Tech Roundup: Rappi blazing trails in data collection

You’re reading The Brazilian Report‘s weekly tech roundup, a digest of the most important news on technology and innovation in Brazil. This week’s topics: Rappi takes data collection to a new level. Collaboration in Latin American startups. And the lawsuit against video-game producers.

Rappi shows the future of delivery apps

It is no secret that delivery apps use cookies to share our data with companies. This information goes to tech giants such as Google, Facebook, or Twitter, and serves to craft “ads personalized to your interests based upon your internet browsing activity.” But Colombian app Rappi has taken data collection to the next level, launching its new ‘Brands by Rappi’ service.

What is it? Based on data collected from users, Rappi will sell marketing intelligence tools to restaurateurs, with “insights to bring brands closer to customers” by way of digital ads.

• Brands by Rappi allows vendors to “discover patterns in behavior and build targeting strategies.” They will be able to launch micro-targeted ads to consumers in accordance with their purchasing behavior, picking the best time and the best products to promote for each user (see photo below).

Why it matters. According to Chief Marketing Officer Fernando Vilela, Rappi wants consumers to “find what they are looking for as soon as they open the app.” And that will trigger more purchasing decisions — which, for Rappi, means more profit.

Outbranching. The new product is just the latest in a series of expansions by the Colombian ‘superapp.’

• Earlier this year, Rappi launched its own digital bank, RappiBank. Its first product is the working capital credit line RappiCapital, aimed at providing financing to partners.
• Rappi also launched Travel4Business in Colombia and Brazil, giving the company a footprint in the business travel market. By partnering up...