Rob Weir is the CEO and founder of Maguey Exchange (MGx) (Techstars 2024). A West Point graduate and former U.S. Army Ranger, Rob's journey from helping Afghan farmers access global markets to revolutionizing the artisanal spirits industry was shaped by his experiences in supply chain, manufacturing, and economic development. After earning his MBA from Chicago Booth and consulting with Kearney for Fortune 100 companies and foreign governments, Rob founded MGx to bridge the gap between artisanal producers and global markets.

What does your company do, and why is it important?

Maguey Exchange (MGx) is revolutionizing the $380B+ artisanal spirits industry by building what we call "the Etsy for spirits and wine." But that analogy only scratches the surface of our impact.

Our B2B marketplace and supply chain platform addresses a critical market inefficiency: while craft spirits are growing at 29% CAGR, the industry still operates on handshakes and WhatsApp messages. These inefficiencies add 15-20% to costs and create significant barriers for artisanal producers trying to reach global markets.

Our platform has three integrated components:

• Producer App: Capturing 250+ data points per producer for quality and compliance

• Buyer Portal: AI-powered matching and procurement tools

• Supply Chain Management: End-to-end logistics and compliance automation

Beyond the business metrics, we're preserving cultural heritage. In Oaxaca alone, we work with 150+ producers, many representing generations of traditional craftsmanship. By helping these artisans thrive in the digital age, we're ensuring these traditions continue while enabling sustainable growth.

How is what you are building disrupting your industry?

While existing players focus on single functions like distribution or import, MGx is the first to provide a comprehensive solution from producer discovery through final delivery. This end-to-end approach has delivered remarkable results:

• 80% reduction in sourcing time

• 30% reduction in operational costs

• 92% customer retention

• 100% producer retention

Our innovation goes beyond digitizing transactions. We're creating infrastructure for local production with global distribution through:

• Community-led growth via WhatsApp/Discord channels

• "Chef's Table" style content marketing

• Integrated compliance and logistics tools

• Real-time market intelligence sharing

What has been your proudest moment or biggest triumph in your entrepreneurial journey?

While reaching 450+ verified producers and $14K MRR are significant milestones, our proudest moments come from individual impact stories. One particularly meaningful success was our first producer in Oaxaca achieving global distribution.

This family had been producing mezcal for three generations but struggled to access international markets due to complex regulations and limited connections. Within three months of joining MGx, they secured their first significant global contract for a life-changing sum. Today, they're shipping pallets all over the world and growing at a phenomenal rate.

This success validated our core belief: combining tradition with technology creates a transformative impact. It's not just about transactions — it's about preserving heritage and maintaining sustainability while enabling growth.

Are there any lessons you've learned along the way that you wish someone had shared with you when you started?

Three critical lessons stand out:

Field-First Development

We spent 18 months in the field conducting "office hours" with producers before launching our platform. This deep immersion helped us understand that producers needed more than just a marketplace — they needed comprehensive tools for growth. Additionally, buyers need expanded capabilities to "find, manage, and connect" while maintaining true visibility and control.

Community Building

Our WhatsApp and Discord channels have become vital platforms for knowledge sharing between producers. This community-led growth has driven both producer and customer referrals, proving that in traditional industries, trust and relationships remain paramount.

Content as Trust

Our "Chef's Table" style content series has been crucial for building trust and community. By telling producer stories authentically, we've created connections that transcend typical B2B relationships.

Why did you want to do an accelerator, and why did you choose Techstars?

We chose Techstars for three key reasons:

Marketplace Expertise

Their track record with marketplace companies and understanding of network effects aligned perfectly with our model.

Global Network

Access to mentors who understand both technology and traditional industries has been invaluable for our unique position in bridging these worlds.

Growth Focus

Their emphasis on founder development helped us scale from product-market fit to the growth stage, ultimately leading to partnerships with strategic investors.

As we continue expanding our producer network and launching in new markets across the globe, the Techstars experience and network remain crucial to our success. We're not just building a company — we're creating infrastructure that could transform how artisanal goods reach global markets.

What was your biggest takeaway from your time spent in program with Techstars?

Techstars helped us realize we weren't just building a spirits procurement platform — we were creating infrastructure for global artisanal trade. This broader vision has shaped everything from our product development to our go-to-market strategy.

Our technology framework is now designed for easy adaptation to other fragmented artisanal industries like coffee, textiles, and specialty foods. With $115B annual spend on procurement and supply chain in spirits alone, similar inefficiencies across categories represent a massive opportunity for expansion.

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