Darkstore

About Darkstore

Founded in 2016 by Lee Hnetinka, Darkstore emerged as a logistics and fulfillment provider tailored for the e-commerce era. Hnetinka, who previously founded the on-demand delivery service WunWun and sold it in 2015, brought his experience in urban logistics to this new venture. The company's primary mission was to democratize access to rapid fulfillment, enabling direct-to-consumer (DTC) and other e-commerce brands to compete with the delivery speeds of major retailers.

Darkstore's business model centers on creating a network of 'dark stores'—strategically located, non-public micro-fulfillment centers situated in dense urban areas. This infrastructure allows client brands to store their inventory closer to the end consumer, drastically reducing shipping times. The company provides an API-driven platform that integrates with a brand's existing e-commerce operations, managing inventory and order fulfillment. For the final-mile delivery, Darkstore partners with on-demand services like DoorDash to transport products from the fulfillment center to the customer's doorstep, often within a two-hour window. Revenue is generated by providing these technology-powered fulfillment and logistics services to brands that want to offer same-day delivery without investing in their own physical infrastructure.

In a significant strategic evolution, Darkstore launched its own consumer-facing application, FastAF, in 2020. This mobile app functioned as a digital marketplace, offering a curated selection of products from premium and DTC brands for delivery in under two hours in cities like Los Angeles and New York. FastAF leveraged Darkstore's existing network of fulfillment centers to power its rapid delivery service, essentially becoming a client of its own infrastructure. The company has successfully raised a total of $30.2 million in funding over five rounds, with a notable $21 million Series B round in September 2019 led by EQT Ventures.