The world’s relationship with convenience has changed.
Speed has become currency — whether it’s a five-minute grocery delivery or an instant checkout on a single click. Quick-commerce isn’t just disrupting retail; it’s redefining consumer patience.
In 2025, global funding for instant-delivery startups has rebounded with fresh models — fewer dark stores, more hybrid retail, tighter logistics, and profit over pure speed.
Here are 10 quick-commerce companies shaping the future of instant delivery — and what they’re building next.
1. Flink (Germany)
Tagline: From groceries to everyday essentials — Germany’s lightning-fast unicorn
Founders: Oliver Merkle, Julian Dold, Niklas Östberg
Funding: Raised ≈ $1.1 billion total; latest round $200 million Series D.
Investors: Delivery Hero, Mubadala Capital, Bond Capital.
Why they stand out: Flink pivoted from ultra-fast to sustainable delivery — fewer SKUs, higher margins. Their precision-zone logistics are a masterclass in density economics.
Next move: Scale into Southern Europe; launch own-brand essentials; achieve profitability by Q4 2025.
2. Zepto (India)
Tagline: India’s 10-minute revolution — built for scale
Founders: Aadit Palicha, Kaivalya Vohra
Funding: $665 million total; $665 million Series E in 2024.
Investors: StepStone Group, Glade Brook, Nexus Venture Partners, Kaiser Permanente Ventures.
Why they stand out: Zepto’s execution discipline is unmatched — consistent delivery windows, unit-economics-first model, 90% repeat customer rate.
Next move: IPO filing by mid-2025; city expansion to Tier-2 India.
3. Getir (Turkey / UK)
Tagline: The original 10-minute delivery — now refocused
Founders: Nazim Salur, Tuncay Turgay, Serkan Bora
Funding: $1.8 billion total; recent Series E $250 million.
Investors: Mubadala, Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global.
Why they stand out: After a rough 2023, Getir slimmed operations, doubled down on UK and Germany, and partnered with supermarket chains to cut losses.
Next move: Re-launch B2B quick fulfilment; expand micro-warehouse network through joint ventures.
4. Cajoo (France)
Tagline: France’s fastest grocer turns platform player
Founders: Henri Capoul, Florian Beck, Paul Lorne
Funding: €40 million before acquisition by Flink.
Investors: Carrefour Group, Frst Capital, Headline.
Why they stand out: Merged into Flink but still operates R&D for micro-warehouse optimization in Paris.
Next move: Develop AI-driven inventory forecasting tech licensed to European retailers.
5. JOKR (USA / LatAm)
Tagline: From 10-minute groceries to profit-ready dark retail
Founder: Ralf Wenzel
Funding: $700 million total with $260 million Series D.
Investors: Tiger Global, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Balderton Capital.
Why they stand out: Pulled out of loss-heavy markets early and built a profitable LatAm core network of 200+ dark stores.
Next move: IPO filing planned for 2026; logistics automation partnership underway.
6. Blinkit (India)
Tagline: Zomato’s $700 million acquisition still delivering returns
Founder: Albinder Dhindsa
Funding: Backed by Zomato Ltd (post-acquisition).
Why they stand out: Blinkit’s integration with Zomato and Hyperpure lets them control the entire restaurant + grocery ecosystem.
Next move: Enter tier-2 India cities; scale B2B delivery under Hyperpure logistics arm.
7. Gorillas (Germany)
Tagline: Speed with sustainability — Berlin’s poster child of quick commerce
Founder: Kağan Sümer
Funding: $1.3 billion before acquisition by Getir.
Investors: Delivery Hero, Coatue, DST Global.
Why they stand out: Their employee-first model and inventory accuracy remain benchmarks in the industry.
Next move: Support Getir’s expansion while licensing its warehouse software to third-party partners.
8. Minute Basket (UAE)
Tagline: Middle East quick-commerce built for heat and density
Founders: Rashid Al-Rumaithi, Tariq Aziz
Funding: $30 million Series A.
Investors: Shorooq Partners, MENA Tech Fund.
Why they stand out: Localized logistics for GCC markets — temperature-sensitive storage, Arabic-enabled CX, and partnerships with regional retailers.
Next move: Expand into Saudi Arabia and Bahrain; launch quick-commerce cloud kitchens.
9. Zapp (UK)
Tagline: London’s premium quick-commerce for luxury essentials
Founders: Joe Falter, Navid Hadzaad
Funding: $300 million total; latest extension $200 million led by Lightspeed and Atomico.
Why they stand out: Positioned as a luxury instant-delivery brand; targeting urban affluent consumers with curated SKUs and premium CX.
Next move: Expand into Paris and Milan; partner with designer brands for exclusive collaborations.
10. WeFast (Russia / Global)
Tagline: The hidden logistics backbone of instant commerce
Founder: Dmitry Alexandrov
Funding: $250 million Series C.
Investors: Baring Vostok, Target Global.
Why they stand out: Operates white-label last-mile solutions for hundreds of quick-commerce apps — the “AWS for delivery.”
Next move: Expand into MENA via strategic acquisition; launch API suite for B2B delivery.
How to Read the Trend
The era of reckless expansion is over. Quick-commerce is entering its second wave — one defined by profitability, AI-driven routing, and cross-category diversification.
Startups that own their infrastructure (warehouses, fleet tech, data) and build retail partnerships are the ones to survive.
Key themes:
- AI forecasting reduces waste and improves stock turn.
- Private-label SKUs improve margins.
- Cross-vertical synergy (Food + Grocery + Pharmacy + Cloud Kitchen) is the future.
- MENA and South Asia are becoming the new quick-commerce capitals.
Final Thoughts
Every industry has a moment where efficiency meets emotion — quick-commerce is that intersection for retail.
From Berlin to Bangalore to Dubai, founders are building the infrastructure for instant living. Their challenge is not speed; it’s storytelling — how they define value beyond minutes.
At McArrows, we help fast-growth commerce brands find their voice in crowded markets — from positioning to design, from investor narratives to go-to-market strategy.
If you’re building the next instant commerce platform and ready to scale with clarity, reach out. We’ll turn your speed into sustainability — and your story into momentum.
