Chiper

Founded in 2018 by Jose Jair Bonilla, Carolina García, and Oscar Sarria, the company emerged from Imaginamos, a Colombian software studio that also played a role in incubating the unicorn delivery app, Rappi. Bonilla, an industrial designer with extensive experience in technology projects, saw the potential to transform the fragmented corner store market after a small project for a single wholesaler unexpectedly attracted widespread interest. This experience, combined with García's background in economics, CPG consulting, and a previous startup focused on corner stores, and Sarria's expertise in industrial engineering and logistics, formed the foundation for Chiper's mission.

The company operates in a market where small, family-run stores constitute a significant portion of the retail landscape, generating over $330 billion in annual revenue but often lacking modern technology and efficient inventory management. Chiper addresses these challenges by providing a centralized digital platform where store owners can order a wide range of products for next-day delivery. This service allows merchants to better manage their cash flow by reducing the need to hold large amounts of inventory. Chiper's business model involves purchasing inventory directly and applying a markup on the products sold through its app. To date, the company has successfully raised $78 million in funding over six rounds, with a significant $53 million Series B round in November 2021 led by Tiger Global Management and Nosara Capital.

Chiper's core offering is its mobile and web platform, which functions like an Amazon for corner stores, allowing them to restock everything from groceries to pet food. Beyond simple procurement, the company is developing a comprehensive operating system, ChiperOS, which incorporates AI-powered tools for order management, intelligent inventory control, and route optimization to enhance efficiency for its distribution partners. Furthermore, Chiper has expanded its services to include Chiper Ads, a B2B retail media network that enables consumer product goods (CPG) companies to run targeted advertising campaigns on the platform, creating an additional revenue stream.