Javier de Lope Francés

Javier de Lope Francés (born 1979) is a Mexican entrepreneur who founded several startups starting in high school. By the end of his college career he had founded 5 businesses, securing one million USD to expand one of them. His career since then has focused on creating new businesses, primarily in real estate and technology in Mexico.

Life De Lope is a first-generation Mexican, born in 1979 to Spanish immigrant parents. His father managed a plastics plant, directing about sixty employees in Puebla. His mother was a professor at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla.

De Lope began his 'business' career at an early age. When he was seven, he recycled for newspapers, cardboard and other materials. He frequented a college cafeteria to collect and then sell cards and buttons that were contained inside potato chip bags and resold them at his school.

De Lope stated several years ago he wanted to retire at age forty, but he is still creating new businesses. One of his teachers collected Hard Rock Café memorabilia and noticed a Hard Rock México pin on de Lope's jacket, which he did not have. These centers have hospital facilities, private doctors' offices and general commercial space.

Technology projects began when Mexico's federal tax authority began shifting to verified digital receipts. He set up several businesses that allows customers and businesses to register deductible purchases online. Technology and real estate are combined in several co-working spaces in Puebla and other cities. In 2019, he started a DNA testing service franchise, Código 46. In almost all cases, De Lope's involvement is in the creation of the business. Once it is running, he sells the business to move onto the next project.

For years, he has been invited to speak about his entrepreneurship experiences and predictions for the future in business in Mexico, Latin America and Spain. At these events, topics have ranged from problems with credit for startups, the need to manage money effectively, never giving up and advice for new businesses after the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asked how he could create businesses outside of his professional expertise, De Lope responded that Mexico has capable professionals he can hire for the technical issues, allowing him to focus on the service and market. He is optimistic about Mexico's entrepreneurial potential, but feels that Mexico's legal and banking system holds the country back. He is the first Spanish speaking person to win the Student Entrepreneur 2000 award from the Jefferson Smurfit Center for Entrepreneurial Studies of the Saint Louis University.

In 2002, he published his autobiography “Para Los Negocios No Hay Edad” (In business there is no age), published by Monterrey Tech with a preface by Mexican president Vicente Fox. The book is in its third edition.