As the digital revolution marches forward unrelenting, Mercari is aligning with India’s ascent as a pivotal hub in the global tech infrastructure. They’ve chosen to deepen our roots in the nation’s rich technological soil by establishing our Global Center of Excellence in Bengaluru—a city whose innovative zeal and tech genius reflects the entrepreneurial ethos of Silicon Valley.
Vish Magapu, Senior Director & Site Lead, Mercari India explains how their strategic initiatives in growth and talent acquisition within India are not merely enhancing the operational reach but are reshaping the landscape of e-commerce across the globe.
The strategic imperative of Mercari’s expansion into India
The organisation’s decision to inaugurate the Mercari Global Center of Excellence in Bengaluru is a testament to the city’s magnetic pull. It boasts of a sophisticated infrastructure, an electrifying startup ecosystem, and an eclectic reservoir of skilled professionals — ingredients that make it an attractive destination for global tech giants seeking to establish Global Capability Centres.
Magapu shares, “Our Bangalore hub is being developed as a bastion of engineering ingenuity, dedicated to the intricate craft of core software engineering. The objective is clear: harness the seasoned expertise of India’s engineering mavens, renowned for their ability to architect and scale e-commerce and internet platforms that resonate with millions. The integration of such refined capabilities is poised to catalyse the expansion of Mercari Japan’s consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace and spur the advent of innovative business segments within the Mercari ecosystem.”
Mercari’s vision for India goes beyond tapping into the local talent—it envisions India as a global innovation hub. With an annual GMV of close to JPY 1 trillion and over 22 million active users in Japan, Mercari has set ambitious goals to create a vibrant ecosystem where value circulates seamlessly through e-commerce and financial services, including crypto.
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A triad of foundational values
Magapu shares that Mercari’s expedition in India is guided by a triad of foundational values that define their ethos: Boldness, Unity, and Professionalism.
- Going Bold: At Mercari, they champion the audacity to venture where others hesitate and to innovate relentlessly. Our strategic investments in India exemplify this principle, signalling our commitment to carving out a niche in a market where our Japanese counterparts tread lightly.
- All for One: We believe in the alchemy of teamwork, where the sum is greater than its parts. Our collaborative spirit ensures that every Mercari member is part of a cohesive force, united in vision and concerted in effort, transforming collective goals into realities.
- Be a pro: Professionalism is the cornerstone of our identity at Mercari. Every team member is empowered to embody the highest standards of expertise, fostering a culture of perpetual growth and skill enhancement. This commitment to professional development ensures that each individual’s journey contributes to the overarching narrative of Mercari’s success.
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The Mercari Roadmap: Scaling in India
At Mercari India, the team of 40 dedicated professionals not only support Mercari’s operations in Japan but also spearheads technological innovation. Magapu believes the CoE sets an example for other Japanese tech firms, especially in the non-manufacturing sector, to leverage India’s immense potential. In unison with our Japanese counterparts, our diverse team—boasting talent from over 50 nations—epitomises the essence of global collaboration.
Looking ahead, Mercari is planning to double the headcount next year. “We are primarily focused on platform engineering, architecture, and Foundation areas. Mercari India is evolving as a Global CoE with a focus on core engineering. We are hiring across backend engineering, client engineering and cloud infrastructure. We can hire and scale at a good pace since we started one year back. Due to our focus on core engineering and the interesting problems we are solving at scale, there is good interest from the product engineering community of India to explore opportunities at Mercari,” Magapu reveals.
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Looking ahead with purpose
Mercari is convinced that peer-to-peer marketplaces are the keystones of a sustainable future in shopping, and ‘our mission is to catapult this vision from India to the world stage, maximising the immense potential these marketplaces offer,’ Magapu adds.
He also stresses the fact that Mercari’s endeavours in India represent more than mere expansion—they signify a transformative leap in reimagining innovation’s frontiers. “Our trajectory is charted with an unwavering focus on synergistic collaboration, the exchange of knowledge, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence,” Magapu signs off.
About the author: As Mercari India’s Senior Director and India Site Lead, Vish Magapu leverages his rich experience from giants like Amazon and NASA to drive technological innovation and mentor top-tier engineering teams. His leadership is marked by building scalable software solutions and fostering engineering excellence in the fast-paced tech sectors of Silicon Valley and Bangalore.
