Cieno Group

What Cieno Group does

Cieno Group (legal name CIENO GROUP S.A.S., formerly MedPlus Holding Group) is a privately held Colombian multi-sector business group founded in 1991 and headquartered in Bogotá. The group operates a vertically integrated healthcare platform spanning prepaid health insurance (MedPlus Medicina Prepagada, 98,000+ members across 15 cities), pharmaceutical contract manufacturing (Altea Farmacéutica, 14.5 million packaging units annually with ANVISA, Health Canada, and INVIMA BPL certifications), pharmaceutical commercialization (Altadis, a joint venture with Portuguese group Tecnimede), outpatient medical services (BlueCare, 603,000+ patient encounters per year), high-complexity hospital services (Clínica Azul / Azul CIMA, a 15,208 m² facility with 72+ beds and 27+ ICU beds), healthcare-specialized BPO and contact center operations (MedContact Center, 8.8M+ transactions annually with sub-20-second response times), and healthcare infrastructure construction (GreenCity, 630,476 m² in health sector). The group is family-led, with CEO Ricardo Barrero and his father Jaime Eduardo Barrero, and is 100% Colombian-owned.

The group's technology foundation is built on standard enterprise systems (SAP, Genoma CRM, SaberPlus virtual training) layered with business-unit-specific platforms: manufacturing execution systems at Altea, clinical management systems at BlueCare, prepaid medicine systems at MedPlus, and contact center infrastructure at MedContact Center. Distribution combines a direct B2B sales force, a national network of 3,465+ affiliated service providers and 302+ clinics, 7 pharmaceutical commercialization channels, and 51+ ambulatory consulting rooms across Colombia. Internationally, Altea exports directly to Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland, and reaches 15+ additional markets through customer channels.

Cieno Group generates revenue across multiple streams: recurring subscription revenue from MedPlus prepaid plans (24 plan options), transaction-based manufacturing fees from Altea's CMO business, distribution margins from Altadis, fee-for-service revenue from BlueCare outpatient services and Clínica Azul hospital services, managed-services revenue from MedContact Center, and one-time real estate revenue from GreenCity. The group has stated a 2027 revenue target of COP 810,000 million (~US$200M+) with a 20% EBITDA margin and received a COP 105 billion (~US$27M) loan from the IFC in early 2025 to support expansion. The group also operates the Fundación Manos Pintadas de Azul, a non-profit foundation delivering health programs to vulnerable Colombian communities, and holds the only FDA-certified clinical research center in Colombia.

Name

Cieno Group

Legal name

CIENO GROUP S.A.S.

Website

https://cienogroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cieno Group is a Colombian family-led business group operating a vertically integrated healthcare platform spanning prepaid insurance (98,000+ members), pharmaceutical manufacturing, distribution, outpatient and hospital services, health BPO, and healthcare construction, with international pharmaceutical exports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Integrated Healthcare Services

NAICS

Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411), General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (622110), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Health Services (8000), Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pharmacovigilance, Risk Management & Medical Affairs CROs (HLAGAAAH), Association & PEO Group Health Plans (AHP/PEO-Sponsored) (FSAIAFAH)

Keywords

• Prepaid health insurance
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Hospital services
• Healthcare BPO services
• Outpatient medical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogotá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Prepaid Medicine and Health Insurance: MedPlus Medicina Prepagada generates recurring revenue through prepaid health plans, serving approximately 98,000 affiliates nationwide with 24 different plan options covering over 1.8 million healthcare events annually.
2. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and CMO Services: Altea Farmacéutica operates as a Contract Manufacturing Organization producing pharmaceutical products for third parties including multinational companies, generating revenue through manufacturing fees, technology transfer services, and product development contracts. Produces 14.5 million packaging units annually.
3. Pharmaceutical Distribution: Altadis commercializes pharmaceutical products through 7 distribution channels nationally, focusing on oncology, biotechnology, immunomodulators, cardiology, and central nervous system medications.
4. BPO and Contact Center Services: MedContact Center provides business process outsourcing services to the healthcare sector including customer service, authorization management, medical scheduling, collections, and marketing campaigns, serving over 8.8 million transactions.
5. Hospital and Clinical Services: Clínica Azul provides hospital services of high complexity including emergency care, surgeries, hospitalization, and ICU services to prepaid medicine affiliates and particular patients.
6. Healthcare Construction and Real Estate: GreenCity develops and commercializes housing, business, and healthcare construction projects including clinics, hospitals, and medical institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cieno Group is a Colombian multisectoral business group operating an integrated healthcare ecosystem. Its core offerings span prepaid health insurance plans (MedPlus, 24 plan options serving ~98,000 affiliates), pharmaceutical contract manufacturing (Altea Farmacéutica, producing 14.5 million packaging units annually with international BPM certifications), pharmaceutical commercialization (Altadis), high-complexity hospital services (Clínica Azul/Azul CIMA), outpatient medical services (BlueCare, 603,000+ annual patient encounters), and healthcare-specialized BPO/contact center services (MedContact Center).

