Blinkist
Book summary and learning platform providing condensed 15-minute summaries of nonfiction books in text and audio formats.
Company Type
private
Founded
2012
Headquarters
Berlin, Germany
About Blinkist
Blinkist provides condensed 15-minute summaries of nonfiction books in both text and audio formats. The platform's core offering includes "Blinks" which are structured summaries that capture the key insights and main ideas from bestselling nonfiction books.
Key features include:
- 15-minute book summaries in text and audio formats
- Library of 6,500+ nonfiction book summaries
- "Shortcasts" - audio summaries of podcasts and articles
- "Guides" - curated learning paths on specific topics
- "Spaces" - shared collections for teams and groups
- Offline access for premium subscribers
- Cross-platform synchronization across devices
Blinkist operates on a freemium business model, offering limited free content while premium subscriptions provide access to the full library and advanced features. The company also offers Blinkist for Business, providing team learning solutions for organizations.
History of Blinkist
Blinkist was founded in August 2012 by college friends Holger Seim, Tobias Balling, Niklas Jansen, and Sebastian Klein in Berlin, Germany. The founders shared a love for reading and wanted to create a solution that would allow people to consume more books in less time through condensed summaries.
The company publicly launched in 2013 with the first version of the Blinkist app featuring text-based book summaries. The team moved into their first Berlin office with 8 employees and began building their library of condensed book content.
By the end of 2014, Blinkist had reached 1,000 customers and launched its audio function, allowing users to listen to summaries instead of reading them. This audio feature significantly expanded the platform's accessibility and user engagement.
In 2016, Blinkist achieved two major milestones: reaching 1 million users and expanding its library to 1,500 titles. That same year, the company won the World Summit Awards from the United Nations in the Education & Learning category, gaining international recognition.
The company's growth accelerated in 2018 when it raised $18.8 million in funding led by Insight Venture Partners. By year's end, Blinkist had grown to 6 million users and expanded its library to 2,500 titles.
By 2023, Blinkist had achieved 26 million app downloads and built a comprehensive library of 6,500+ book summaries. In May 2023, Go1 acquired Blinkist, integrating it into their broader educational technology platform.
Brands Owned by Blinkist
Blinkist owns 0 brands in our database.
Blinkist Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Integration into Go1's broader educational technology ecosystem
- +Large and growing content library with 6,500+ titles
- +Strong brand recognition in book summary market
- +Audio format providing accessibility advantages
- +Established partnerships with major publishers
Considerations
- -Competition from other book summary platforms
- -Dependence on publisher partnerships for content
- -Market saturation in microlearning space
- -Need for continuous content updates and quality control
- -Integration challenges following Go1 acquisition
Frequently Asked Questions About Blinkist
Is Blinkist a publicly traded company?
No, Blinkist is a privately held company. It was acquired by Go1 in May 2023 and operates as part of Go1's educational technology portfolio.
Who founded Blinkist?
Blinkist was founded in 2012 by Holger Seim, Tobias Balling, Niklas Jansen, and Sebastian Klein. The four college friends created the platform to help people read more books in less time.
Who owns Blinkist?
Blinkist is owned by Go1, an Australian educational technology company that acquired Blinkist in May 2023. Prior to the acquisition, it was an independent company.
How many users does Blinkist have?
Blinkist has achieved 26 million app downloads and serves millions of users globally. The platform had grown to 6 million users by 2018 and has continued expanding since.
What services does Blinkist offer?
Blinkist provides 15-minute summaries of nonfiction books in text and audio formats, along with Shortcasts (podcast summaries), Guides (learning paths), and team collaboration features through Spaces.
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