Day 72 of 100 · E-commerce

Mercado Libre

The business plan was written for a class. A professor introduced him to the first investor.

Started atStanford GSB
Founded1999
FoundersMarcos Galperin
CountryArgentina

How it started

It became Latin America's most valuable company.

The lesson for your campus Your professor's network is an asset you are not using.

Why every campus needs an Innovation-Hub

Why we are telling this story

The next company on a list like this one has not been founded yet. Right now it is a student in a lecture hall with an idea nobody has asked about, and no room to build it in. Innovation-Hub is that room: a permanent space inside your institution where students from every department explore, experiment, collaborate and prototype.

See how to start one on your campus →

Ask the Founder

Pick a question — or write your own — and get a grounded answer about how Mercado Libre was actually built.

Opens ChatGPT in a new tab with your question ready. Answers are generated by AI from publicly reported information — they are not statements by the founders. Always check anything important against an original source.

← Day 71: Akamai Day 73: Aerem / Pi Beam →

The next one comes from your campus

Innovation should not be an annual event. It should be a permanent room where students are allowed to build. Bring an Innovation-Hub to your institution.

Start an Innovation-Hub Explore Green-Campus