Glovo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Oscar Pierre
- Sacha Michaud
 | |
Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Online food ordering and delivery |
| Founded | February 2015[1] |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , Spain |
Areas served | Multiple countries[2] |
| Owner | Delivery Hero (2022–present)[3] |
| Website | Official website |
Glovo is a Spanish on-demand delivery company headquartered in Barcelona. It operates a mobile app that connects customers with local businesses and couriers for deliveries of food, groceries and other items.[1] Glovo was founded in 2015 by Oscar Pierre and Sacha Michaud.[1] Since July 2022, it has been majority-owned by the German delivery company Delivery Hero.[3]
Glovo began operating in 2015 and expanded from Spain into other markets after raising venture funding.[1] In 2017, it announced a €30 million Series B funding round led by Rakuten Capital and Cathay Innovation.[1]
In April 2019, Glovo raised €150 million to finance international expansion.[4] In December 2019, Glovo announced another €150 million funding round and said the raise pushed its valuation above US$1 billion.[5]
In September 2020, Delivery Hero agreed to acquire Glovo's Latin American operations in a deal valued at up to €230 million (including an earn-out).[6]
In December 2021, Delivery Hero agreed to increase its stake in Glovo and become the majority shareholder.[7] Delivery Hero said the transaction closed in July 2022, leaving it with approximately 94% of Glovo's shares on a non-diluted basis.[3]
Operations
Response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Glovo temporarily suspended operations in Ukraine, later resuming limited service; Reuters reported that the company said it would provide humanitarian support through the platform.[8]
Controversies
Labour classification
Glovo has faced legal and regulatory disputes in Spain over the employment status of its couriers. In September 2022, Spain's labour ministry announced a fine of about €79 million over alleged labour-law violations related to the hiring of riders.[9][10]
In January 2023, Spanish authorities announced an additional fine of €57 million, citing alleged misclassification of riders and other labour violations.[11]
In December 2024, Delivery Hero said Glovo would transition its riders in Spain to employee status, citing legal uncertainty around the freelance model.[12]
Competition law
On 2 June 2025, the European Commission fined Delivery Hero and Glovo a combined €329 million for participating in an online food delivery cartel, including a no-poach agreement and the exchange of commercially sensitive information.[13][14][15]
