Over the past few years, global startups from the U.S. and Spain, including Uber, WeWork, Cabify, Glovo have quickly built up teams in Peru .
Now regional startups are validating the growth opportunity in Peru, especially in mobility, delivery and logistics in Lima. Rappi recently entered by teaming up with the Diloo founders. Now Grin and Liftit have raised rounds to finance regional expansion and are hiring teams in Peru.
Rappi in Lima is led by Jose Ignacio Bernal and Eugenio La Rosa, who founded Diloo, a UTEC Ventures portfolio company in the hyperlocal delivery space. Their titles are City Manger, rather that Country Manager, which gives some insight on Rappi’s model and how it views the region.
Grin hired Dusko Kelez, previously at Taximo, to launch operations in Peru. The company recently combined with Yellow and raised a $150 million round.
Liftit just announced a large round from regional investors, including Jaguar Ventures and IFC. Brian York, founder of Liftit, spoke of the startup on a podcast with Nathan Lustig. Liftit is currently on the lookout for talent to lead the Peru operation.