What Kardias does

Kardias A.C. is a Mexican nonprofit civil association (Asociación Civil) founded in 2000 by pediatric cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Alexis Palacios-Macedo Quenot to address congenital heart disease — the second leading cause of death in children under five in Mexico. The organization operates the Kardias Program across two specialized centers: the public Instituto Nacional de Pediatría (INP, partner since 2000) and the private Centro Pediátrico del Corazón ABC-Kardias (CPC, inaugurated 2019 at Centro Médico ABC Observatorio Campus). It delivers pediatric cardiac surgeries and catheterizations through a full-time multidisciplinary medical team of 89 health professionals across 8 specialties, supported by specialized equipment including VIVID IQ 4D echocardiography and integrated anesthesia monitoring systems.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit structure funded by individual donations (one-time and monthly, tax-deductible via SAT donataria autorizada status, including international giving via GlobalGiving), corporate sponsorships (Televisa Univisión/TUDN, izzi/Telmex, Banorte, Banamex, Club América, Jumex Sport), medical service fees at CPC for private-pay patients, and sports-event participation fees from annual Carrera Kardias (14,815 runners in the 2024 12th edition) and Gran Fondo (1,950 cyclists in the 7th edition). The cross-subsidization model channels private donations and private-patient revenue to subsidize public-referral care, with 95.1% of 2024 patients coming from the public sector and 88% of 2023 procedures provided at no cost to low-income families.

Product and technology layers include the Kardiopedia.mx Spanish-language academic platform (1,500+ participants), Televisitas weekly teleconference patient rounds with Texas Children's Hospital (900+ virtual visits), monthly registration of clinical data into international databases IQIC and WDPCHS audited annually, and a SAT donataria autorizada tax framework. The organization maintains a referral network (referenciación) connecting public hospitals across Mexico — including Hospital de la Niñez Oaxaqueña — to INP and CPC, positioning Kardias as the operational backbone of pediatric cardiac care in Mexico with 4,300+ procedures performed, 4,000+ hearts repaired, and a 98.1% average survival rate over the past three years.

Name

Kardias

Legal name

Kardias A.C.

Website

https://kardias.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kardias is a Mexican nonprofit civil association that delivers specialized pediatric cardiac surgeries and catheterizations to children with congenital heart disease, primarily from low-income families, through a public-private partnership with Instituto Nacional de Pediatría and Centro Pediátrico del Corazón ABC-Kardias.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cardiac Care Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiovascular / Cath Lab & Electrophysiology Centers (HLAFAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interventional Cardiology (PCI/Structural Heart) (HLAKABAB)

Keywords

• Pediatric cardiac care
• Congenital heart surgery
• Nonprofit healthcare services
• Cardiac catheterization
• Medical training

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad De Mérida

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual donations: One-time and monthly donations from individuals, both Mexican and international (via GlobalGiving), tax-deductible in Mexico through SAT-authorized donataria status.
2. Corporate sponsorships: Sponsorships from companies for sports events and program support, including presenting sponsors for carrera and gran fondo events.
3. Medical service fees: Revenue from medical services at Centro Pediátrico del Corazón ABC-Kardias, including consultations and procedures, with different cost structures for public referral patients, private patients, and those under the medium vulnerability program.
4. Sports event participation fees: Registration fees from participants in Carrera Kardias (running) and Gran Fondo (cycling) events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kardias A.C. is a Mexican nonprofit civil association (Asociación Civil) that provides specialized pediatric cardiac care — including cardiac surgeries and catheterization procedures — to children with congenital heart defects. It operates a public-private partnership program at the Instituto Nacional de Pediatría (INP) and a private specialty center, the Centro Pediátrico del Corazón ABC-Kardias (CPC) at Centro Médico ABC, with operations funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programa Kardias (Kardias Program)
• Centro Pediátrico del Corazón ABC-Kardias (CPC)

