Quick Learnings
Building wearable integrations from scratch consumes engineering resources that could be building features your users actually want. Longevo's CTO Nicolas Lasso learned this early and made a strategic decision that now drives 15% higher engagement from users who connect wearables.
Instead of building integrations in-house, they partnered with Spike Wearables API to handle the technical complexity. Their engineering team focuses on what differentiates their platform: personalized wellness experiences powered by health data.
The problem: Complex health data integration at scale
Longevo transforms wellness in Latin America by combining wearable data with AI-powered coaching and nutrition guidance. Together with Sura, one of Latin America's largest insurance companies, they combine wellness data with patient health history for better risk assessment and personalized recommendations.
Connected users show 15% higher monthly active usage compared to users without wearable integration. The difference? Health data that enables truly personalized experiences.
The challenge was seamless connectivity across multiple wearable devices without consuming significant engineering resources.
Why Longevo chose Spike Wearables API over building in-house
After evaluating multiple providers, Longevo selected Spike Wearables API based on three factors that proved essential during their 2.5-year partnership:
Best value for a growing startup
"We evaluated many providers, and some competitors were too expensive," explains Nicolas Lasso, CTO of Longevo. "We didn't know if it was worth paying that much money for."
Spike's pricing model allowed Longevo to start small and scale as they grew, now serving over 120,000 active accounts.
Superior documentation and infrastructure
"The infrastructure was the best fit for us, and the documentation was everything we were looking for," Nicolas notes. "Some competitors weren't as evolved as Spike."
This foundation proved crucial as Longevo scaled. They could onboard new team members quickly and expand integrations without architectural changes.
Rapid collaborative development
When Longevo needed an API for Nutrition Data, we built this solution together.
"You built the food scanner for us pretty fast," Nicolas recalls. "You didn't go through a long legal process. It was like, 'just build it, and then we can see what we can do with that.'"
This approach enabled Longevo to test features quickly, validate user engagement, and iterate based on real feedback. Now the nutrition data API is available publicly for any app developer to integrate, with implementation possible in as little as a day.
Measurable business impact
The partnership with Spike API delivers quantifiable results that directly support Longevo's growth:
30% wearable adoption drives deeper insights
Nearly one-third of Longevo's users actively connect wearables, providing health data beyond manual input.
"The wearables enable us to actually know what's going on under the hood," Nicolas explains. This data revealed users were engaging in activities outside Longevo's training plans. Insights that drove significant product improvements & further development.
15% higher engagement from connected users
Users who connect wearable devices show 15% better monthly active user metrics. This demonstrates the direct correlation between data access and user retention.
Product development informed by real behavior
Health data integration revealed gaps in Longevo's offerings that weren't visible through app usage alone.
"We could see that we needed to improve our plans, because we were able to see what extra activities users were doing."
Enterprise integration made simple
Longevo's partnership with Sura required seamless health data integration across platforms. Because Sura was already using Spike API for their health initiatives, the integration became straightforward.
"They were already working with wearables," Nicolas explains. "That's what made our integration so easy with them."
This alignment enabled Longevo to focus on their core wellness platform while ensuring enterprise-grade data reliability across Sura's ecosystem.
Engineering support that actually helps
Throughout their partnership, Longevo consistently highlights Spike's support model:
"It's the best support we have from any provider," Nicolas emphasizes. "We're integrated in Slack, and despite time zone changes, that hasn't become an issue."
The support extends beyond troubleshooting: "The whole team has really good communication skills, which is sometimes hard to find. That's made working together so easy for us."
Future-proofing through platform evolution
Longevo's relationship with Spike continues evolving with their growing needs. They're upgrading to access new integrations like Huawei Health and Samsung Health native support, critical for their Latin American market where Android dominates.
"In Latin America, Android has a big market share, so enabling as many Android wearables as possible is really important," Nicolas notes.
The upgrade also provides access to enhanced features like Sleep Score, supporting Longevo's expansion into wellness monitoring.
Key takeaways for health app developers
Partner strategically from day one
Don't treat integrations as an afterthought. Longevo's early decision to partner with Spike enabled them to launch with wearable integrations instead of promising "coming soon" features.
Focus engineering resources on differentiated features
"Spike has been like an enabler," Nicolas explains. "You really helped us scale our business." By outsourcing integration complexity, Longevo's team could focus on AI algorithms, personalized coaching, and user experience innovations.
Plan for enterprise scalability
Longevo's needs evolved from startup to enterprise partnership with Sura. Spike Wearables API accommodated this growth without requiring architectural changes or major engineering investments.
Value partnership over vendor relationships
The most successful integrations go beyond API access. Spike's collaborative approach to feature development, responsive support, and engineering expertise makes us a true partner in growth.
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Ready to focus your engineering resources where they matter most? Check out our documentation to see how Spike API works, or contact our team to discuss your integration requirements.