Brasil’s Rapiddo Takes Stake in Colombia’s Mensajeros Urbanos

Brasil’s Rapiddo has taken a stake for an undisclosed sum in Colombian startup Mensajeros Urbanos, Finance Colombia has learned. The Colombian startup, incubated in Telefonica’s  initiative titled Wayra Colombia, provides express messenger and delivery services, along with a web based ordering and tracking system.

Mensajeros Urbanos already has 400 messengers delivering 10,000 packages per month, under the supervision of CEO Santiago Pineda, and founders Rafael Socarras and Juan David Vizcaya. “We are looking for investors that can carry us to greater growth. With Rapiddo, we have identified a total synergy of business vision, the tools, and market experience that will allow us to perfect our services,” explained CEO Pineda.

Pictured above, left to right: Rafael Socarrás – CTO & Cofounder, Santiago Pineda – CEO, Emilia Ramirez – Commercial Director, Juan David Viscaya – COO & Cofounder.

Pineda also indicated that Colombia’s market shows a rising consumer demand for technological solutions, but above all, the solution brings value to consumers and businesses that are faced with the famous congestion in most significant Colombian cities. “Colombia is one of the world’s three largest markets in Latin America for our kind of business, and we have experienced a strong demand via smartphone, and e-commerce orders, just like what has happened in Brasil now for several years. For this reason, our goal is to invoice $500,000 USD in the next six months.”

The investment is purposed towards developing the logistics technology platform, and leveraging the mature technologies already developed by Rapiddo, and in use in Brasil. Talks began in the first quarter of 2015, as Rapiddo continues to execute on its growth plan in principal Latin American cities. “In the next six months, we hope to reach metrics similar to what we have in Brasil, that is to say 1,200 messengers, 10,000 customers, and 50,000 deliveries per month,” said Guilherme Bonifácio, the CEO of Rapiddo.

Mensajeros Urbanos might be described as “uberizing” the message delivery service. The company’s core product is a mobile app that connects users with a network of trained individuals equipped (usually with a light motorcycle) to deliver e-commerce merchandise, home delivery, and documents. Using technology, the system routes orders to optimize delivery time, monitor package location in real time, guarantee service quality, and bring urban delivery service to a higher level of professionalism.

Wayra is part of Telefónica’s Open Future Initiative, a global network of entrepreneurs that seeks to promote innovation and the identification of new talent in Latin America and Europe, in the fields of new information, communications and technology (ICT). It is a form of business incubation that provides workspace, mentors, and technology tools, as well as financing necessary to support entrepreneurial growth.