Jose Marin: Navigating Ventures from E-Commerce to
Investment Expansion
Biography of Jose Marin:
Jose Marin embarked on his professional journey as a
consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, where he honed his strategic and
analytical skills. In 1999, Marin co-founded DeRemate.com, a pioneering online
marketplace modeled after eBay, catering to the Latin American market. The
venture successfully raised $75 million in funding and underwent a partial
cash-out sale to Terra before merging with Mercado Libre, a renowned e-commerce
platform that later went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Mercado Libre,
which went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange in 2006 with a value of $2
billion.
Educational Background and Expertise:
Jose Marin's multifaceted expertise is underscored by his
academic credentials, holding degrees in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering,
as well as an MBA and an MA in International Development Economics from
Stanford University. Marin's comprehensive educational background has equipped
him with a diverse skill set, blending technical proficiency with strategic
acumen and a deep understanding of global economic dynamics. This
multidisciplinary approach has been instrumental in shaping Marin's successful
career trajectory and cementing his status as a visionary leader in the realms
of entrepreneurship and venture capital.
Career Path
Senior Associate at IFM Investors (Jul 2022 - Present)
In his current role, Jose plays a key part as a Senior
Associate at IFM Investors. Here, he contributes to the Infrastructure Equity
division, focusing on making strategic decisions for various investment
projects. Jose's responsibilities involve analyzing market trends, assessing
potential investments, and devising strategies to maximize returns for clients.
Associate at IFM Investors (Jul 2020 - Jul 2022)
Before his current position, Jose served as an Associate at
IFM Investors, where he was part of the Infrastructure Equity team based in
London, UK. During this period, Jose was actively involved in conducting
in-depth research, analyzing financial data, and developing investment models.
His efforts contributed to identifying promising investment opportunities in
the infrastructure sector.
Analyst at ABERTIS (Jul 2016 - Jul 2018)
Jose gained valuable experience as an Analyst at ABERTIS, a
Barcelona-based company specializing in managing infrastructure projects.
During this time, Jose focused on analyzing market dynamics, evaluating
potential mergers and acquisitions, and providing strategic insights to senior
management. His analytical skills and attention to detail were instrumental in
supporting the company's growth initiatives.
Internship at ABERTIS (Jan 2016 - Jul 2016)
As an intern at ABERTIS, Jose had the opportunity to immerse
himself in the Corporate Development and M&A department. During this
internship, Jose assisted with various research and analysis tasks, gaining
firsthand experience in the intricacies of corporate finance and strategic
decision-making processes.
Engineering Internship at Dragados SA (Jul 2014 - Aug 2014)
During his internship at Dragados SA, Jose worked on the
prestigious Queensferry Crossing Bridge project in Scotland. He was involved in
tasks related to planning and quality control within the Marine Foundations
Department. This experience provided Jose with practical insights into the
complexities of large-scale engineering projects.
Internship in Approach Viaducts Department (Jul 2013 - Aug
2013)
In another internship at Dragados SA, Jose worked in the
Approach Viaducts Department, contributing to structural analysis and design
evaluations for the Queensferry Crossing Bridge project. This role enabled Jose
to deepen his understanding of bridge construction and structural engineering
principles.
Jose Marin: Navigating Ventures from E-Commerce to Investment Expansion / Biography of Jose Marin: / Jose Marin:
Internship in Temporary Works Department (Jul 2012)
Jose's internship in the Temporary Works Department at
Dragados SA involved assisting with planning and coordination tasks for the
Queensferry Crossing Bridge project. This experience provided Jose with
hands-on exposure to the technical aspects of temporary structures and
construction logistics.
Current Ventures and Entrepreneurial Endeavors:
Presently, Jose Marin serves as the co-Founder and co-CEO of
IG Expansion, a dynamic venture that specializes in adapting successful
internet business models for emerging markets, with a primary focus on Brazil.
IG Expansion adopts a strategic approach, initiating one project per year and
limiting its portfolio to a maximum of six ventures. With an investment range
of $3 to $5 million per project, IG Expansion has already launched five
successful initiatives, with Viajanet emerging as its flagship project,
offering a comprehensive travel booking platform akin to Expedia for the Latin
American market.
Venture Capital and Investment Initiatives:
In addition to his operational roles, Jose Marin is the
founder of Serendipity Investments, a prominent investment firm that has played
a pivotal role in nurturing over 70 promising startups. Marin's investment
portfolio boasts notable successes, including Bazee, an online auction platform
acquired by eBay in 2005, and eDreams, a leading European travel site acquired
by TA Associates in 2006. Marin's astute investment decisions and strategic
insights have consistently delivered top-tier returns and propelled the growth
of groundbreaking ventures in various sectors.
Investing in Emerging Markets
After his success with DeRemate.com, Jose didn't stop there.
He founded eVision Partners, a company that invested in technology projects in
new and growing markets. Some of these projects included Bazee, an auction
website that was sold to eBay in 2005, and eDreams, a travel website sold to TA
Associates in 2006.
Venturing into Emerging Markets
Now, Jose is doing something new. He's the co-founder and
co-CEO of IGExpansion. This company takes successful internet businesses and
brings them to new places where they haven't been before, like Brazil. It's
like helping businesses grow and reach new customers in different countries.
Current Ventures
Currently, Jose is the Managing Director and co-Founder of
IG Expansion. This company's mission is to take successful internet business
models and introduce them to new markets, especially in Spain and Latin
America. But that's not all; Jose is also the founder of Serendipity
Investments, which has invested in 48 startups. Out of these, 42 are still
active, one has been sold, and five have been sold for a lot more money than
they were invested in, earning over 2.5 times the original investment.
Some companies where Jose
Marin invested
- Spring - Media and Information Services (B2B)
- Dataminr - Business/Productivity Software
- ViajaNet - Restaurants, Hotels and Leisure
- SeatGeek - Restaurants, Hotels and Leisure
- Lover App - Healthcare Services
- Roadster – Automotive
- Kiavi - Specialized Finance
- Bespoke Post - Internet Retail
- Shiftgig - Human Capital Services
- Instacarro – Automotive
- Invion – life-sciences company
- Inturn – provide marketplace software solution
- Home 61 – online real estate brokerage company.
- CodeMentor - remote learning platform
A Timeline for Jose Marin's career and entrepreneurial
ventures:
1999:
Co-founded DeRemate.com, an online marketplace for the Latin
American market.
2002:
Founded eVision
Partners, investing in technology projects in emerging markets.
2005:
Invested in Bazee, an
online auction platform acquired by eBay.
2006:
Invested in eDreams,
a leading European travel site acquired by TA Associates.
2012:
Founded Serendipity Investments, nurturing over 70 startups.
2016:
Joined ABERTIS as an Analyst, specializing in managing
infrastructure projects.
2018:
Transitioned to Senior Associate role at IFM Investors,
focusing on infrastructure equity investments.
Present:
Co-founded IG Expansion, adapting successful internet
business models for emerging markets, and serves as Managing Director.
