The rise of WhatsApp as a popular platform for online shopping in Latin American countries like Brazil and Chile has been significant. Even during the pandemic, WhatsApp emerged as the preferred e-commerce platform in the region, despite its primary design as a messaging platform. Recognizing this trend, a startup named Mercately is pioneering the development of back-end software to help brands enhance their sales through WhatsApp.
Mercately, a B2B software solution, provides brands with the necessary infrastructure to sell directly on WhatsApp. By integrating with platforms like Stripe and HubSpot, and utilizing AI agents, Mercately enables brands to conduct various operations within WhatsApp itself, from communicating with customers to handling payments and inventory checks seamlessly.
Henry Remache, the co-founder and CEO of Mercately, conceived the idea in 2021 while working on software development projects for companies in Latin America. He observed a client in Ecuador predominantly selling through WhatsApp, prompting the realization that instead of launching additional platforms, brands could leverage existing consumer behavior on WhatsApp for their sales.
Despite the challenges in the fragmented Latin American market, Mercately launched in 2022 and has since enabled over 1,000 companies across 20 countries to streamline their sales processes on WhatsApp. The startup’s revenue has exceeded $1.5 million annually, with a remarkable annual growth rate of 3.5x.
To support its expansion plans, Mercately recently secured a $2.6 million seed funding round led by Inventus Capital Partners and SVQuad, among others. The capital infusion will primarily focus on enhancing their AI chatbot capabilities and expanding market presence in Brazil and the U.S.
Remache highlighted the crucial role of being a Techstars company in opening doors for fundraising and partnerships. Participation in Meta’s “Future of Business Messaging Platform” program brought them in contact with lead investors who shared Mercately’s vision of tapping into WhatsApp’s potential for business services.
With a growing number of startups like Magie and Félix Pago emerging on WhatsApp, Mercately faces potential competition from existing players focusing on marketing and customer engagement. Nevertheless, the deep integration of WhatsApp in Latin American culture underscores the vast opportunity for businesses to tap into the platform for commerce, mirroring the success of Shopify in web-based e-commerce in the U.S.
