AUTODOC’s 18th Anniversary: Every great story begins with a spark
From a bold idea in a Berlin garage to a leading European automotive platform, AUTODOC’s journey reflects 18 years of innovation, growth and customer focus. As we celebrate this milestone, we look ahead to a new era of connected mobility and automotive care.
For AUTODOC, that spark was ignited in 2008 when our founders – Alexej Erdle, Vitalij Kungel, and Max Wegner – realised that even minor vehicle repairs were becoming a luxury. Their vision was simple but forward-thinking: ring transparency and affordability to spare parts and empower customers to take repairs into their own hands.
Today, as we continue celebrating our 18 years of continuous growth, that single idea has transformed into a mission that keeps millions of drivers moving. Turning 18 is a unique milestone for us; it is the bridge where the raw energy of a scale-up meets the strategic discipline of an industry leader.
Learning the road: a legacy of growth
Our journey from a small office in Berlin to a European powerhouse was built on grit. After hiring our first employees in 2009 and opening our first warehouse in Germany in 2010, the road ahead opened up rapidly. By 2012, we had already expanded across the continent into markets such as Italy, France and the United Kingdom.
As the road grew wider, so did our ambition. We launched our first private brand, STARK, in 2013 to offer customers even more value. In 2026, we crossed our first €100 million in revenue while simultaneously accelerating our growth with the launch of RIDEX and our mobile app. By our tenth anniversary in 2018, we had already quadrupled our revenue to over €400 million and we established our first major international logistics hub in Szczecin, Poland.
Throughout our latest growth phase, we solidified our role as a partner our customers truly lean on by fostering deeper connections through the AUTODOC Club platform in 2029 and by taking our relationship with the professional sector to the next level with the introduction of AUTODOC PRO in 2022. Today, we are taking our next big leap with the European expansion of our Marketplace. This shift is transforming how we connect the automotive aftermarket by connecting suppliers, partners and millions of drivers in one seamless ecosystem.
From the €40 million investment in logistics automation for our hub in the Czech Republic in 2024 to the new distribution centres in Ghent (2025) and Manchester and a new headquarters in Berlin (2026), we are ensuring that our vision is backed by world-class technology, environmental consciousness, the best talent and operational excellence.
Accelerating into the “new era”
As we stand in 2026, AUTODOC is no longer just an online shop. We have evolved into a connected experience and our next chapter is about converting our scale into deeper customer value. We want every customer interaction to be a meaningful experience and to support beyond vehicle parts, providing end-to-end car care solutions, with a growing range of 7.8 million products that make car care simpler, more intuitive and more reliable for everyone.
The people behind the engine
Our logistics network and tech platforms provide the foundation, but it is the collective expertise of our +5,500 AUTODOCers that brings this infrastructure to life. Spanning 13 locations and around 35 nationalities, our team’s skills are what transformed a garage-born idea into a true European player.
To celebrate how far we’ve come, our 18th anniversary was a true 360º campaign.
Customer-facing activations
Through a series of dynamic social media activations across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, we invited our community to join the conversation. By sharing stories of first cars, dream vehicles and the early memories that define a passion for the road, we turned a corporate milestone into a shared celebration for those who live and breathe cars.
Built for our AUTODOCers
We recently looked back at our own personal roots. Through an internal initiative, colleagues from across the company, including our Management Board, shared personal stories and throwback photos from their lives as 18-year-olds.
Our colleagues shared stories of being musicians in touring bands, photographers, actors, lifeguards and even farmers! Whether they were university students, discovering freedom behind the wheel of their first car or starting their very first days here at AUTODOC, these stories reminded us that we still carry the curiosity and diverse passion that defined our early days in that Berlin garage. And we carry these lessons of our roots to shape the future of the automotive industry.
Turning 18 is not just a look back at the last nearly two decades of success; it is the starting line for our next chapter. Welcome to AUTODOC’s new era! Let’s drive it, together.