Czech online pharmacy leader and operator of the Pilulka.cz pharmacy network has acquired a 10% minority stake in the growing startup Blocks. Together they plan to build Blocks locker kiosks in Central and Eastern Europe.
“We have been working with Blocks on Pilulka Boxes for over a year and now we have decided to take this partnership one step further. We plan to introduce a range of innovations and experience from ecommerce and logistics that can be applied in the locker kiosks. Together, we want to show other large retailers and logistics providers how they can automate the delivery of their goods, while increasing the number of Pilulka Boxes in the countries where we operate. Blocks are unique in both the technological approach and product design, unlike other kiosk manufacturers who are essentially metal producers,” says Martin Kasa, co-owner of Pilulka, about the transaction.
Today, Blocks smart locker kiosks are installed mostly in commercial and public spaces. Thanks to the simplicity of management and high-end product design, Blocks’ large pool of major customers includes Deloitte, Skanska, Charles University, CPI, Penta Real Estate, Passerinvest and O2. Blocks are compatible with all carriers and e-shops and provide perfect solutions in the form of interior and exterior designs. In addition to the modern design, the main advantage of Blocks is its software, which can also operate third-party locker kiosks thanks to its easy connection to other information systems and platforms.
“I see Pilulka’s investment into Blocks, a leading ecommerce innovator, as very strategic. We will expand the number of places where people can enjoy the benefits of Blocks, and also innovate the product with shared know-how. The whole technology will bring its capabilities even closer to the needs of the market, helping to unify this growing and still relatively fragmented industry. We see ourselves as a software design company. There are many different physical solutions available on the market, but software is the key to the efficient operation of the entire industry,” adds Bartoloměj Holubář, co-founder of Blocks. Both parties have agreed not to comment on the transaction value.
06.09.2021