Latin America is aging rapidly, and with it, a still largely unexplored sector is growing: the Silver Economy—that is, companies and organizations that offer goods and services to improve the quality of life for older adults. But who is behind this movement, and how prepared are they to grow?

To answer this question, we analyzed a sample of 339 organizations dedicated to the Silver Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean, examining who they are, how they operate, and what holds them back. The result is a distinct ecosystem: young leadership—dominated by Millennials and Generation X—unusually high gender parity (51.9% of executive positions are held by women), and a high level of education, with 61% of leaders holding graduate degrees, well above the regional average.

We also found strong, committed teams: more than half of the projects operate with formal boards of directors, 81% have at least two partners, and 7 out of 10 entrepreneurs devote themselves full-time to their initiatives. And the value proposition is well-defined: 81.4% design their services with the specific needs of older adults in mind.

But alongside these strengths lies its greatest challenge: despite its enormous social value, only 11.2% of organizations have received significant external investment, planning rarely extends beyond the short term, and labor informality remains high. The sector’s appeal has not yet translated into the capital or management capabilities it needs to scale up.

The verdict? An ecosystem brimming with talent and purpose, but one that needs patient capital and better management tools to take off. Read all the findings in the full report.