Product overview

CienoGroup is a Colombian multisectoral business group with over 28 years of experience, specializing in the health sector. The company operates a portfolio of complementary business units under a platform-plus-modules architecture: the umbrella brand CienoGroup encompasses Altea Farmacéutica (pharmaceutical manufacturing), Altadis (pharmaceutical commercialization), Azul CIMA/Clínica Azul (hospital services), BlueCare (outpatient medical services), MedContact Center (health BPO/contact center), GreenCity (healthcare real estate development), MedPlus Medicina Prepagada (health insurance), and Fundación Manos Pintadas de Azul (social impact foundation). These units work together to provide integrated healthcare solutions from manufacturing and insurance to clinical services and social responsibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MedPlus Medicina Prepagada Prepaid health insurance offering 24 voluntary health plan options (Excelsior, Blue, Light, AMD) covering approximately 98,000 affiliates nationwide, with access to 3,465+ service providers and 302+ affiliated clinics across 15 Colombian cities, covering over 1.8 million healthcare events annually.
• Altea Farmacéutica (Pharmaceutical Manufacturing CMO) Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) producing 14.5 million packaging units annually of non-sterile pharmaceutical and dermocosmetic products for multinational companies including Pfizer and Roche. Services include manufacturing, product development, technology transfer, stability studies, quality control, process validation, and distribution. Exports to Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and multiple Latin American/Southeast Asian markets.
• Altadis (Pharmaceutical Commercialization) Pharmaceutical distribution and commercialization business offering high-quality pharmaceutical products with focus on oncology, biotechnology, immunomodulators, cardiology, and central nervous system medications, distributed nationally through 7 commercialization channels.
• Clínica Azul / Azul CIMA (Hospital Services) High-complexity hospital services including emergency care for adults and pediatrics, outpatient and inpatient surgeries, cardiology, gastroenterology, hospitalization, ICU and coronary critical care units, diagnostic and therapeutic support, and multiple medical specialties. The 15,208 m² facility across 7 floors includes 72 hospitalization beds, 27 ICU beds, 5 surgery rooms, and 1 hybrid hemodynamics room.
• BlueCare (Outpatient Medical Services) Outpatient medical services delivered through medical centers, optometry services, pharmacies, clinical laboratories, and research centers, including 51+ consulting rooms, 3 medical centers, AMD home medical care, optics, dentistry, and laboratory services. Handles 603,000+ patient encounters annually across Colombia.
• MedContact Center (Healthcare BPO) Health-specialized business process outsourcing (BPO) and contact center providing medical appointment scheduling, authorizations for affiliates and providers, telephone medical guidance, collections, and loyalty campaigns. Handles 8.8+ million transactions annually with sub-20-second response times and a 72% successful appointment scheduling rate.
• GreenCity (Healthcare Real Estate Development) Real estate development and construction company focused on healthcare, housing, and institutional projects including clinics, hospitals, residential buildings, and medical facilities. Portfolio includes 70,259 m² designed and built plus 630,476 m² constructed in the health sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14.5 million packaging units produced annually at Altea Farmacéutica
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.

• Tecnimede GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Portuguese pharmaceutical company Tecnimede Group formed a joint venture with Altea Farmacéutica to create Altadis, specialized in commercializing high-quality pharmaceutical products including oncology, biotechnology, immunomodulators, cardiology, and CNS medications. This international partnership enables access to global pharmaceutical markets and expertise.
• PfizerflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Pfizer has agreements with Altea Farmacéutica for pharmaceutical manufacturing and product development services. This partnership validates Altea's manufacturing capabilities and quality standards, enabling production for one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.
• RocheflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Roche has product agreements with Altea Farmacéutica for pharmaceutical manufacturing services. This collaboration demonstrates Altea's ability to meet stringent international quality requirements for biotechnological and pharmaceutical products.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EPS Sanitas: One of Colombia's largest prepaid health plans and EPS operators; directly competes with MedPlus Medicina Prepagada for individual and corporate prepaid medicine members.
• Keralty: Colombian multinational healthcare group operating EPS, prepaid medicine, hospitals, and outpatient clinics across Latin America; the closest direct competitor to Cieno's integrated health-services-plus-insurance model.
• Procaps: Colombian pharmaceutical manufacturer and CMO with international presence; directly comparable to Altea Farmacéutica on contract manufacturing and pharmaceutical development.
• Compensar: Colombian compensation/prepaid health and social services family with EPS, prepaid medicine, clinics, and outpatient services — overlapping target market with MedPlus and BlueCare.
• Coomeva: Colombian cooperative offering prepaid medicine and health insurance; competes with MedPlus for individual and corporate prepaid members in the same national market.

Broad incumbents

• Grupo Sura: Large Colombian financial/insurance conglomerate with health insurance and healthcare services; competes with Cieno across prepaid medicine and broader health-services scope but as part of a much larger portfolio.
• Catalent: Large global pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization; comparable to Altea Farmacéutica's CMO business as a benchmark for scale, certifications, and international reach.
• IQVIA: Global clinical research and CRO leader; comparable to Cieno's FDA-certified clinical research center as the dominant benchmark for clinical trial services and pharmacovigilance.

Regional players

• Auna: Latin American oncology and hospital network operating in Peru, Colombia, and Mexico; comparable to Cieno's Clínica Azul as a high-complexity hospital operator but focused on oncology across multiple countries.

Others

• Tecnimede Group: Portuguese pharmaceutical group that co-owns Altadis with Altea; relevant as a strategic partner and as a comparable European pharma commercialization and manufacturing peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cienogroup

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cieno Group