While many AI startups struggle to find their footing, a once-small startup called Domu has grown from a six-person team into a multi-million-dollar business. In just two years, it has achieved what few others have: rapid, revenue-driven growth.
Behind its rise is Camila Zancanella, a Brazilian entrepreneur who combined a passion for innovation with sharp business instincts to create something truly unique: AI-powered voice bots that help large companies communicate more efficiently with their customers: “It’s pretty exciting to think that I’m building something impactful with huge potential, all while being part of a small team. That’s what keeps me motivated every day,” Camila says.
Launched in mid-2023, Domu set out with a clear goal: to automate enterprise call centers with AI that could outperform human agents. Less than two years later, the company is already delivering on that promise.
Domu’s unique approach focuses on a lean, AI-driven model that eliminates the inefficiencies typical in traditional call centers: “Most tasks, roughly 80% of calls, are repetitive such as ‘How do I pay?’ or ‘What’s my balance?’” Camila says. “Our bots handle these, which allows our human workforce to focus on the more complex issues.”
Major institutions such as HDI, Telefonica, and Chubb now trust Domu's technology. But this success didn’t happen overnight: "When we first started in mid-2023, the technology was pretty rough, with robotic voices and many delays," Camila explains. "But as we kept improving it, we created more natural, human-like interactions. We've even outperformed humans in some areas. For example, with telecommunication companies, we boosted their debt recovery rate by 30–40% within the first month."
The numbers say it all: "We're over a million in revenue and growing fast," Camila shares. "With an efficient team, each of us generates more than $200,000 in value every year. It's pretty amazing." That efficiency level comes from her cutting-edge AI strategy, voice bots that handle debt collection and customer service with a human-like touch.
For telcos, Domu's technology increased debt recovery by 30-40% in just one month, improving from 0.8 to 1.4 on older debts: "When I saw that, I thought, ‘This is incredible,’" she says. And we’re not even at our peak yet." With deals rolling in from Fortune 500 insurers like Chubb, Domu is proof that small teams can take on the big players and come out on top.
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Camila's business management skills are the driving force behind this rapid growth. She's a planner, almost obsessively so: "I have my calendar mapped out for today, next week, even the next five years," she explains. "That level of focus lets us scale quickly and intelligently."
Camila initially took charge of product decisions, guiding Domu’s engineering team to refine their AI. This allowed the shift from clunky, laggy, and robotic voices into seamless, human-like interactions: "We began with bad latency and stiff voices," she admits. “Now, people actually think they’re talking to a real person, even though we make it clear it’s AI for compliance reasons."
Mediocre automation is not in Domu’s vocabulary. Domu focuses on optimization, delivering a 5x ROI minimum to enterprise clients: “If they’re not getting at least five times their investment, what’s the point of us?” Camila says.
For Atlas, a U.S.-based firm growing 20% weekly, Domu’s scalable AI avoids the chaos of tripling staff: “Our bots are on 24/7, never tired, always the best agent,” she adds. It’s a plug-and-play solution that’s revolutionizing the economics of customer service.
Nicolás Diaz, President and Co-Founder of Domu, commends Camila’s leadership, technical skills, and contribution to the company's success: "Camila played such a crucial role in our growth, from leading key client projects to fine-tuning our AI technology. Her ability to blend cutting-edge tech with smart strategies delivered some amazing results. For example, she helped reduce non-payment rates by 6% and kept a steady flow of $50 million in monthly payments coming in," Diaz recalls.
He continues: "What really sets Camila apart is her hands-on approach, her deep technical knowledge, and her ability to build strong, lasting relationships with clients. All of these have been really helpful in positioning Domu as a leader in AI-powered customer communication."
Camila’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to São Carlos, Brazil. In this tech hub, her mother taught computer science and her father built and sold two startups: “I grew up watching my dad turn concepts into companies,” she recalls. “That’s when I knew I wanted to build something of my own, something big.”
