Glovo - Food delivery and more.

How Glovo Grew From 9 Employees to a $2.2BN Acquisition

March 13th, 2025

Founded By

Oscar Pierre

Starting Costs

$100K

Founders

Employees

4000 (est.)

Monthly Traffic

4.82M

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2015

Customer

B2C

Founded By
Oscar Pierre: Starting Costs
$100K: Founders
2

Employees
4000 (est.): Monthly Traffic
4.82M: Profitable
Yes

Year Started
2015: Customer
B2C

Who is Oscar Pierre?

Oscar Pierre, the founder of Glovo, is a Barcelona native who studied aerospace engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and later attended Georgia Tech in the United States. Before founding Glovo in 2015, he worked as an aerodynamics engineer at Airbus and had entrepreneurial experience with previous ventures like Zikkomo.com and LoveItLocal.es.

Oscar Pierre, the founder of Glovo,

What problem does Glovo - Food delivery and more. solve?

Glovo solves the problem of time-crunched consumers needing quick delivery of everyday essentials by offering an app-based service that brings a vast array of items to their doorstep within minutes, making it a convenient alternative for shopping and errands.

How did Oscar come up with the idea for Glovo - Food delivery and more.?

Oscar Pierre's idea for Glovo emerged from a combination of observations and personal experiences. While studying in the US, Oscar was inspired by the burgeoning success of apps like Uber and Airbnb. He noticed there was no service that allowed people to get local products delivered to their doorstep on demand. This sparked his interest in the potential for an on-demand delivery service.

Oscar's personal experiences also played a significant role. Watching his mother juggle numerous errands for the family, he thought about the convenience an app could bring to people who needed to save time. He envisioned a service that could pick up and deliver anything, from groceries to electronics, by utilizing nearby couriers, or "Glovers."

Before launching Glovo, Oscar focused on understanding local market needs and adapting the service accordingly. He executed quickly, starting in Barcelona with the goal of creating a service that would seamlessly integrate into various city dynamics. Feedback and observations from early users helped refine the offering, making it more user-friendly and efficient.

Despite facing fundraising challenges, Oscar maintained his focus on the problem Glovo aimed to solve: providing ultra-fast delivery services to customers who value their time. This clarity of vision was crucial in convincing investors to support his journey, despite initial skepticism.

How did Oscar Pierre build the initial version of Glovo - Food delivery and more.?

Glovo's initial product development began in March 2015 with Oscar Pierre using a budget of €10,000 to kickstart the project. Due to his background in aerospace engineering and lack of coding expertise, Oscar outsourced the app development to a company in Russia that promised to deliver a basic version for around €8,000. The first version of the Glovo app was functional but rudimentary, mainly providing a proof of concept to attract further investment and begin basic operations. The early days were challenging due to limited resources and a tiny tech team, which forced Glovo to operate with high efficiency and effectiveness. This initial application allowed users to place orders for various products, processed through a network of local couriers known as "Glovers", using geolocation features to connect them with nearby delivery requests. The agile approach in app development enabled rapid iteration and responsiveness to user feedback, crucial for scaling in multiple markets.

What were the initial startup costs for Glovo - Food delivery and more.?

Pre-Seed Funding: Glovo's initial funding round involved selling 30% of the company for €100,000.
Series A, B, C Funding: Glovo raised €5 million in August 2016, €25 million in 2017, and €115 million in a Series C round in July 2018.
Subsequent Funding: In 2019, Glovo closed two rounds worth €150 million each, contributing to its unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $1 billion.
Largest Fundraising: In 2021, Glovo raised a record €450 million, aiming to enhance its Quick Commerce model.
LatAm Market Exit: In 2020, Glovo sold its Latin American business to Delivery Hero for €230 million, focusing on profitability in European and Asian markets.
Legal Costs: Glovo faced significant legal fines in Spain due to issues with employment status, including a €79 million fine for not complying with the Rider Law, and additional penalties leading to a total of €205.5 million by early 2023.

What was the growth strategy for Glovo - Food delivery and more. and how did they scale?

McDonald's Deal

Glovo secured a pivotal deal with McDonald's, which turned out to be a game-changer for the company. This partnership not only boosted Glovo's brand credibility but also attracted a large number of new users. In Spain, gaining exclusivity over McDonald's delivery gave them significant leverage over competitors like Uber Eats and Deliveroo. This was replicated in Italy, further solidifying their market position.

Why it worked: Partnering with a globally recognized brand like McDonald's brought immediate recognition and trust to Glovo. It attracted new customers who were eager to order from a familiar brand, ultimately increasing the frequency of orders. This deal also showcased Glovo's ability to deliver value to large partners, making it easier to negotiate and secure additional large-scale partnerships in the future.

Geographic Expansion

Glovo expanded aggressively into new markets, particularly focusing on countries with less competition in the on-demand delivery sector. They entered markets in Latin America and Eastern Europe, capitalizing on the opportunity to establish a strong presence before competitors could catch up.

Why it worked: Entering markets with little competition allowed Glovo to quickly become a major player in those regions. By establishing an early foothold, they gained significant market share, which was crucial for achieving scale and network effects, particularly in the logistics and delivery space. This approach helped them mitigate competition pressure and solidify their brand as a leader in those regions.

Quick Commerce Model

Glovo launched their Quick Commerce (Q-Commerce) model, which focuses on ultra-fast delivery of goods through their network of dark stores. This model aimed to enhance customer experience by significantly reducing delivery times for groceries and other fast-moving consumer goods.

Why it worked: The Q-Commerce model leveraged Glovo's existing infrastructure to meet the growing consumer demand for rapid delivery services. By optimizing logistics and positioning dark stores near customers, Glovo was able to fulfill orders quickly, keeping them competitive against other market players and aligning with modern consumer expectations for convenience and speed.

Local Adaptation and Branding

Glovo invested heavily in understanding and adapting to the local markets they entered. This included localized branding efforts and marketing strategies tailored to each region's cultural context. They used a mix of online and traditional media, including television advertising, to build brand awareness.

Why it worked: By tailoring their approach to each specific market, Glovo was able to effectively reach and engage local consumers. This local adaptation strategy helped in building a strong brand presence and trust among new users, which was critical for customer acquisition and retention in diverse markets. Through strategic branding and marketing efforts, they ensured that the Glovo brand resonated well with local audiences, leading to higher user engagement and loyalty.

What's the pricing strategy for Glovo - Food delivery and more.?

Glovo implements a dynamic pricing model, combining delivery fees typically ranging from €1.90 to €5.90 per order, with potential surcharges based on demand, distance, and delivery time, potentially utilizing special deals with partners like McDonald's to enhance customer acquisition.

What were the biggest lessons learned from building Glovo - Food delivery and more.?

Execute Quickly but Thoughtfully: Glovo's early strategy of rapid execution allowed them to scale swiftly in multiple countries. However, this rapid pace sometimes led to challenges in local market understanding. Balancing speed with thoughtful implementation is key.
Understand Local Markets: Each market is unique, and adapting to local needs contributed significantly to Glovo's success. This lesson highlights the importance of local adaptation over a one-size-fits-all approach.
Strategic Partnerships and Deals: The McDonald's deal was a lifeline for Glovo, underscoring the importance of strategic partnerships. Finding the right partners can significantly boost growth and stability.
Resilience in Fundraising: Running out of money multiple times taught Glovo resilience. Being persistent in seeking funds and maintaining belief in their vision helped them survive tough times.
Team and Culture Matter: Oscar learned that misalignment in culture as the team grew could cause setbacks. Maintaining a strong, consistent company culture, especially during rapid expansion, is crucial for long-term success.

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