From Uber to impact: a fireside chat with Rui Bento by maze and Endeavor

Credits: Nikita from Kroo // @krooteam

Impact is made, not found - a founder’s journey was fireside chat with entrepreneur Rui Bento, highlighting his journey from Uber to founding Kitch and his current venture in electric mobility. The conversation challenged impact skeptics to reconsider their view on impact, presenting it not just as avoiding harm, but as an intentional core element of successful business models. Through Rui's experiences with Kitch's pivot during the pandemic and subsequent acquisition, we were reminded of the importance of adaptability, resilience, and aligning personal purpose with business opportunities. Ultimately, it argues that businesses driven by internal purpose, and the ambition of leaving the world a little bit better than we found it, can be a force for good while also being financially successful.

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending an eye-opening fireside chat featuring Rui Bento, a serial entrepreneur with an impressive track record, interviewed by Pedro Ribeiro Santos, a Managing Partner at Armilar hosted by maze and Endeavor called Impact is made, not found - a founder’s journey.

The Players

Pedro, our interviewer, is no stranger to the world of entrepreneurship. With a background in physics and economics, he has been in the business of selecting and nurturing scale-up entrepreneurs for 15 years. Surprisingly, or not, he rides a onewheel. Talk about work-life balance!

Rui Bento, our interviewee, is a kind force to be reckoned with. From managing Uber's operations in Portugal and Southern Europe to founding Kitch (later acquired by Glovo), Rui's journey is a testament to the power of adaptability and purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Maze has invested in Rui as a founder through the MSM fund and more recently Rui became a Venture Partner at maze helping us optimise our Venture Capital tool.

Credits: Nikita from Kroo // @krooteam

The Kitch Story: Pivoting with Purpose

Kitch started as a software stack and dark kitchen for local independent restaurants. But when the pandemic hit, Rui and his team quickly realised that their clients' needs had changed dramatically. Instead of sustainable dark kitchens, these local independent heroes needed help managing online orders to survive the pandemic, and that is what they did.

This ability to adapt and serve a pressing need didn't go unnoticed. Glovo, after browsing through about 80 companies in the space, chose to acquire Kitch. At the time of acquisition, Kitch was already established in Lisbon and Porto, and expanding in Spain, with a team of 40 and hundreds of restaurants on board.

The Roller-coaster of Acquisition

Rui's candid sharing about the acquisition process was eye-opening. He discussed some unexpected moments, like Glovo itself being acquired by Delivery Hero, and touched on the business dynamics and adjustments that come with being part of a larger company. It's a stark reminder that even in the world of impact-driven businesses, market forces play a significant role.

Credits: Nikita from Kroo // @krooteam