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.1% average survival rate over past 3 years at CPC
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Televisa Univisión / TUDNmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Major media partner organizing the Carrera Kardias TUDN. In 2024, 14,815 runners participated in the 12th edition. TUDN provides extensive media coverage and event organization.
• izzi (Telmex)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Telecommunications company organizing the Gran Fondo Adolfo Lagos izzi Kardias cycling event. 1,950 cyclists participated in the 7th edition in 2024.
• BanortemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Financial institution presenting sponsor of Carrera Kardias events.
• Jumex SportminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Beverage company presenting sponsor for first time in 2024 Gran Fondo.
• Club AméricaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Professional soccer team participating as ambassador in Carrera Kardias TUDN events.
• AMSA (Alianza Médica para la Salud)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Medical alliance providing support for professional training. Funded Dr. Orlando Tamariz's participation in OMI seminar at Salzbourg and signed training agreement with Kardias.
• Fundación Ortega y MarañónminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Foundation granting three scholarships for Kardias medical team members to pursue Master's in Healthcare Management.
• American Heart AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Provides Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. 40 healthcare professionals from Oaxaca trained in 2024-2025.
• La ModernaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Event sponsor for Gran Fondo Adolfo Lagos izzi Kardias 2024.
• CoconalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Event sponsor for Gran Fondo Adolfo Lagos izzi Kardias 2024.
• Hospital de la Niñez OaxaqueñamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Regional hospital partnership for patient referral. In 2024, 37 patients from Oaxaca received 39 procedures (8 diagnostic catheterizations, 11 therapeutic catheterizations, 20 surgeries) at CPC.
• Fundación ABCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Foundation managing funds for CPC program. Consolidated partnership formalizing Kardias as primary donor for Centro Pediátrico del Corazón.
• Global ARCHmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019International collective strengthening organizations dedicated to cardiac conditions. Dr. Alexis Palacios-Macedo and Blanca del Valle serve on the Board of Directors.
• Dell Children's Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019International hospital alliance providing technical assistance and training support to the Kardias medical team.
• Centro Médico ABCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Private medical center hosting the Centro Pediátrico del Corazón ABC-Kardias. The 2019 alliance consolidated the partnership for pediatric cardiac care implementation.
• International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012International initiative led by Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard that administers databases for pediatric cardiac surgery quality improvement. Kardias contributes clinical data annually for independent auditing.
• Banamex / CitibanamexmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2011Historical event partner for Carrera Kardias since first edition in 2011.
• Texas Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003International medical partnership for training and consultation. Texas Children's Hospital provides technical assistance to the Kardias medical team through weekly teleconference patient rounds, professional development, and academic collaboration. This partnership strengthens the quality of pediatric cardiac care in Mexico.
• Instituto Nacional de Pediatría (INP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Public tertiary pediatric hospital where the Kardias Program originated. Kardias supports the Division of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery through medical team funding, equipment donations, and training programs.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Children's HeartLink: U.S.-based nonprofit that partners with hospitals in developing countries to train pediatric cardiac teams — closely comparable to Kardias's PPP model of pairing international medical institutions (e.g., Texas Children's) with local hospitals in Mexico.
• Operation Smile: Nonprofit providing free cleft and other pediatric surgeries in low-resource settings through local partner hospitals and volunteer medical teams — closely comparable PPP nonprofit surgical delivery model in emerging markets.
• HeartGift Foundation: Nonprofit providing life-saving cardiac surgeries to children from countries without access to care — directly comparable in mission (pediatric congenital heart surgery) and model (cross-subsidized charity care funded by donations and events).
• Smile Train: Global nonprofit funding free cleft surgeries in developing countries via a PPP model with local hospitals — directly analogous to Kardias's PPP structure, training/quality-assurance emphasis, and event-driven fundraising.

Emerging players

• Global ARCH: International collective for organizations focused on congenital and rheumatic heart disease; Kardias leadership serves on its board. Comparable as a peer advocacy/coordinating body in the same pediatric cardiac mission space.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Children's Hospital: Leads the IQIC database in which Kardias participates; one of the global benchmark institutions for pediatric cardiac surgery quality and a relevant incumbent for the same clinical specialty and quality-audit ecosystem.
• Texas Children's Hospital: U.S. top-ranked pediatric hospital and Kardias's core international partner since 2003; comparable in delivering world-class pediatric cardiac care and training, though as a much larger incumbent rather than a focused nonprofit.
• Rady Children's Hospital Heart Institute: U.S. pediatric cardiac specialty center within a major children's hospital; relevant benchmark for clinical scale, surgical outcomes, and program structure in pediatric congenital heart care.

Regional players

• Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez: Major public pediatric specialty hospital in Mexico City where pediatric cardiac services are also delivered — relevant peer for clinical capacity and as part of the public referral ecosystem that feeds Kardias's program.
• Fundación Teletón: Mexico's largest pediatric rehabilitation nonprofit, funded via a televised telethon — comparable as a Mexican pediatric-health nonprofit competing for the same individual and corporate donor pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kardias1894
• Facebookfacebook.com/kardiasac
• Instagraminstagram.com/kardiasac
• TikToktiktok.com/@kardiasac
• Xx.com/kardiasac

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Kardias