Flink
Flink is a Berlin-based grocery delivery service that offers 2,400+ products delivered in minutes via electric bikes. With $1.5B in funding and 2,571 employees, it operates delivery hubs in dense urban areas.
The growth story
Flink grew from 53 to 2,571 employees between 2020 and 2026, raising $1.5B along the way, most recently a Series Unknown in March 2026.
About
Flink sells groceries online, focusing on speed and local customization. It delivers from inner-city hubs using electric bikes and recyclable packaging, targeting urban customers who value fresh, quick deliveries.
The company has raised $1.5B, a notable sum for a grocery delivery startup, and employs 2,571 people. Its rapid scaling suggests a focus on expanding its urban footprint and product assortment.
Founders and leadership
Flink's largest function is Operations, with 139 employees, reflecting its focus on delivery logistics. The company is led by founders with e-commerce experience, supported by a sizable workforce spread across its urban hubs.
The Flink org chart
Oliver Merkel (Founder) leads 60 mapped leaders with 8 direct reports. Click +N to expand a team; names link to the person’s public profile.
Departments, and which ones grew
Headcount by function: Operations 1,455 (-7% YoY), Entrepreneurship 191 (-16% YoY), Information Technology 115 (-9% YoY), Engineering 104 (+3% YoY), Sales 71 (+1% YoY), Administrative 62 (+2% YoY).
Talent flow
Flink hires heavily from Amazon, Gorillas, and Delivery Hero, indicating a preference for candidates with logistics and delivery expertise. Alumni often move to companies like Wolt, Blacklane, and Tesla.
Most common previous employers of Flink staff: Amazon (23), Gorillas (20), Delivery Hero (15), Getir (13), Deloitte (10), Thuisbezorgd.nl (9). Former Flink employees most often moved to Wolt (9), Blacklane (8), Tesla (6), Amazon (6), Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (5), Delivery Hero (5).
Alumni worth knowing
The Flink mafia
Flink alumni have founded 32 companies, including Circus (297 staff), Cata (106 staff), and LAP Coffee (90 staff), showing entrepreneurial activity post-Flink.
34Nikolas Bullwinkel, was Co-Founder until 2021Marija Brunier, was Consultant until 2021Tonalli Arreola, was GTM and Rider Operations until 2022Philipp Desgranges, was Director Operations until 2023Kiyanusch Braun, was Expansion until 2021Saad Saeed, was Co-Founder, Director of Technology until 2021
Sardar Bali, was Product Advisor until 2021
Riyabrata Mondal, MBA, was Fleet & Service Manager until 2024Guillaume Luscan, was General Manager France until 2024
Pete Clifford, was Advisor until 2021
Dr. Norman Koschmieder, was General Counsel until 2023
Dr. Sara Brinkmann, was Head Of Legal Germany / Syndikusanwältin until 2023
Dmitri Koleno, was Director of Product Delivery until 2022
Alena Schneck, was Regional Manager until 2022
Nino Caminhante, was Global Head of Rider Growth & Engagement until 2024
Christoph Burda, was Head of Public Affairs until 2025
Raul Stern, was Interim Creative Director until 2022
Henri Chabbert, was Chief Marketing Officer until 2023
Allegro Sprute, was Revenue Optimization Analyst until 2021
Tigran Sahakyan, was [Upwork] Senior React Native Engineer until 2022
Florentina Hysenaj, was Interim Manager (DE,AT,NL,FR) until 2023
R. Dilara Cumhur, was Design Advisor until 2024
Jérémy Gotteland, was Senior Engineering Manager & Chief of Staff to the CTO until 2023
Sankalp Agrawal, was Transportation Aide until 2021
Masato Higgs, was Director of Product until 2024
Glen Dias, was Delivery Driver until 2023
Benjamin GALLO, was Commercial Director until 2021
Shrinivash Dhamodhara Kannan, was Field Operations Specialist until 2025
Ajay TRIPURANENI, was Shift Manager until 2023
Chaunci T., was Senior creative strategist until 2022
Carl-Ferdinand Forster, was VP Partnerships until 2022
Max H., was E-Commerce Specialist Internship until 2020
Yang Wang, was Partnerships Manager until 2021
Wasim Mosa, was Shift Team Lead until 2024Hiring now
Web traffic
Traffic mix: 54% direct, 29% search, 7% social, 1% paid.
What this company is made of
Most common skills at Flink: Communication (564), English (471), Teamwork (447), Microsoft Office (431), Microsoft Excel (427), Problem Solving (388), Project Management (344), Analytical Skills (344).
Where the team actually sits
Flink people are concentrated in Berlin, Germany (224), Germany (48), Berlin Metropolitan Area (42), North Holland, Netherlands (40).
Search footprint
Flink attracts about 378 organic search visits a month, traffic worth roughly $3K a month if bought through ads. It gained 404 ranking keywords and lost 257 in the last period.
What employees say
- Compensation
- 2.40 / 5
- Career opportunities
- 2.00 / 5
- Senior management
- 2.30 / 5
- Work-life balance
- 3.00 / 5
Frequently asked
Flink has 2,571 employees as of September 2026.
Flink has raised $1.5B in total, most recently a Series Unknown round in March 2026.
Flink was founded in 2020 by Oliver Merkel, Christoph Cordes, Julian Dames, Robin Kiesler.
Oliver Merkel (Founder) sits at the top of Flink's reporting structure, with 8 direct reports.
The most common previous employers of current Flink staff are Amazon (23 people), Gorillas (20 people), Delivery Hero (15 people).
Former Flink employees most often move to Wolt (9), Blacklane (8), Tesla (6).
At least 32 companies have a founder who previously worked at Flink, including Circus, Cata, LAP Coffee.
Flink attracts about 378 organic search visits a month, worth roughly $3K a month in equivalent ad spend.
The most common skills among Flink staff are Communication, English, Teamwork, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel.
Flink staff are concentrated in Berlin, Germany (224), Germany (48), Berlin Metropolitan Area (42).
Flink has about 1,455 people in Operations, down 7% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Flink has about 191 people in Entrepreneurship, down 16% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Computed from 587 current and 915 former Flink profiles, as of September 2026. Source: Crustdata.
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