Launched in Brazil last year for a trial period, luxury transportation platform Vippers is investing R$50 million in the country and is now in the final stage of developing its app to operate on a larger scale in Brazil. I mean, not much.
The company will act as a “premium members’ club,” according to Polish businessman Jaroslaw Piasecki, founder and CEO of the company, which aims to attract a small segment of 0.1% of São Paulo’s population. The platform also operates in Rio de Janeiro.
With a fleet of armored BMWs and bilingual drivers, the trip costs R$1,000 per hour. Without opening the door to revenue, Piasecki – who also has other tourism-related businesses and modeling agency Level – ensures there is room for the company to expand in the country, and says the platform is already doubling in size every month.
Vippers fans have access to private drivers and luxury cars. Why would they give up that to order a car from an app?
If you think about it, this guy doesn’t have three Mercedes S’s, he has one. He has two drivers at most. My clients have teenage daughters or sons who sometimes need a last-minute driver, but the professional may have already been released. So, Vippers are an extension of the world of these people, who use our cars for family purposes or for specific occasions, such as picking them up from the airport or even for privacy reasons. That’s why Vippers places so much emphasis on the idea of standardization. I only have two types of categories (of cars).
any?
First class: the BMW 745 LE, an ultra-luxury reclining limousine, and the BMW X7, an SUV that also has a reclining seat and seats up to seven people. This standardization is important because if a person has guests, they can double this service. I heard a complaint in Rio de Janeiro from a famous rock band that wanted three identical Range Rovers, and throughout Rio, companies didn’t have that to offer.
How big is this market in Brazil?
The calculation is very simple. My goal is to reach just 0.1% of the population of São Paulo. Here we are already talking about 250 cars. This more or less coincides with the fleet of similar competitors, for example in London.
How many vehicles do Vippers have today?
In our fleet we have 40 cars. But we still don’t achieve 100% occupancy because I’m investing in infrastructure, so when we launch the app, we have full coverage of the main areas, which in São Paulo are Itaim Bibi, Vila Nova Conceição, Vila Olimpia and Jardins.
There are already companies with armored cars in Brazil. What sets Vipers apart?
Let’s go beyond the car. For us, the choice of drivers is very important. Today we have 50 drivers who went through the selection process from 20,000 candidates. They are all bilingual and professional. In addition to pulling criminal records, we look for market recommendations. Our safety doesn’t just come from the car. All our drivers are trained in defensive driving, because there is no point in having an armored car if the driver is not aware of what is happening around him, or if the car is being followed…
How do you make this choice?
Every driver who wants to apply must fill out a very detailed form. We are only looking for people who are emotionally stable. Therefore, we prefer those who already have a family and children. We are also looking for people who do not have any kind of addiction, even smoking. Especially because we don’t want to leave odors in our cars, they all have high-end Acqua di Parma fragrance diffusers. Personally, I sometimes conduct interviews to see if I am a bilingual candidate. We also have a Mandarin speaking driver.
What are the prices for races?
The watch starts at R$1,000. However, if a person rents more hours, the price decreases. If a person only needs to use the car for three hours, for example, it is more expensive than renting a car for a daily rental.
It’s a very select audience.
I don’t see Vippers for AAA class only. I think we will also be interesting for the upper class who, from time to time, wants to treat themselves well when they go out and buy a luxury bag, and it’s a special day. Why would a person buy a regular Chanel bag? I bet a lot on this wave of people who want to pamper themselves.
How to access Vibers?
The application will start for members only. If the customer registers and already has a sophisticated bank card, it will be opened directly. Otherwise the person must receive an invitation. So it won’t be open to just anyone. Popular apps today are almost like buses, since there is a random driver and the user does not know who they are sharing the car with. In addition to the issue of hygiene which is very problematic. In Vippers, between races, the driver has a toolkit to keep the car clean. It will be a very exclusive experience, only for premium club members.
X-rays
Jaroslaw Mikolaj Piasecki, 45
1980, Lodz (Poland)
As a director and co-founder of several companies, he decided to invest in Brazil in several areas, including travel companies, tourism services, modeling agencies and executive mobility. In 2024, he founded Vippers, a luxury mobility platform focused on high-end transportation. This year, he also launched Level, a modeling agency with international ambitions.
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