Mercari Inc., Japan’s largest C2C marketplace, announced the formal opening of its new office for its Global Center of Excellence (GCoE) in Bengaluru, India. The company is taking strategic steps to expand its footprint and bolster its presence in India by doubling its workforce. Mercari boasts over 22 million active users in Japan and aims to build a robust ecosystem where value circulates while developing financial and crypto services based on an e-commerce-type platform. Mercari is Japan’s largest community-powered marketplace with close to JPY 1 trillion yearly GMV.
The new GCoE in India is located in Vaishnavi Tech Park in Sarjapur. Currently comprising a team of 40 employees, the CoE has been instrumental in supporting Mercaris operations in Japan. Working closely with the Japanese development team, which includes members from over 50 countries worldwide, Mercari India fosters an environment of cross-functional teamwork and knowledge-sharing.
The inauguration of the new office was graced by global leaders from Japan, led by the
Mr Shintaro Yamada, Group CEO, Mr Naoki Aoyagi Senior Vice President of Japan
Region, Ms Sayaka Eda, Senior Vice President of Corporate Chief Financial Officer, Mr Ken Wakasa, & VP Group CTO-Mercari Inc, along with the India Head- Mr Vish Magapu. It was attended by employees, partners, and customers from across the
region.
Mr Ken Wakasa, VP & Group CTO-Mercari Inc said Today marks a remarkable milestone in Mercaris journey as we further expand our footprint in India. The inauguration of our new Center of Excellence underscores Mercaris commitment to nurturing innovation and technical expertise on a global scale. With our growing team of talented professionals in India, we are ideally positioned to drive technological breakthroughs and deliver exceptional experiences to our customers worldwide.
The inauguration of the new office marks a momentous occasion for Mercari India,
underscoring the Mercari Group's unwavering commitment to establishing India as its global innovation center. Mercari India has emerged as Mercari Group’s first center of excellence in the summer of 2022, driving innovation and technical expertise while bridging the gap between Japan and India. It will double its headcount, with specialized teams focusing on the backend, mobile development, infrastructure, and more. These new hires will fortify the company’s engineering workforce and also foster diversity and inclusivity within the CoE. The Center comprises versatile teams specializing in various technical domains, ensuring a holistic approach to technical contributions.
We are thrilled to commemorate the successful journey of Mercari India’s Center of
Excellence. Over the past year, our team of highly skilled tech talents has played a
pivotal role in driving innovation and enabling Mercaris growth, said Vish Magapu, the
Senior Director, and Site Lead of Mercari India. Our objective is to establish Mercari
as a global tech powerhouse by leveraging the potential that India’s diverse talent pool
offers.
Magapu added, Mercari strongly believes in India’s potential to create new innovations. Our India CoE is committed to developing applications for Mercari Japan reinforcing our dedication to delivering seamless user experiences worldwide.
The new office boasts unique spaces catering to various needs, including areas for large-group communication such as company-wide All Hands meetings, open-door sessions, and offsites; designated project areas for teams to collaborate offline; and comfortable lounge spaces for casual chats, embodying Mercari’s vibrant culture.