blinq Raises $25M to Replace Business Cards

The Enduring Appeal of Business Cards in a Digital Age

Despite being the year 2025, traditional business cards remain surprisingly prevalent. Attending conferences or industry exhibitions invariably results in a collection of cards, many of which are quickly discarded. However, with smartphones now serving as central hubs for information and contacts, there's a growing interest in exploring digital alternatives to the conventional business card.

Blinq's Rise as a Digital Business Card Solution

Blinq, a company originating from Melbourne, capitalized on this emerging trend. Initially launched as a personal project in 2017, Blinq offered a digital business card application featuring a QR-code widget. Currently, the company boasts a substantial user base exceeding 2.5 million individuals and 500,000 businesses across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia.

Securing Series A Funding

Building upon this momentum, Blinq has successfully secured $25 million in Series A funding. This funding round was spearheaded by Touring Capital, with participation from existing investors Blackbird Ventures and Square Peg Capital, alongside new investor HubSpot Ventures.

The Evolution of QR Code Adoption

According to Jarrod Webb, CEO and founder of Blinq, the initial QR code functionality provided a convenient and personalized method for sharing contact information, particularly among iPhone users. However, widespread adoption didn't occur until late 2019, when most Android devices integrated QR scanning capabilities. “The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated QR code usage, making in-person interactions more focused and driving demand for Blinq’s seamless and memorable connection features,” Webb explained to TechCrunch.

A B2C2B Strategy for Growth

Since then, Blinq has adopted a B2C2B (Business-to-Consumer-to-Business) strategy. The application empowers users to create multiple customized digital business cards tailored to various scenarios and facilitates connections with contacts. It also automatically captures contact details and integrates them with CRM systems like HubSpot or Salesforce, utilizing QR codes, email signatures, NFC technology, short links, or video call backgrounds.

Global Reach and Team Expansion

Blinq serves a diverse clientele, including individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises. Approximately 80% of its customer base is located in the United States. The company’s team has grown significantly, expanding from an initial five employees in Melbourne to a current headcount of 67 across Sydney, Melbourne, New York, and San Francisco, supporting both product development and market expansion.

Virality and Customer Acquisition

“Each instance of Blinq usage introduces the platform to new individuals. Moreover, we observe increased frequency of use among active users as they remain on the platform,” Webb stated. “This inherent virality fuels organic growth and maintains low customer acquisition costs. For business clients, a per-seat subscription model is employed, with team expansion driving recurring revenue.”

Competitive Landscape

Blinq operates within a competitive market, facing rivals such as Mobilo, Popl, Wave, and Wix, all offering similar digital business card services. Additionally, the application must contend with established social networking platforms like LinkedIn, personal landing pages, and link-in-bio services like Linktree.

Differentiating Factors

Webb believes Blinq excels in fostering relationships and provides users with more robust tools for follow-up and engagement with new contacts.

Looking Ahead: Beyond the Digital Business Card

Webb envisions digital business cards as a stepping stone to broader capabilities. “They serve as our initial point of entry. By establishing ourselves as the trusted tool at the moment a relationship begins, we earn the opportunity to influence subsequent interactions. Our focus is on providing users with everything they need to convert initial impressions into tangible progress – from dynamic, context-aware profiles to intelligent methods for maintaining visibility. This involves expanding into new markets, strengthening our partnerships with businesses and enterprises, and continually adapting to the evolving landscape of professional connections.”