CEO and Co-founder at The Exploration Company
Hélène Huby
Space Logistics Specialist: Hélène Huby Navigating Cosmic Deliveries
Remember back when easy money flowed and folks were stuck at home due to the pandemic? Every Tom, Dick, and Harry seemed to have a delivery startup in their VC portfolio, feeding the daily necessities of the populace.
A Blossoming Market During The Pandemic
The demand for delivery services soared in 2020, with the COVID-19 crisis. Instacart, for instance, played a vital role in helping numerous grocers jump into the e-commerce world, dramatically expanding its user base [1].
Fast forward to June, and DoorDash raised more than $2.5 billion in funding, securing its position as the top food delivery provider in the US based on consumer spending [5]. And in November, the delivery giant opened its first physical restaurant, in collaboration with Burma Bites [5].
However, as pandemic-related demands stabilized, online grocery platforms like Instacart faced increased competition, and their growth slowed down somewhat alongside the industry shift towards innovation [1].
But the story didn't end there. Fast forward to 2024, businesses were gradually recovering from the pandemic's impact, adapting to the evolving consumer habits, and diversifying their services [4][5].
Latest Developments
By 2025, Instacart unveiled a new set of solutions dubbed the Instacart Platform, aiming to help retailers establish a stronger online presence [1]. Moreover, Sweetgreen managed to expand into suburban markets, remaining hopeful about the recovery of urban centers [4].
As for market dynamics and startup success, it turns out that the year in which a startup launches plays a significant role during its journey, with pandemic-era startups facing unique market challenges [2].
A New Age
And so, the delivery landscape continued to evolve, reinventing itself as we embraced the new normal. With an increasing number of consumers embracing the convenience of online shopping, it seemed that the days of nothing more than clichéd delivery startups in every VC portfolio may well be behind us.
- In the post-pandemic era, CEOs like Hélène Huby, being veterans of the delivery startup boom, might now turn their attention towards science-based ventures, such as space-and-astronomy or technology.
- As The Exploration Company's CEO, Hélène Huby could leverage her previous experience in the delivery sector to identify essentials required for her new startup's success, such as securing funding from Venture Capital firms.
- Given the growing interest in science and technology, Hélène Huby's startup, The Exploration Company, could focus on groundbreaking projects that blend scientific research with innovation, aiming to carve a niche for itself among startups and established companies alike.
- aiming to accelerate the growth of space-and-astronomy or technology-based startups, Hélène Huby's role as CEO could prove instrumental in fostering a new age of exploration and discovery.
