Rappi

You’re doing something right if your company name becomes a verb. Rappi—the “everything app” of Latin America that can be used to order dinner, groceries, and other goods, book a hotel room, get a credit card, send birthday greetings, and more—has achieved that rare distinction. “To Rappi” something has come to mean quick delivery across Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. With new Marriott International and FC Barcelona partnerships inked in 2023 that allow seamless connection to rewards programs and exclusive surprises (delivered by Rappi drivers), the company is becoming ubiquitous. Sebastian Mejia, who co-founded the startup in Bogotá in 2015, attributes Rappi’s popularity among 30 million-plus users to its local focus, allowing for tweaks geared to specific regions, cities, and even neighborhoods. “Latin America is very special,” Mejia says. “The social, economic, investment and traffic conditions are different, and you need to understand the region deeply to be successful.” Fresh off its first break-even year, in 2024 the company is investing $110 million to grow in Mexico, including by expanding its Rappi Turbo service to deliver food and pharmacy goods to more customers in just 10 minutes.