Camila built a bridge in a field where technology often forgets the human side. As she continues to build at tech’s edge, you’ll want to pay attention because where she’s headed, others are sure to follow.
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