David Marquez

Yo, you gotta hear about David Marquez. This guy’s the real deal in the startup world, especially in the logistics space. So, he’s based in Metro Manila, Philippines, and he’s a co-founder and CTO of this kickass platform called Shipmates. Basically, it’s a courier platform that connects online stores to all kinds of couriers – super needed in a world where e-commerce is blowing up.

He jumped into YC with Shipmates in the S21 batch (that’s 2021, for those who don’t follow the startup grind too closely). The story’s pretty wild because these guys crushed it – after YC, they raised a solid $2.2 million seed round. That’s no small feat, especially coming from a small market like the Philippines. It shows he’s got serious hustle and knows how to turn ideas into real money.

Now, what’s super interesting about David? Before all the funding and hype, he was hands-on from day one. He’s built courier integration software himself, and in the early days, he was the guy personally booking orders for brands before automation took over. That tells me he’s a builder, not just a dreamer. He’s in the trenches, learning every part of the business – from tech to ops to customer stuff – because he believes founders gotta own all of it to truly succeed.

He’s also big on the idea that founders gotta learn across every area of the business. I mean, he talks about how ownership mentality is different for founders versus employees – and he’s right. The way he’s been involved from booking orders to raising millions shows he’s got that founder’s mindset: grind, learn, iterate, and never think you’re above getting your hands dirty.

His background? He’s a De La Salle guy, class of 2014. That’s a solid foundation. But what really stands out is how he’s taken that education and jumped into a space that’s super complicated – logistics, integrations, scaling – and not just played in it, but led it. He’s shared his process through podcasts and blogs, giving the world a peek into what it takes to build something from scratch, especially in a market that’s still new.

Bottom line: David Marquez is a tech entrepreneur who’s totally committed to building solutions that matter. His process from booking orders by hand to raising millions after YC? That’s not luck – that’s grit, deep tech skills, and a mindset that refuses to quit. He’s proof that if you’re willing to get your hands dirty and learn everything, you can turn a small idea into a big, effective company. No Cap, he’s one to watch in the startup scene.