Now official: Spokebase files for insolvency

The Berlin-based fast delivery company filed for insolvency two years after it was founded. The start-up is behind the Dropp brand.

The Berlin start-up Spokebase filed for insolvency in mid-December, as the law firm BBL Brockdorff has now made public. Florian Linkert was appointed as the insolvency administrator. Under the Dropp brand, the company offers a fast delivery service for e-commerce retailers without their own delivery service. Couriers are on the road on cargo bikes or e-cargo bikes, for example, in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Munich.

Operations are to continue, says insolvency administrator Linkert. First of all, he needs to get a comprehensive picture of the company's actual situation. Existing contracts will continue to be fulfilled by the start-up and new orders can be accepted. Employees' salaries are also secured for up to three months thanks to the insolvency substitute benefits. Meanwhile, Linkert is looking for potential buyers for the start-up.

Dropp launched in fall 2021 with pre-seed financing of two million euros. The two ex-Gorillas managers Ronny Shibley and Jörg Kattner were also involved at the time. A further financing round followed in summer 2022. However, the third round planned for November 2022 failed. The founders Alessa Vogler, Philip Braun and Nicolas Pörschke therefore filed for insolvency. "In the last six months up to November 2022 alone, turnover increased by 260%," says insolvency administrator Linkert. "There is obviously demand for this type of logistics service, so I definitely see a future for Dropp."