Rodrigo Beceiro, a graduate in Telecommunications Engineering, and his partner and co-founder Paula Martínez, both graduates of the Master’s in Technology Business Management program at Universidad ORT Uruguay, tell us what it’s like to be an entrepreneur in a field such as machine learning, the skills they had to develop in a market that wasn’t yet ready, and the results they’ve achieved over the years.
They also look back on their time in college and the opportunities it provided them.
How did the idea to start a business come about?
The idea to start a business came about after we completed our Master’s thesis in Technology Business Management at Universidad ORT Uruguay. We were working on a toy that required artificial intelligence, and as a result, we realized that if we wanted to move forward with it, there weren’t many companies that could help us. This eventually led us, after a period of reflection, to start a company like Marvik. We realized there was an unmet need in the market.
What opportunities did you see in the market that motivated you to do this?
When we started Marvik, we understood that the market was still in its early stages for a company like ours. The technology at the time was still in its infancy, and it was clear that there weren’t many applications available. We also saw a lack of skilled professionals in the industry, which presented both opportunities and challenges to be addressed. With this in mind, we decided it was a good time to move forward, and that’s exactly what we did. Today, with the explosion of artificial intelligence we’re seeing, we believe it was a smart move. The experience we’ve gained over the past few years now allows us to take much greater advantage of recent advancements like ChatGPT and so many others.
They specialize in machine learning. What is the company's work like, and who is it aimed at?
We work on a wide variety of topics and technologies. All of them involve artificial intelligence; we have many projects focused on natural language processing, computer vision, and predictive analytics—such as recommendation engines. Our clients are world-class, including Fortune 500 companies (Fortune Global 500 is a ranking of the world’s top 500 companies by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by Fortune magazine), as well as highly innovative startups. A common thread in our work is state-of-the-art technology and constant innovation.
The team consists of data scientists, machine learning engineers, data engineers, and software engineers. Many have a background in software, while others come from various engineering and related fields. It is a team that has master’s degree holders as well as some advanced undergraduates.
What did the university offer you that helped with your professional development?
The university gave us the opportunity to learn practical tools and concepts for the world of entrepreneurship, guided by excellent professors. It also provided a chance to network with fascinating people. In our case, we also had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco to visit venture capital firms and startups, and to gain a much deeper understanding of the Silicon Valley ecosystem.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business?
Be absolutely sure you want to do this. Starting a business when things are going well is very rewarding and teaches you a lot, but it’s also a path that involves many sacrifices and some frustrations. It’s also important to do it with good partners. It’s important to have a team that shares your values and long-term vision.