Green Commerce

Lukas Wieser, Founder and Co-CEO of myflexbox, has created a significant innovation in logistics and Smart Cities, now recognized across Europe. In the 2023 annual voting by TrendingTopics.eu on "Green Commerce," myflexbox secured first place in the “Logistics” category. myflexbox offers a solution for the last mile of the supply chain through a network of open parcel lockers already distributed across Germany and Austria. The company has raised €75 million in funding to drive its expansion, with plans to install up to 10,000 parcel stations in Germany and over 1,000 in Austria. Sustainability and efficiency play a central role, as the vendor-independent system aims to reduce CO2 emissions and make parcel shipping more user- and environmentally friendly.

Lukas Wieser, a father of a three-year-old daughter, lives with his family in Salzburg. He studied Tourism and Leisure Management at IMC Krems and Social Entrepreneurship in San Francisco and London. His various professional roles and studies have taken him to places like San Francisco, Australia, Chile, Kenya, and Uganda.

What does having the "company DNA" mean to you as a founder?

For me, it’s about having a passion for neutral, open infrastructure that everyone can use. At myflexbox, we place great importance on building systems that are inclusive. We’re witnessing increasing urbanization, and our daily lives leave us with too little time. That’s why effective use of space through smart, multifunctional systems is crucial. Another key part of our DNA is pioneering spirit. Building networks from scratch requires determination, perseverance, and creativity to solve complex challenges. And it’s important not to forget to enjoy the journey. It’s a privilege to have earned this trust, and we’re making the most of it.

What was your original vision when founding myflexbox, and what personal or professional experiences inspired you?

The vision was to become the largest open network for parcel deliveries across Europe. Now, we are the European leader in open networks regarding service variety, and we have the largest open network in Austria and Germany. So, we’re well on track. Personally, my biggest inspiration was my grandfather. After the war, he built the water supply system in his community. Back then, farmers had a deal to help each other with wood and labor if one of their farms burned down. This principle of mutual assistance, fairness, and inclusion has been a recurring theme in my life. Sustainable resource use became increasingly important to me. In San Francisco 10 years ago, I saw examples like Uber, showing what’s possible with technology and smart resource management. My wife brought me back to Salzburg, where I met my co-founders Peter Klima and Jonathan Grothaus. Each of us brings different strengths, and we complement each other perfectly.

What major challenges did you face in developing myflexbox, and how did you and your team overcome them?

In the beginning, the challenge was convincing investors of the idea—from the vision to the concrete concept, the successful pilot, and finally the first rollout steps. Our core team did excellent work, and that foundation remains strong. Step by step, we celebrated major wins in the market and formed large partnerships with parcel service providers and location partners across Austria. Building trust that we could achieve this was key. The early days of a start-up demand a lot, but they are also magical and unique. Then came the move to Germany and the massive expansion of the team, which presented a whole new set of challenges that we’re still addressing and adjusting regularly. Improving the setup step by step at all levels is crucial. Growing from 3 to 10, then 20, 45, and now almost 90 employees is a big process that challenges everyone: the existing team members as well as those who are joining. Transferring know-how, passing on the DNA, and being open to new ideas is a significant developmental step that offers many learning opportunities. We founders are incredibly grateful to all the amazing people who are on this journey with us. Since founding myflexbox with my co-founders, we’ve often found ourselves in a flow state. There are tough times, but when the team sticks together, you can achieve anything.

Sustainability is a core aspect of your business model. Can you explain how myflexbox helps reduce the environmental impact in the logistics sector?

At the end of the day, we save drivers from parcel service companies, and everyone picking up or returning parcels at myflexbox, a lot of unnecessary trips. For parcel service companies, it makes a difference whether I must deliver to each household individually or drop off 10 parcels at a myflexbox in one go. For recipients, it makes a difference whether I need to go to five different parcel shops with limited opening hours or handle everything at a myflexbox. Our 24/7 availability makes us especially popular for returns and parcel shipping since our locations are often conveniently placed where people pass by daily anyway. On average, we save up to 2.2 tons of CO2 per myflexbox per year.

Your company integrates artificial intelligence into locker management. How do you use this technology to improve the efficiency and security of your network?

My co-founder and CTO, Peter Klima, and his team have laid an excellent foundation that continues to evolve. A healthy balance of deterministic optimizations and the use of artificial intelligence at myflexbox helps manage locker capacity efficiently. The AI analyzes usage patterns in real time, predicts future needs, and optimizes locker utilization, reducing vacancies and preventing overbooking.

Which markets or regions are particularly interesting for you, and what are the biggest challenges in international expansion?

Right now, the rollout in Germany is our top priority. At the same time, we want to continue expanding our position in Austria, our home market. The cooperation with the Austrian Post was a key piece of the puzzle: nearly all parcels in Austria can now be handled via a myflexbox. All major parcel service providers are united under one parcel locker roof and offer the full range of services: pick-up, shipping, and returns. Austria is the first country in Europe where all major parcel services are fully integrated into a single parcel locker network. Our full focus is currently on these two markets. Both countries have a strong portfolio of parcel service providers and many location partners who fully support our Smart City concept. In over 500,000 user reviews, we currently have an average rating of 1.3 (A-grade). The bigger challenge is in Germany, where we’re working step by step to achieve the position we already have in Austria. But with every new myflexbox, every new city we expand to, and every new parcel service provider that joins, we feel the momentum building. It feels great!

What is your advice for anyone looking to start a business?

In general, I recommend being aware that you’ll never know if it works unless you try. It’s important to get past failures and constantly dare to aim for the maximum, or as they say, "reach for the stars." In my experience, the most likely way to succeed is to surround yourself with the best people. For me, those are people who inspire you, are loyal, have perseverance, and motivate each other rather than drag each other down. With such a team, you can get through tough times, celebrate each other’s successes, and lift each other up. Success doesn’t come overnight, but with the right team and mentality, anything is possible.

About myflexbox

To the Tourism and Leisure Management bachelor degree programme