She went on to earn her Bachelor’s from Fundação Getulio Vargas and a Master’s in Strategic Management from HEC Paris, where she graduated with top honors, including a spot on the Dean's List (Top 5%) and the Excellence-Based Scholarship for maintaining a GPA above 3.75. With her outstanding academic performance, she earned the Best Research Work Award in Business Administration for 2017-2018.
In parallel with her academic excellence, Camila also made a mark in research with her early work in consumer behavior gaining international recognition. She presented a paper on emotional variables and counterfeit consumption at the 26th International Symposium at the University of São Paulo, and another paper entitled “The Effect of Product Conspicuousness and Social Risk on Negative Emotions: the Ethical Dilemma of Consuming Counterfeits” was accepted at the prestigious Association for Consumer Research (ACR) conference in 2019.
At the same time, Camila is also recognized in the entrepreneurial scene. She was selected for elite fellowships like Sigma Squared, the Makers Fellowship, and the Latitud Fellowship, each with highly selective, invitation-only admissions for the most promising startup founders in Latin America. In 2022, she was named a finalist at ITC Vegas’ State Farm Startup Pitch Competition for her work with Domu. These recognitions and invitations reflect her esteemed reputation as both a founder and thought leader in the startup ecosystem.
In terms of Camila’s professional experience, she had roles at Rappi and the Makers Fellowship, which helped her develop a global perspective and a results-driven approach, skills she later brought to her own company, Domu.
This sought-after expert’s leadership style can be best described as intense, hands-on, and hyper-focused on client satisfaction. Camila works 12-13 hours a day, seven days a week, fueled by a vision to “change call centers forever.” Her team shares her relentless drive, helping Domu secure major clients such as one of the world’s top two global insurers: “We just signed one of the biggest insurance companies in the world,” she says.
“With just six people doing this, it’s unreal.” Yet, she keeps Domu agile, outpacing slow-moving giants like Teleperformance.
Camila adds: “Big companies move slow; we’re small and fast,” she asserts. This agility, combined with her strategic foresight, is why Domu is gaining attention in the AI industry.
One of Camila’s strengths is client relationships: “I check in weekly and ask how they are doing, what we can improve, and what the data is telling us,” she says.
“I want them to be the happiest clients around.” And when problems pop up, she’s the first to dive in: “If something’s wrong, I’m like, ‘We’re fixing this now,’” she adds.
This level of transparency and accountability has built rock-solid trust with clients like Skandia, who turn to Domu to test strategies in real time. “Humans take weeks to retrain; we just tweak a parameter and measure it right away,” she explains. It's a business with a tech twist, and it’s helping Domu grow globally.
Camila’s innovative approach and proven ability to deliver results have earned her widespread respect in the industry. Santiago Garcia, CEO of Skandia Colombia, a leading financial services company, can’t stop praising how she transformed their debt collection processes: “Camila’s ability to mix cutting-edge tech with smart strategy has set new standards. It made a real difference in our business,” he says. “Thanks to her leadership, Skandia’s debt recovery rate jumped by over 2%.”
Beyond Domu, Camila is a recognized expert in the startup world. Her role as an angel investor at B2 Founders and as a judge at Y Combinator speaks volumes about her influence. Angel investing is a highly respected role, involving early-stage support for startups, often before they’ve proven their business models. Investors in Y combinator such as Camila offer capital,mentorship, strategic insight, and valuable connections. Likewise, being a judge at Y Combinator, one of the world’s most prestigious startup accelerators, reflects her standing in the tech ecosystem.
Still, Domu's rapid ascent, powered by Camila’s strategic AI vision and exceptional leadership, makes her a well-known leader in the industry.
Camila’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Navigating U.S. compliance across all 50 states is no easy task: “One mistake, and we’re facing a lawsuit,” Camila admits. Yet, her careful and strategic approach turns this red tape into an asset, ensuring compliance while achieving impressive results.
Camila is determined to revolutionize the call center industry: “In five years, AI will handle the routine tasks while humans focus on the more complex work,” she predicts. “We’re building that future now. This is just the beginning.”
