Simon Borrero

"Busy lifestyles, time constraints and the inconvenience or inability of physically getting to a store are leading more and more people to shop online. However, while digital clothes and travel sales grow daily, consumer products still lag behind. One of the reasons is that ""supermarkets have not gone any further than translating the same web-based shopping experience onto a smaller screen, which is a waste of time and provides a terrible shopping experience for the user,"" according to the young entrepreneur Simón Borrero. To address this situation, Borrero founded Rappi, an online marketplace which offers a wide variety of products and an immediate delivery system. Thanks to this development, Borrero has been named as one of MIT Technology Review, Spanish edition´s Innovators Under 35 Colombia 2016.

The idea was to create ""an interface which replicates the in-store shopping experience, and which leverages people´s shopping habits,"" he explains. This is why he says ""Rappi imitates the aisles and shelves of physical stores, and users can add products to their baskets by swiping the screen."" Rappi also includes a ""last mile logistics service"" rooted in the gig economy, Borrero adds. A ""rappigrocer"" recieves the order, picks it up at the store or restaurant, and delivers it to the customer.

According to Borrero´s data, since its launch Rappi has amassed 80,000 registered users and delivered over one million orders. The monthly volume is 250,000 orders, with a monthly growth rate of between 40% and 50%. Rappi currently operates in the four largest cities in Colombia and in Mexico D.F. (Mexico), boasts 400 employees and 2,000 ""rappigrocers"" who serve customers.

En February of 2016, Rappi was selected by the leading start-up accelerator, Y Combinator, located in Silicon Valley (USA) and completed the most significant investment round in Latin America to date. ""Rappi´s expansion plan is being implemented thanks to financing from Andreesen Horowitz [one of Silicon Valley´s leading investment funds], which will allow the company to expand into Argentina and Brazil,"" the young entrepreneur details.

Borrero ""is a great entrepreneur, amazingly motivated and with a clear vision,"" according to the managing partner of Dalus Capital and jury member for the Innovators Under 35 Colombia 2016 awards, Diego Serebrisky. This expert also highlights Borrero´s ability to launch Rappi in Latin America and attract American investment."