Blink Co Technologies, a quick-commerce platform, has announced a successful $2.1 million Seed funding round, drawing support from 500 Global and Global Founders Capital, along with continued investment from Orbit Startup/SOSV. The funds will fuel Blink’s mission to empower restaurants, reducing reliance on delivery aggregators through the expansion of direct online ordering channels.

Over the past year, Blink processed a remarkable 4.5 million orders for partner restaurants, achieving an Annual Recurring Revenue exceeding $0.5 million. Since its establishment in 2020, Blink has played a pivotal role in assisting over 1200 restaurants in the MENAP region with processing over 8 million direct orders. The company’s competitive edge lies in its robust growth and marketing engine, driven by machine-learning-driven personalized campaigns.

Blink stands out not only for its innovative solutions but also for the seamless experience it provides to restaurants. The platform facilitates a quick and hassle-free process for restaurants to go live with their online ordering websites and apps, empowering businesses to establish and expand their direct online presence.

The latest funding injection will propel Blink’s growth initiatives in Saudi Arabia, a rapidly expanding market within the GCC region. The company has already made a significant impact, led by the CEO’s presence in Riyadh.

Syed Sair Ali, Co-founder & CEO of Blink, emphasized the challenges faced by restaurants in today’s landscape, stating, 

“Restaurants today are struggling with dependence on food delivery aggregators more than ever.” Blink’s efforts have allowed restaurant brands to reclaim up to 40% of aggregator orders, boosting profitability by 30%.

Commenting on the investment, Amal Dokhan and Abdulrahman Jiffry from 500-Sanabil expressed confidence in Blink’s mission, citing success in similar models globally. Oliver from GFC echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the tremendous potential in Blink’s model and the team’s execution capabilities.

William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner at Orbit Startups, highlighted the shared challenges among emerging and frontier markets, endorsing Blink’s ability to scale cross-border and become a regional leader in digitizing traditional micro and SMEs, taking them online and direct to consumers.