The ongoing dispute between the once-famous delivery startup and its largest delivery company has escalated significantly. investorNazım Salur and Serkan Borançılı, co-founders of Turkish food and grocery delivery startup Getir, have filed a $700 million lawsuit against Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company, accusing the sovereign wealth fund of violating a 2024 restructuring agreement by withholding key assets it committed. The claim, filed at London’s High Court, marks a dramatic escalation in one of the express delivery industry’s most high-profile legal disputes.Just days ago, Mubadala agreed to sell Getir’s core food delivery business in Turkey to Uber The technology is worth about $335 million, underscoring a serious deterioration in relations between the Turkish company’s founder and its Emirati backers.
What’s happening between Turkish food and grocery delivery startup and Abu Dhabi investors
The lawsuit centers on a June 2024 restructuring agreement under which Mubadala, which gained majority control of Getir’s Turkish operations, agreed to transfer a specific set of assets to the founders as part of the company’s restructuring. These include international units, notably Getir Finance, a technology-driven financial platform valued at about $510 million last year.However, Salur and Borançılı argue that only the least profitable elements, such as FreshDirect, a New York-based grocery delivery business, and n11, an online commerce platform, were handed over to them, while valuable strategic assets like Getir Finance were never transferred as promised. The lawsuit alleges that Mubadala and its affiliated entities conspired to violate those terms, resulting in a significant erosion of the founders’ control and value.The original agreement envisaged complete separation and control of Getir’s profitable technology and international divisions, but the final offer made in December 2024 “deviated significantly from these terms” and was very detrimental to Salur and Borançılı, the founders’ lawyers said. Mubadala has yet to file a defense in the case.
Getir, from pandemic surge to post-pandemic struggles
Understanding this legal conflict requires context for Getir’s meteoric rise and recent challenges. Founded in Istanbul in 2015, Getir became one of the earliest players in the fast commerce delivery space, providing ultra-fast grocery and food delivery through on-demand app order fulfillment, and its valuation soared to nearly $12 billion in 2022.
Türkiye’s Getir seeks $700m from Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala as Uber takeover shakes things up
However, like many pandemic-era innovators, the company faced a downturn once demand normalized and investors cooled valuations on high-growth tech. The company subsequently scaled back its operations outside Turkey and Europe and restructured with Mubadala’s support, culminating in a major organizational breakup aimed at realigning its operations for long-term sustainability.Getir has been the subject of several major investor moves in recent months, including the sale of its Turkish delivery business to Uber, a deal that further highlighted Mubadala’s shift in strategy and arguably exacerbated the founders’ dissatisfaction with the progress of the overall plan.
Getir’s legal and strategic interests: Why this matters now
This $700 million lawsuit is significant for several reasons:
- Billion-dollar technology dispute – One of the largest legal disputes involving a post-pandemic delivery platform pits a startup founder against a major sovereign wealth fund, highlighting the complex dynamics of founder-investor relationships when rapid scale meets long-term strategic disagreements.
- Control of High Value Assets – At the heart of the legal battle is control of Getir’s technology and future revenue streams, specifically Getir Finance. If the founder is successful, this could mean recouping those assets or receiving a hefty compensation, which is a major victory in situations where the value promised dwarfs the value delivered.
- Wider market impact – The lawsuit comes as global express delivery and logistics companies are reassessing profitability and strategic direction after the coronavirus pandemic, with companies consolidating, pivoting or exiting the market entirely. A ruling in London could have implications for venture capital, startup governance and cross-border investment norms.
Uber deal and aftermath: Adding fuel to the fire
Legal timing is critical. Just last week, Uber confirmed it would acquire Getir’s food delivery business in Turkey from Mubadala for about $335 million, a move that not only solidifies Uber’s position in a key market but also leaves open questions about how the remainder of Getir will be managed and monetized.
Türkiye’s Getir vs. Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala: A $700 million battle breaks out after Uber steps in
The sale appears to have deepened the founders’ dissatisfaction with Mubadala’s stewardship, with Sarroor and Bolansili feeling the spirit of the restructuring deal had not been respected, particularly as strategic parts of the business changed hands. Their decision to sue now shows they believe they have a strong case and significant leverage, even as their companies’ valuations and operating footprint have shrunk from their pandemic highs.
What happens next?
The case is being heard at London’s High Court and will unfold over months, if not years, as legal teams from both sides present evidence about contractual obligations, alleged breaches and the precise nature of asset transfers. Mubadala’s response, which has yet to be submitted, will be crucial in shaping the next chapter. Investors, entrepreneurs and analysts will be watching closely because the outcome could affect how future startups negotiate restructuring deals with deep-pocketed strategic investors, especially sovereign wealth funds, whose incentives sometimes differ from the founders’ vision.Founders Nazım Salur and Serkan Borançılı are suing Mubadala Investment Company for at least $700 million, claiming that promised assets were withheld during a 2024 restructuring. The dispute centers on alleged breaches of the restructuring agreement, involving valuable units such as Getir Finance, while only less profitable entities were transferred. Earlier, Uber acquired Getir’s Turkish delivery business for about $335 million, a move that heightened tensions. The legal battle highlights deep issues between startup founders and large strategic investors, with implications for future spinoffs and restructuring deals in the global technology industry.
