Six European Instant-Delivery Startups to Watch

The battle over who can deliver junk food, beer and vape pens quickly to Europeans is revving up.

Over the last six months, thanks to a pandemic-inspired surge in online shopping, startups that promise to deliver party staples and fresh food to customers in London, Amsterdam and other major European cities have multiplied at a rapid clip. Funding in the category, known as instant-delivery startups, has grown at an eye-popping rate in Europe, rising to $1.1 billion so far this year, compared to a piddly $100 million for all of 2019, estimates financial data firm PitchBook.